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I know a bit about wireless charging (I design&build electronic devices). When I first heard about the idea of a multi-device charging mat, my first thought was
by jwr 8y ago
I know a bit about wireless charging (I design&build electronic devices). When I first heard about the idea of a multi-device charging mat, my first thought was: how in the hell are they going to do that? I didn't think it merely difficult, I thought it wasn't possible at all.
- wmeredith 8y agoCould you expand on this?
- pps 8y agoBut there already exists something like that https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Charger-JE-Charging-QI-Enabled/dp/B078MKF7Y8 https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Charger-JE-Charging-QI-Enabl...
- jclardy 8y agoThat is just three wireless chargers stacked next to each other. Apple's design was to have no required orientation or position, just drop it wherever on the mat, along with whatever other devices.
- pps 8y agoStill, it is "multi-device charging mat" and if Apple could provide something like that their customers would be more than happy - I guess.
- TrainedMonkey 8y agoThey use multiple coils: "we can confirm is comprised of between 21 and 24 power coils". Presumably they detect where the device is and engage an appropriate coil. Quick search on amazon found a few charging pads with multiple coils.
- joombaga 8y ago21-24 is a weird range
- Drdrdrq 8y agoIt's a weird design.
- tcfunk 8y agoAs someone who knows basically nothing about designing electronic devices, my initial thought is 3 rows of 7 coils or 3 rows of 8 coils? This wouldn't make it a range, though, so much as an either/or situation.
- jakobegger 8y agoWould probably make more sense to choose some hexagonal pattern.
- tcfunk 8y agoOh, good point!
- jakobegger 8y agoThey use a grid of coils. By activating multiple adjacent coils, it behaves like one big coil. From a physics perspective it's really neat: the magnetic fields of opposing currents in adjacent wires should cancel. But the price you pay is that you have the charging current flowing through more length of wire, and more resistive losses (heat).
- toomuchtodo 8y agoPhased array inductive charging. Fascinating!
- Terretta 8y agoIt's easy -- just use variable position wireless power transmitted through multiple cooperative flux generators! I'd submitted https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17980168 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17980168 a few days ago, links to a landing page for a white paper and presentation. Direct link: https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/technology/multiple-cooperative-flux-generators.html https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/technology/multiple-...