Nokia has taken wireless charging to the next level by experimenting with lightning to charge a mobile phone. It collaborated with scientists from the University of Southampton on proof-of-concept research into harnessing the power of lightning for personal use - which it claims is an industry first.
On Nokia's blog, the company says Neil Palmer, a scientist from Southampton university, was brought on board for the project, which also allowed for access to one of the world's leading high-voltage laboratories. The experiments took place using a Nokia Lumia 925.
"Using an alternating current, driven by a transformer, over 200 000 volts was sent across a 300mm gap, giving heat and light similar to that of a lightning bolt," says Palmer. "The signal was then stepped into a second controlling transformer, allowing us to charge the phone."
What happened next surprised even the scientists, says the blog post. "We were amazed to see that the Nokia circuitry somehow stabilised the noisy signal, allowing the battery to be charged in only seconds. This discovery proves the device can be charged with a current that passes through the air, and is a huge step towards understanding a natural power like lightning and harnessing its energy," he says.
According to Nokia's executive VP for sales and marketing, Chris Weber, this is a first for any mobile phone company to trial this kind of technology. "We obviously aren't recommending people try this experiment at home, but we are always looking to disrupt and push the boundaries of technology and find innovative ways to improve the performance of our products."
The experiment has opened up the potential for consumers to tap one of nature's significant energy sources to charge their devices in a sustainable manner. Lightning now joins the list of unusual sources utilised for charging devices, including urine, water, sound and heat.
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