mmalabanan
Nikola Labs, along with researchers at the Ohio State University, recently launched a case for iPhone 6 that will make its battery last up to 30 percent longer using nothing but thin air.
Based on a technology called “rectenna”, the smartphone case will utilize “wasted” microwave energy of radio frequencies and transform it into usable energy to power the iPhone 6.
Dr. Rob Lee, founder of Nikola Labs and former chair of Ohio State University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering department, explained that 90% of the energy that the smartphone produces to maintain data connections is lost into the air. The device works by harvesting and converting the wasted energy and putting it back to the phone to power it up longer.
After launching the gadget during the the TechCrunch Disrupt Conference in New York, Nikola Labs is planning to commercialise the product this year through a Kickstarter project. The device will initially cost around $99.
Aside from transforming wasted energy into ueable electricity, the case offers several other features including an added layer of protection, a signal-strength indicator, an RF harvesting antenna, and an RF-DC converter.
The company is also eyeing to incorporate the device with several other gadgets including medical devices, embedded sensors, and wearable technology.
