Tech Briefs Magazine - November 2021 - 38

Winner of an HP Workstation
CONSUMER PRODUCT DESIGN
CATEGORY WINNER
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Xogo - Accessibility
for Everyone
Ray Abel and Dalton
Banks, Bansen Labs,
Coraopolis, PA
A scalable and adapAIRA
FREEPOWER ADVANCED
WIRELESS POWER
Jake Slatnick, Eric Goodchild, Simon McElrea,
and Marc Rosenmayr
Aira Inc.
Chandler, AZ
W
ireless power based on the Qi standard has established
itself as the preferred technology for charging mobile
devices in cars, homes, and common spaces worldwide.
A broad ecosystem of thousands of interoperable devices has
been built over the years and the majority of OEMs now
include wireless charging stations in their vehicles.
Unfortunately, the automotive wireless charging experience
is flawed because the receiver device needs to be precisely
aligned with the transmitting device, pockets or rails are
required to hold devices in place (but sizes vary widely), only
one device can charge at a time, and charging stations are not
compatible with certain phones, headsets, or cases.
Today's transmitters typically feature one or three charging
coil(s) located in the center of the charger. If the user's device is
not precisely aligned with the coil, it will not receive power.
FreePower overcomes all these limitations with an advanced
hardware and firmware approach that enables surface power
in any size. FreePower charging stations (transmitters) consist of
a matrix of overlapping coils that tracks the location of devices
(receivers) placed on its surface, intelligently positioning magnetic
fields that deliver efficient and precise power, even as
receivers shift across the surface. Independently controlled
charging zones enable several devices to charge simultaneously,
with up to 15 Watts per device.
The solution leverages the Qi standard library of compatible
devices. Unlike traditional wireless chargers that require precise
alignment, FreePower features full surface charging from corner
to corner. As Qi-enabled devices are placed across the charging
surface, power is delivered to each one and intelligently
managed to optimize performance and efficiency.
A first generation of this technology was successfully validated
and launched as a consumer product and Aira is now collaborating
with OEMs and a Tier1 to deploy the second-generation
platform for automotive applications. Charging surfaces can be
designed in any size, allowing OEMs to deliver surface power
across an entire fleet of vehicles. An automotive wireless charging
station integrated in a center console is capable of powering
three devices simultaneously at up to 15 Watts per device.
For more information, visit
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11366
38
Cov
www.techbriefs.com
ToC
tive open platform lets
users of all abilities connect
to consumer technology in ways suited to their personal
needs. Someone who uses a wheelchair can connect their joystick
to their gaming system and play games online with their
friends and use the switches on their headrests to open doors
and activate lights.
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11303
Float Thermometer - Baby Bottle
Application
Scott Hines, Making Life Enjoyable
Products, Canton, MI
The float thermometer takes the
temperature of the milk inside a
baby bottle and communicates the
fluid's temperature by visual means
or by both visual means and wireless
transmission of the temperature to a standalone device via
access point or Wi-Fi communication.
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11237
Breakthrough
Polyurethane
for Comfort
Applications
Srivastava
Yasmin, Juan Carlos Medina, James Facello, Jessica Chang,
Yin Tang, Gretchen Baier, Tom Fielitz, Christopher Thiede,
Roy Gamboa, Heather Mikel, Michelle Tipps, and Charmain
Surles of Dow Chemical, Lake Jackson, TX; and Wayne Celia
of Cell Foam Solutions, Woonsocket, RI
HYPOL™ JM 5013/JB 1009 is a two-component, waterbased,
catalyst-free polyurethane chemistry for cosmetics and
personal care products. The foams are odor-free and less irritating
to skin/inhalation and without VOC, residual catalyst, or
solvents.
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11211
Vision X - Assistive
Smart Glass for Blind
People
K. Premnath, Uxmint,
Chennai, India
Vision X is a smart
voice-based glass for
people who are completely
blind. The glass uses a set of high-definition cameras
for image processing and a LiDAR sensor for distance measurement.
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11406
Tech
Briefs, November 2021
https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11303 https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11237 https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11211 https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11366 https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/11406 http://www.techbriefs.com http://info.hotims.com/79419-902
Tech Briefs Magazine - November 2021

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