What if Wireless Charging Develop Distance Up to a Football Field? Is that Harmful to Us?

iPhone X has a tagline, which is “wireless charging for a wireless world”.

What is wireless charging?

Wireless charging is pretty self-explanatory. It’s the transfer of power from a power outlet to a device, without the need of a connecting cable. Wireless charging involves a power transmitting pad and a receiver, sometimes in the form of a case attached to a mobile device or even built into the phone itself.

How does wireless charging work?

Wireless charging is charging is based on inductive charging, whereby power is created by passing an electrical current through two coils to create an electromagnetic field. When the receiving magnetic plate on the mobile device comes into contact with the transmitter – or at least within the specified range – the magnetic field generates an electrical current within the device. This current is then converted into direct current (DC), which in turn charges the built-in battery.

What are the standards for wireless charging?

There are a few standards floating around. The main one that you will most likely have heard of is Qi (pronounced “Chee”). Qi is a standard that has been developed by the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) for inductive charging over distances of up to 40mm. Qi has three separate power specifications, beginning with low power, which can deliver up to 5W and is primarily used for charging mobile devices and smartwatches – the WPC has said this will be tripled to 15W in the future. There is a medium power spec which can deliver up to 120W and is used for monitors and laptops. And there is a high spec that can deliver up to 1kW to power things such as kitchen utensils.

Disney Research turns a whole room into a wireless charger

In this Disney research project, they building a 16×16 foot aluminium wall wireless charging room. The researchers believe this form of wireless power has the potential to eliminate the need for wires and batteries by enabling users to charge their devices simply by walking into a QSCR-enabled space, thus allowing an unprecedented amount of spatial charging freedom. One interesting advantage it has over other solutions we’ve covered is that it can be scaled to size, depending on the application. The researchers did not mention what plans Disney has for this technology but one can imagine how it can be used in its theme parks, for starters.

Is wireless charging harmful?

Expert opinions are divided. On one side, many scientists confirm that the small amount of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by Wireless Charging is harmless. Others speak of a very harmful radiation that can have a negative impact on the human body.

How much electromagnetic radiation is emitted by the Qi Wireless Charging System?

Insignificantly little. The principle of Qi has been used in electronic toothbrushes for years without any known physical effects on human health. Due to the low range of the Qi wireless charging technology, the electromagnetic radiation is severely limited. Electromagnetic radiation exists only in the immediate area of the Qi wireless charging station and only when a device is placed there. The release of electromagnetic rays is further reduced by additional shielding in the sending and receiving coils of the Qi standard.

Electromagnetic fields and cancer 

Despite many studies, the evidence for any effect remains highly controversial. However, it is clear that if electromagnetic fields do have an effect on cancer, then any increase in risk will be extremely small. The results to date contain many inconsistencies, but no large increases in risk have been found for any cancer in children or adults.

A number of epidemiological studies suggest small increases in risk of childhood leukemia with exposure to low frequency magnetic fields in the home. However, scientists have not generally concluded that these results indicate a cause-effect relation between exposure to the fields and disease (as opposed to artifacts in the study or effects unrelated to field exposure). In part, this conclusion has been reached because animal and laboratory studies fail to demonstrate any reproducible effects that are consistent with the hypothesis that fields cause or promote cancer. Large-scale studies are currently underway in several countries and may help resolve these issues.

• http://www.qinside.biz/en/support/is-the-radiation-harmful
• http://www.who.int/peh-emf/about/WhatisEMF/en/index1.html
• https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/
• http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/140239-wireless-charging-explained-everything-you-need-to-know-about-powering-your-iphone-or-android-device-wire-free
• http://newatlas.com/disney-research-qscr-wireless-charging/47990/