As we all know, almost all of our appliances are powered by electricity that is supplied through cables in our homes. As far as technology goes, I feel that this is pretty outdated.

Imagine a world where electricity is supplied without the use of any cables. Our electrical products would be free from wires and can be placed anywhere. They would be designed differently, making them much more efficient and effective. They would also reduce the amount of waste produced.

Any thoughts? Is Wireless Power the way of the future?

We already have wireless power. It's called a battery.

And I'm not waiting for them to start zapping electricity through the air. That stuff is dangerous.

We already have power that zaps through the air. The Palm Pre uses it.

We already have wireless power. It's called a battery.

Sure, but what about big products like TVs and air conditioners? You can't power them with batteries can you? :heh:


We already have power that zaps through the air. The Palm Pre uses it.

The Touchstone still uses a wire hooked up to the socket. :( It's pretty cool how the Touchstone works by electromagnetic induction, but this means that the Palm Pre has to be in direct physical contact with the Touchstone in order to work. Not the kind of Wireless Power I imagined. :)

Sony developed a wireless TV (http://www.athanhumol.com/athanism/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/sony-wireless-power2.jpg) that coincides with what I thinking about. Could this be the technology of the future?

Doesn't this idea date back to Tesla? That crazy dude really was ahead of his time.

Sure, but what about big products like TVs and air conditioners? You can't power them with batteries can you? :heh:



Why would I want that? The TV doesn't really move or anything.

He's thinking of an ideal utopian situation where appliances, and perhaps entire cities, are powered by stand-alone renewable energy sources that produce 0 pollution and waste. If the human species even lasts that long, scientists will find a way to do it.

But until then, I'm happy with the wall socket.

Doesn't this idea date back to Tesla? That crazy dude really was ahead of his time.

Yeah Tesla experimented with the idea, but the technology wasn't there in his time to make it happen, if my memory isn't going bad.

Tesla was a god, he could power a thousand lightbulbs with a wink of an eye. My memory serves me well.

Well... I see it as... it is the technology that adapts to us humans, and, I guess, occasionally we adapt to technology. We like our cell phones small enough to fit in our pockets, enough said. But i'll expound on it. ^^ If we can carry around a laptop size cell phone we would, because bigger is better. But us humans are more practical than that.

If television were to be wireless... it'll definitely be easier during the moving day. And you'd never have to be limited to the length of the wires. You can have your appliances however you want. Your washing machine can be dead center in a room. It can even be upside down... like a cabinet. There are no light fixtures, but just light. It'll be like having a bunch of glowing sticks and the switches for them are in your brain. I think that would make a cool anime or a movie.

Human's are not socialized to be completely practical and efficient. A significant portion of ones actions is driven by the desire of pleasure, so things like aesthetics and visibility/popularity definitely come into play.

@Ander: What do you mean like a cabinet? I think you're ignoring...how washing machines work, and I think assuming "brain switches for lights" would come with wireless power is a bit... let's say optimistic.
@RD: That seems like... a freaking useless comment, am I misreading somehow? Care to explain?

I think one of the more interesting ideas for wireless power would be that one could, theoretically have infinite movement.* With the right infrastructures things like electric cars could simply keep going forever as long as they were "on the grid". I keep picturing a remote control car in a residential area, with a meter on it linked to a household...and your kids could just play and play never having to re-charge the batteries. I always hated that when I was a kid.

*assuming no other mechanical difficulties prevent this.

My comment was a reply to Ander's:


If we can carry around a laptop size cell phone we would, because bigger is better. But us humans are more practical than that.