You’re wasting a lot of energy on your cell phone.
We’re not talking Pokémon Go, which is mostly just a waste of time. We’re talking literal energy waste. About 90 percent of the energy used by your “smart” device to send signals to nearby cell towers doesn’t reach its mark.
But if you could harness all that unused energy? You could, ironically, power your cell phone.
Delaware’s Radient Micro-Tech just received two patents for tech that transforms your cell phone into an “energy harvesting antenna” that captures wasteful radiofrequency (RF) energy — the energy used for send all your telecommunications — and turns those unused waves into electrical power for your device.
Basically, recycling this excess energy could boost your power levels by 30%. It could also bring about advanced wireless charging options — meaning your phone wouldn’t require mats or special equipment.
It just requires we reimagine what power looks like.
“Nikola Tesla first demonstrated point A to point B wireless power transfer in 1890s. Today, most wireless charging products operate on the same principle,” notes the Radient website. “Our patents … take wireless charging beyond 19th century technology.”
No word yet on when these radio wave harvesting devices will hit the market, but in the meantime, you might want to wear your tinfoil hat.
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