Universal wireless charging can help to dramatically cut the number of chargers produced, shipped and subsequently discarded, as new models become available, says the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
IT distributor, Platinum Micro, says this type of charging can give consumers a convenient way to charge a wide variety of mobile devices available on the market.
Heeding the ITU call, last night Platinum Micro revealed that it will be distributing Powermat in SA, a product that made headlines when it hit the US market last year. “This product is a one-pad, one-plug system that charges a variety of gadgets in one place without wires,” the company says.
Platinum Micro product manager Tyrone Gruner says with Powermat, gadgets will get a special 'Powermat Receiver' sleeve so that they can use magnetic induction charging to power the devices.
“It is a combination of Powermat's magnetic alignment system and RFID [radio frequency identification] tagging that delivers these benefits. Using a magnet located inside the Powermat receiver, the system is able to more accurately align devices on the inductive charging surface.”
The RFID identifies each Powermat receiver's model and the device they correspond to. Gruner says this ensures the exact voltage and wattage of power required to optimally charge that device is delivered.
One-size-fits-all
He says four different and incompatible electronic devices can be charged simultaneously with one power cord.
“It shuts power off the moment a device reaches a fully-charged state.”
This is one step closer towards ITU's call for universal charging. The organisation has approved an energy-efficient one-charger-fits-all new mobile phone solution.
The announcement came as ITU lobbies hard to have the essential role of ICTs recognised in the draft Copenhagen Agreement as a key part of the solution towards mitigating climate change.
The new standard will mean users worldwide will be able to charge their mobiles anywhere from any available charger, while also reducing the energy consumed while charging.
Powermat will be available in selected retail stores across the country starting from today.
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Standardised phone chargers coming
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