Nikola Labs Case Grabs Radio Frequencies to Charge IPhone 6


NikolaLabsiPhoneCaseNothing sounds more amazing than your mobile phone staying charged as long as you want it to be. This week, TechCrunch reports a Columbus-based startup company, Nikola Labs, coming up with an iPhone 6 case that does just this. Using radio frequencies, the case can harvest electricity right out of the air and then use it to keep your smartphone charged longer.

NikolaLabsiPhoneCase1These radio frequencies, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and LTE, which take up to 90 percent of the wasted energy the smartphone produces and convert it into DC power, can put that energy right back into the device, powering it up to 30 percent longer (Tech Crunch). Dr. Rob Lee, co-founder of Nikola Labs, says most of these forms of energy, usually present to maintain voice and data connections, are just flying in thin air instead of being used. Using the company's iPhone 6 case, this power can be slowly trickled into the battery, so instead of it actually recharging, it “results in slower battery depletion”.

NikolaLabsiPhoneCase2Silicon Angle suggests that this technology could go a lot farther than just keeping the juice in our smartphones. It could potentially apply to other devices, such as wearables, embedded sensors, medical devices, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In a month or so, Nikola Labs will put its iPhone 6 case up for crowdfunding on Kickstarter. At just $99 a pop for early backers, and shipment in about four to five months, hopefully it draws in some potentially interested customers.

Others, like myself, might consider waiting for a charging device that actually fully charges their smartphone. This case doesn't quite live up to my expectations, especially in a world where my smartphone goes from 100 to nearly nothing a couple times a day from using it so much. I know I'm not alone on that.

Topics: Technology News Apple Battery & Power Technology Gadgets & Peripherals Inventions & Innovations Smartphones & Mobile Devices

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