In the past few years, Xiaomi has been one of the few phone companies setting the pace in terms of new technologies. For example, the Mi MIX was the phone that ignited the bezel-less craze. Xiaomi has also proved that it is one of the pioneers in charging technology with announcements such as its 80W wireless charging technology. Today, it has taken it to another level with its Mi Air Charge Technology which allows you to charge multiple devices simultaneously without the need for cables or a wireless charging stand.
Xiaomi says that its patented Mi Air Charge Technology makes use of a special self-developed tower/box-like device that uses beamforming technology to send millimeter waves directly to a device. These waves are converted to electric power that charges the device.
The tower is said to have 5 phase-detection antennas that help it locate the position of a smartphone (or compatible device) in a room in milliseconds. It also has 144 beamforming antennas that transfer millimeter waves.
The phone itself is fitted with two antenna arrays similar to the ones in the charging device but much smaller in size. The first is the beacon array that communicates with the charging tower and the other is the receiving antenna array made up of 14 antennas that receive the millimeter waves which are then converted into electric power via a special circuit and used to charge the device.
Xiaomi has released a short video that shows the new technology in action. The video also gives us a better look at the box-like device behind the technology.
Xiaomi says that at the moment, Mi Air Charge Technology supports the charging of multiple devices simultaneously at long-range at a maximum power of 5W (per device). While that is so much slower than its 80W wireless technology for phones, Xiaomi’s main goal doesn’t seem to be phones but smaller devices and home appliances.
According to a Weibo post by Adam Zeng Xuezhong, the new head of Xiaomi’s mobile division who took over from Lin Bin last year, the plan is to have Mi Air Charge Technology charge wearable devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers in the future. It is also expected that it will be able to power other small devices in the homes such as speakers and desk lamps. The ultimate goal is to eliminate the need for wires which have become a menace in most households.
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