Powercast announces ultra low-cost “Ubiquity” RF Wireless Transmitter

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The result of Powercast’s initiative to slash RF transmitting technology costs, the Ubiquity transmitter ushers in homes of the future where convenient, contactless power can become ubiquitous

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based over-the-air wireless power technology, has unveiled its Ubiquity transmitter, an ultra-low-cost RF power transmitter which was selected as a CES 2023 Innovation Award Honoree in three categories:

  • Smart Home
  • Embedded Technologies
  • Sustainability, Eco-Design & Smart Energy

Designed to be the industry’s most economical RF wireless transmitter, Powercast has lowered the barrier to entry where RF wireless power can actually become ubiquitous with multiple RF transmitters covering every home. Ubiquity will be on display in Powercast’s booth #52311 at the Venetian Expo in the Smart Home Marketplace during CES 2023 in Las Vegas, January 5 – 8, 2023.

“Powercast’s vision is to see a low-cost RF transmitter in every room in every house,” said Charles Goetz, CEO at Powercast. “Much like Wi-Fi routers, a home will need multiple RF transmitters to provide enough RF coverage where convenient, contactless, ‘set it and forget it’ wireless charging becomes a reality. So, we slashed costs and are sharing our Ubiquity design via a reference design with a low $5 bill of material cost, or an embeddable module, that lets manufacturers easily incorporate RF transmitting capability into their own products to accelerate RF transmitter networks in homes.”

Powercast’s over-the-air wireless power architecture has two sides: 1) a transmitter sends RF over the air, and 2) a receiver embedded in end devices harvests that RF from the air and converts it into DC (direct current) to both communicate data, and power devices.

On the transmitter side, Powercast’s Ubiquity will come in several forms, all able to both charge RF-enabled devices and communicate data back and forth with them throughout a home:

  1. Manufacturers have two options to turn their own products – such as home appliances, TVs, game systems, computer monitors or AI-enabled home assistants – into Ubiquity RF transmitters:
    1. A licensable reference design provides flexibility and ultimate cost savings for manufacturers to integrate just the electronics needed onto their own circuit boards for $5 or less bill-of-material (BOM) cost.
    2. An easy-to-integrate, drop-in embeddable module contains all the electronics and hardware needed. Manufacturers will add a power supply and antenna. Powercast will work with manufacturers on an antenna design that best fits their specific product size.
  2. Powercast also created a standalone Ubiquity transmitter combining its embeddable module with an antenna to show at CES. Powercast will produce this portable-speaker-sized transmitter.

On the receiving side, manufacturers can embed Powercast’s tiny Powerharvester® PCC110 receiver chip and a small antenna into their end devices for around $1 to enable them to work with an RF transmitter – either Powercast’s standalone Ubiquity, or RF-transmitting products created using the Ubiquity embeddable module or reference design.

This wireless power-over-distance architecture is perfect for charging low-power devices with continuous, reliable, background trickle charging. End device examples include TV remotes, electric toothbrushes, keyboards and mice, game controllers, earbuds, headphones, smart watches, fitness bands, hearing aids, clocks, electric shavers, home automation devices and many more devices.

Powercast’s Director of Research and Development Jason Gill explained, “The volumes are in the consumer electronics market, but it’s also price sensitive. In response to these manufacturers’ requests for a sustainable, ultra-low-cost wireless charging solution, our engineers perfected the highly-efficient, single-antenna Ubiquity design that can both transmit power and communicate data. Manufacturers can create environmentally-friendly, RF-powered ecosystems using either rechargeable batteries or no batteries, both of which eliminate disposable battery e-waste and battery replacement hassles.”

The Ubiquity transmitter can output up to 1W (3W EIRP) and automatically charges multiple RF-enabled devices that come into its charging zone – no charging mats needed. Power-hungry devices charge faster within several feet of the transmitter, while ultra-low-power devices like IoT sensors can charge up to 120 feet.

“The far-field wireless power transmitter semiconductor market will soon see a steep growth trajectory with most revenue coming from the consumer market,” said Phil Solis, research director at IDC. “On the receiver side, the consumer market will be the largest segment by 2024 and the vast majority of revenue by 2025.  Low-cost solutions are necessary to enable the many devices in the home that can benefit from wireless power.”

The licensable Ubiquity reference design is expected in February 2023.  The Ubiquity module and transmitter are expected in June 2023.

Powercast’s Booth #52311 Demonstrates the Home of the Future with RF Wireless Power Everywhere:
Representing the living room and bathroom of the future, Powercast will demo a distributed network of Ubiquity RF transmitters that keep RF-enabled devices working throughout the home. Devices include electric toothbrushes, TV remotes, game controllers, automatic faucets, smart home sensors (water leak, plant moister, thermostats), wall clocks and more.

“RF technology enables a fundamental change in the way our bathroom works,” said Charles Greene, Ph.D., COO and CTO of Powercast. “One transmitter charges all low-power devices like toothbrushes and shavers.  RF-powered products eliminate cords around water and hence the chance for electric shock. RF also eliminates the inconveniences of the electric toothbrush – no more dock to accumulate grime, and no more need for batteries that often corrode from water seeping in.”

Episode 7 of the “Powered by Powercast” video series explains why the bathroom is ideal for RF-wirelessly-charged products.

To meet with Powercast, see this award-winning technology in action, and keep up with company news, visit https://www.powercastco.com/ces-2023/.

Powercast Creates Cellular-Based Remote RF Wireless Charging Platform to Enable Mobile Carriers to Offer Power as a Service

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Operating in the lower 600 – 900 MHz frequency bands licensed by mobile carriers, the over-the-air RF charging platform enables carriers to monetize underused low-frequency bands and offer “Power as a Service” to charge low-power devices and smart home IoT sensors that eliminate disposable batteries

Las Vegas – Mobile World Congress – September 27, 2022 – Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based over-the-air wireless power technology, has created a unique cellular-based RF Power-Over-Distance Wireless Charging Platform, built around Sequans (NYSE: SQNS) Monarch cellular IoT connectivity technology. Powercast will demonstrate the solution at Mobile World Congress in Las Vegas, September 28 – 30, booth w2.1226.

  • Powercast’s 700MHz Battery-Free Sensor (temperature, pressure, humidity) used in the new cellular-based RF Power-Over-Distance Wireless Charging Platform on display at Mobile World Congress this week in Las Vegas.
  • Sequans’ Monarch 2 GM02S cellular module for IoT connectivity, pictured, teams with Powercast’s RF transmitting antenna to send RF over-the-air to a Powercast PCC110 Powerharvester receiver chip embedded in end devices. The PCC110 harvests RF out of the air and converts it to DC to either power a battery-free device, or recharge a rechargeable battery, both of which keep disposable batteries out of landfills.

Operating in the lower 600 – 900 MHz frequency bands licensed by mobile carriers, the Powercast cellular-based RF Wireless Charging Platform has unique benefits.

  • Because cellular bands are licensed, or private, they have more flexibility on how much power they can transmit, antenna gain, and bandwidth which enables end devices to charge faster and at greater distances when compared to unlicensed, or public, bands.
  • As cellular service moves increasingly to higher frequencies like 5G to increase data throughput, carriers can monetize their underused low frequency bands and offer “Power as a Service.”
  • Ability to simultaneously charge at-a-distance many consumer devices, such as smart home security and automation IoT sensors, TV remotes, keyboards, ear buds, headphones, smart watches, fitness bands and hearing aids.

“Because many RF transmitting devices operate in unlicensed bands such as the 915MHz band, there are limits on transmit power, antenna gain, and other parameters so many devices can coexist and be interoperable,” said Charles Greene, PhD, COO and CTO of Powercast. “This innovative way to use licensed cellular frequencies to increase device charging power will allow manufacturers to create green, sustainable IoT devices that can charge more quickly and at longer distances from a cellular RF transmitter.”

The platform combines Sequans’ Monarch 2 GM02S module with a Powercast RF transmitting antenna to send RF over-the-air to a tiny Powercast PCC110 Powerharvester® receiver chip embedded in end devices. The Powerharvester harvests RF out of the air and converts it to DC (direct current) to either power a battery-free device, or charge a rechargeable battery, both of which keep disposable batteries out of landfills.

In the Mobile World Congress demo, a Sequans Monarch 2 cellular modem teams with Powercast’s 700MHz antenna to transmit a 700MHz RF cellular signal to Powercast’s PCC110 receiver and RF-to-DC converter chip, which then powers a battery-free sensor beacon to transmit temperature and humidity data to a gateway or phone.

“This collaborative effort to introduce cellular technology into the over-the-air RF wireless charging picture creates opportunities for more manufacturers to develop environmentally-friendly smart home IoT ecosystems that eliminate disposable batteries,” said Louis Chuang, EVP and GM of the Massive IoT Business Unit of Sequans. “With cellular everywhere, the opportunities are endless. Powercast is pioneering this field, and shares Sequans’ vision to make IoT more sustainable by integrating an increasing number of functionalities, and limiting the semiconductor carbon footprint.”

Multimedia assets are available: https://mwcamericas.vporoom.com/Powercast

About Powercast
Powercast is the established leader in RF wireless power-over-distance solutions. Since its founding in 2003, Powercast has led the industry in RF wireless power innovations that meet FCC and other global standards. Powercast’s technologies eliminate or reduce the need for wires and batteries, working at distances of 120 feet. The company’s collaborative approach and expertise in all aspects of product design, from vision through prototyping and commercialization, has resulted in dozens of applications, extensive commercial success in both industrial and consumer applications, and over 10 million units shipped. With more than 100 customers and partner companies globally, Powercast leads the RF wireless power market with 79 early and fundamental patents worldwide and 23 patents pending.  www.powercastco.com

For further information: Powercast: Michelle Moody, michelle@moodypr.com , +1.214.363.3460

Powercast and InPlay wirelessly power a Bluetooth beacon from 120 feet!

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With both companies experts in power efficiency, Powercast sends power over an unprecedented 120 feet to power InPlay’s Bluetooth beacon which can communicate using only microwatts, together enabling battery-free, maintenance-free, long-range smart IoT sensor systems

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Sensors Converge – Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based over-the-air wireless power technology, and InPlay, inventor of the programming-free, ultra-low-cost and low-power Bluetooth sensor NanoBeacon system-on-chip (SoC) technology, have created a platform for designing battery-free, maintenance-free, long-range wireless IoT sensor systems that deploy easily for monitoring in the retail, medical, warehousing and industrial IoT markets.

Powercast and InPlay have created a platform for designing battery-free, maintenance-free, IoT sensor systems that can be powered over long distances up to 120 feet.
Powercast and InPlay have created a platform for designing battery-free, maintenance-free, IoT sensor systems that can be powered over long distances up to 120 feet.

READ ENTIRE RELEASE HERE 

Powercast Ships 10 Million Over-the-Air Wireless Powerharvester Chips in Two Years

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Industry leader in over-the-air wireless power over distance ramps production as global organizations increase demand for untethered devices that are freed from wires, batteries, and placement restrictions

PITTSBURGH, Pa., March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based over-the-air wireless power-over-distance technology, announced that it has shipped 10 million wireless RF Powerharvester® PCC110 chips in the last two years alone. The company attributes this milestone to increased demand for wireless power-over-distance solutions which free devices from wires, batteries and placement restrictions such as the direct contact with a charging surface that the Qi wireless charging standard requires.

Powercast hits milestone shipping 10 million over-the-air wireless Powerharvester chips as global organizations increase demand for untethered devices free from wires, batteries and placement restrictions, such as the direct contact with a charging surface that the Qi wireless charging standard requires. Uptick in demand spans wide range of applications, from IoT sensors, digital luggage tags, consumer electronics, logistics and more.
Powercast hits milestone shipping 10 million over-the-air wireless Powerharvester chips as global organizations increase demand for untethered devices free from wires, batteries and placement restrictions, such as the direct contact with a charging surface that the Qi wireless charging standard requires. Uptick in demand spans wide range of applications, from IoT sensors, digital luggage tags, consumer electronics, logistics and more.

Powercast’s technology enables untethered devices powered remotely (up to 80 feet), eliminating or reducing the need for batteries and wires, increasing functionality and efficiency, and providing device placement freedom. As examples, IoT sensor networks can extend into remote locations where wiring and battery replacement are impossible, consumer devices can charge over the air without touching a charging mat, and environmentally-friendly devices can use either rechargeable batteries or no batteries at all, therefore eliminating disposable batteries.

 

Powercast is helping companies ranging from small to some of the largest in the world create feature-rich wireless devices.  The company reports its 2022 bookings to date are already three times its 2021 bookings.

READ ENTIRE RELEASE HERE 

 

Powercast Showcases at CES 2022 New Over-the-Air Wirelessly Powered and Battery less Products: 3D Medical Monitoring Wearables and Robotic Autonomous Price-Changing System

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Industry leader in RF wireless power sees record growth in 2021 as demand for wireless power and environmentally-friendly alternatives to disposable batteries gain momentum

 

Las Vegas, NV, CES – January 3, 2022 – Powercast announced it will showcase an array of new, batteryless products that are powered by the company’s signature radio-frequency (RF)-based long-range over-the-air wireless power technology at CES 2022, booth #52908. The company also announced a record year in customer and revenue growth driven by the demand for wireless power – a market expected to reach $25.9 billion by 2027 – and demand for sustainable product designs that keep disposable batteries out of landfills. Powercast helps its partners create environmentally-friendly electronic devices either with rechargeable batteries that can be recharged by RF, or with no batteries at all that can be directly powered by RF.

Wirelessly-powered partner products displayed at CES will include: 1) 3D printed wearables that monitor biomedical signals for at-home diagnosis and athletic training, developed by University of Arizona researchers, and 2) an all-in-one robotic retail price-changing system combining Powercast’s immortal batteryless electronic shelf label (ESL) and Badger Technologies’ autonomous robots, among others.

Powercast Wins 2021 BIG Innovation Award

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Powercast Wins 2021 BIG Innovation Award

The leader in RF wireless power attains accolade for its wirelessly-powered RFID Temperature Scanning System

 

Pittsburgh, PA — January 12, 2021 — Powercast, the established leader in RF wireless power, today announced it has been named a winner in the 2021 BIG Innovation Awards presented by the Business Intelligence Group for its newly launched wirelessly-powered RFID Temperature Scanning System, which enables businesses to easily and safely monitor employees’ temperatures in support of COVID-19 monitoring protocols. 

The Temperature Scanning System is comprised of a wirelessly-powered temperature-scanning fob for each employee, an RFID reader, and a TV monitor. Employees receive a fob small enough to fit onto their keychain that is personalized to them. The fob quickly charges when held near an RFID reader at the entrance to the business using Powercast’s patented power harvesting technology. Employees scan their own forehead using the fob to read their temperature, and are permitted to enter or are denied entry based on the reading, which automatically appears on the monitor. 

The Company will be showcasing the RFID Temperature Scanning System at CES Virtual 2021, from January 11-14, 2020. To book a meeting with a Powercast executive at the show or otherwise, please visit: https://www.powercastco.com/contact/. 

“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which recognizes our efforts to help bring back a sense of normalcy in these challenging times for businesses,” said Charles Greene, Ph.D., COO and CTO of Powercast. “Our system showcases the many benefits and future opportunities of wireless power as it helps businesses reopen and get back to normal.” 

Powercast has been at the forefront of innovation in RF wireless power technologies since its founding in 2003. The Company develops and deploys innovative RF-based wireless power solutions used by customers across numerous industrial and consumer industries, ranging from game controllers to IoT sensors. 

“More than ever, our global society relies on innovation to help progress humanity and make our lives more productive, healthy and comfortable,” said Maria Jimenez, chief operating officer of the Business Intelligence Group. “We are thrilled to be honoring Powercast as they are one of the organizations leading this charge and helping humanity progress.”

Organizations from across the globe submitted their recent innovations for consideration in the BIG Innovation Awards. Nominations were then judged by a select group of business leaders and executives who volunteer their time and expertise to score submissions.

About Powercast 

Powercast is the established leader in RF wireless power. Since its founding in 2003, Powercast has led the industry in RF wireless power innovations and applications that meet FCC and other global standards. Powercast’s wireless power technologies eliminate or reduce the need for wires and batteries, working at distances up to 80 feet. With millions of units shipped, Powercast is led by a team with deep expertise in design, engineering, and prototyping, and with extensive commercial success in both industrial and consumer applications. With more than 100 customers and partner companies around the world, Powercast leads the RF wireless power market with 63 early and fundamental patents worldwide and 34 patents pending. For more information, visit www.powercastco.com. 

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, these programs are judged by business executives having experience and knowledge. The organization’s proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.

 

Contacts

Lindsay Hull

Zer0 to 5ive for Powercast

lindsay@0to5.com

508-963-1356

 

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Powercast Sees Record Customer and Revenue Growth in 2020 as Demand for Wireless Power Gains Momentum

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Powercast Sees Record Customer and Revenue Growth in 2020 as Demand for Wireless Power Gains Momentum

Industry Leader in RF Wireless Power to Showcase New Wirelessly-Powered RFID Temperature Scanning System and More at CES Virtual 2021

 

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Powercast, the established leader in RF wireless power, today announced a record year in customer, partner, and revenue growth as the Company continues to innovate RF-based wireless power solutions to meet industry and consumer needs. This momentum has been driven by the continued expansion of IoT, AI and the global demand for wireless power innovation across various industries – a market that is expected to reach $29.23 billion by 2027.

In 2020, Powercast shipped new RF wireless power products for more than 10 new industries, including sensors, automotive, retail, consumer electronics, and entertainment. Most recently, the Company launched a wirelessly-powered RFID Temperature Scanning System that enables businesses to easily and safely monitor employees’ temperatures in support of COVID-19 monitoring protocols. Powercast will showcase this product, its wireless charging grip for Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controllers, and more at CES Virtual 2021.

“This year was extraordinary for many industries and wireless power was no exception. We fully expect wireless power’s popularity to continue its rapid growth and adoption with main drivers being low-to-no-touch technologies, amid the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the growth in usage of remote sensors for AI-driven solutions,” said Charles Goetz, CEO of Powercast. “We’re seeing increased requests for wireless power capabilities as both industrial and consumer markets want to cut wires and eliminate batteries in the pursuit of truly wireless solutions. We’re excited to see what the next few years bring for the wireless power industry.”

Powercast solutions are unique in their ability to support commercially viable wireless power products that work at distances ranging from inches to 80 feet. The Company’s technology touches millions of users across 15+ industries, including IoT, consumer electronics and RFID. Powercast’s collaborative approach and deep expertise in all aspects of product design, from vision through prototyping and commercialization has resulted in dozens of applications and millions of units shipped.

CES Virtual 2021
Powercast will be exhibiting at CES Virtual 2021, from January 11-14, 2020, and will be showing its wireless power technology in action. To book a meeting with a Powercast executive, please visit: https://www.powercastco.com/contact/.

About Powercast
Powercast is the established leader in RF wireless power. Since its founding in 2003, Powercast has led the industry in RF wireless power innovations and applications that meet FCC and other global standards. Powercast’s wireless power technologies eliminate or reduce the need for wires and batteries, working at distances up to 80 feet. With millions of units shipped, Powercast is led by a team with deep expertise in design, engineering, and prototyping, and with extensive commercial success in both industrial and consumer applications. With more than 100 customers and partner companies around the world, Powercast leads the RF wireless power market with 63 early and fundamental patents worldwide and 34 patents pending. For more information, visit www.powercastco.com.

Contact:
Lindsay Hull
Zer0 to 5ive for Powercast
lindsay@0to5.com
508-963-1356

 

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Powercast Launches Wirelessly-Powered Temperature Scanning System to Support Businesses’ Return to Normal

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Powercast Launches Wirelessly-Powered Temperature Scanning System to Support Businesses’ Return to Normal

Fast, easy-to-install system supports employee safety and health; employees use personal, battery-free fob to quickly scan their temperature for touch-free entry and contact tracing on large corporate campuses

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based, over-the-air wireless power technology, today announced the launch of a new wirelessly-powered RFID Temperature Scanning System that enables businesses to easily and safely monitor employees’ temperatures as businesses work to re-open and get back to normal.

The new system is comprised of a wirelessly-powered temperature-scanning fob for each employee, an RFID reader, and a TV monitor. Employees receive a fob small enough to fit onto their keychain that is personalized to them. The fob quickly charges when held near an RFID reader at the entrance to the business using Powercast’s patented power harvesting technology. Employees scan their own forehead using the fob to read their temperature, and are permitted to enter or are denied entry based on the reading, which appears on the monitor.

For larger organizations and those on corporate campuses, multiple readers can be used to keep a record for contact tracing if issues arise. Once employees take their temperature when entering the building, they can return the fob to their pocket and do not need to remove it again for location tracking. In the case of COVID-19 exposure, timestamped information can be automatically gathered from the readers to ensure that all potentially exposed employees are notified.

According to a recent COVID-19 Return to Work Survey Report from Littler, an employment law practice, more than half (58%) of employers surveyed plan to conduct testing or health screenings on employees, with most referring to temperature checks (89%) and symptom screenings (72%).

Powercast’s Temperature Scanning System is already in use at Powercast’s headquarters in Pittsburgh’s RIDC Park. The RFID reader antenna is integrated into the company’s check-in counter, enabling fast, hands-free screening. During the first 12 days, the system took a total of 300 readings, which were as accurate as a traditional handheld thermometer. The new Powercast Scanning System has a distinct advantage over handheld devices that are shared and hard to maintain germ-free, or other modes that require employees to stop and write down their information, potentially sharing pens and creating a blockage at entry points.

In the wake of COVID-19, businesses are eager to get back to normal as quickly as possible, while ensuring the safety and welfare of their employees. A COVID-19 Returning to Work Survey of 1,000 U.S. employees by Eagle Hill Consulting found that 54 percent of employees are worried about exposure to COVID-19 at their job. Most employees (71 percent), however, felt their employers will be prepared to safely bring employees back to the workplace.

“We designed this new Temperature Scanning System to take advantage of proven technologies that can be quickly and easily implemented by companies of all sizes so that they can get back to work, safely and without a huge imposition to workers,” said Charles Greene, Ph.D., chief operating and technical officer of Powercast. “This is one of many ways we are applying wireless power to solve real-world problems and eliminate some of the limits of other alternatives.”

Wireless Power Makes Scanning Fast, Easy, and Affordable

The RFID Temperature Scanning System uses RAIN RFID readers as its source of RF wireless power. The System’s over-the-air RF harvesting technology can harness RF energy from Powercast’s own PowerSpot® or Powercaster® RF wireless power transmitters, or from industry standard UHF RFID readers.

The enabling technology behind the system is Powercast’s tiny, embeddable Powerharvester® receiver chip, which harvests RF automatically when it’s within range of an RF power source, and then converts it to direct current (DC) to power the application. The chip is highly efficient and effective in deriving power from even very small amounts of RF and is currently being used in a number of consumer and business applications where wireless power provides a distinct advantage.

How the RFID Temperature Scanning System Works

Each battery-less fob contains an RFID chip, which identifies its owner; a Powercast Powerharvester receiver chip; a Microchip Technology PIC24F04KA201 microcontroller (MCU); and a temperature sensor. The employee simply holds their fob device in a designated power area equipped with an RFID reader antenna and a TV screen. The fob harvests the RF to power up the temperature sensor. After recording the temperature, the data is sent to the RFID reader to read. The TV screen then displays the employee’s name, temperature, and either a green or red light to indicate if they may enter.

Powercast chose Microchip’s PIC24F04KA201 MCU because of its minimal power consumption and ability to incorporate I2C and an analog-to-digital converter into a very small package, enabling a car fob-like size. In addition, Microchip’s MPLAB® Code Configurator sped up the concept-to-prototype process, resulting in a commercially-available system in less than 2 months.

“The PIC24F microcontroller family is a perfect fit for the Powercast temperature scanning fob due to the extreme low power consumption, flexible peripheral set and small form factor. Microchip’s toolchain enables rapid development and commercialization as demonstrated by this product,” said Joe Thomsen, vice president of Microchip’s MCU16 business unit. “Creative designers are able to quickly develop low-power solutions like this temperature scanning key fob, ensuring employees return to work in a safe environment.”

Powercast will be exhibiting at the RFID Journal Virtually Live! event, September 30th – October 1st, and will be conducting demos of the Temperature Scanning System throughout the course of the event. For those interested in a demo, please contact Hank Gasbarro at hgasbarro@powercastco.com or visit us at https://powercastcorporation.rfidvirtual.com/ .

About Powercast

Powercast, established in 2003, is the leading provider of RF-based wireless power technologies that work in the far field (up to 80 feet) to provide power-over-distance, eliminate or reduce the need for batteries, and power or charge devices without wires and connectors. Founded with the vision of enabling untethered devices powered over the air, Powercast continues to create the most efficient, safe and highest power harvesting technology achievable while complying with the FCC and other global standards. Powercast’s IP portfolio includes 63 patents worldwide (32 in the US) and 34 patents pending. www.powercastco.com.

Contact:
Colleen Martin
Zer0 to 5ive for Powercast
colleen@0to5.com

SOURCE Powercast

Powercast Releases Over-the-Air Wireless Charging Grip for Nintendo Joy-Con Controllers on Amazon

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Powercast Releases Over-the-Air Wireless Charging Grip for Nintendo Joy-Con Controllers on Amazon

Enables carefree wireless charging where gamers don’t have to dock their Joy-Cons to charge

PITTSBURGH (PRWEB) AUGUST 25, 2020

Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based over-the-air wireless power technology, has released first production units of its Wireless Charging Grip for Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controllers, the world’s first gaming product that charges over the air without wires or charging mats. Developed to deliver carefree wireless charging where gamers don’t have to dock their Joy-Con controllers, Powercast’s grip automatically recharges them over the air when placed within one foot of Powercast’s PowerSpot® wireless power transmitter. Powercast’s Wireless Charging Grip and its companion PowerSpot transmitter are now available on Amazon initially for Nintendo Switch gamers in the U.S. and Canada for a bundled price of US$149.99: https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Charging-PowerSpot-Transmitter-Bundle/dp/B08FTJPDBS/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=wireless+charging+grip+powerspot&qid=1598271782&sr=8-2

Most grips simply make Joy-Cons easier to hold, while Powercast’s grip also wirelessly charges two Joy-Cons and doubles as a backup battery pack. It keeps batteries topped off when out of the transmitter’s range for about 26 hours of gameplay on one charge. Most gamers can achieve a full charge over a 24-hour period by simply leaving their Wireless Charging Grip near the front of their PowerSpot transmitter between gaming sessions. Daily usage and battery level will determine charging range and rate.

The LED on the grip guides gamers where to place their grip to optimize charging. When fully charged the LED double blinks green, and when the grip needs charging the LED double blinks red. It blinks green when fast charging, yellow when moderate charging, and red to tell users to place their Wireless Charging Grip closer to the PowerSpot transmitter for faster charging. A new PowerSpot app (iOS and Android) provides a hub for monitoring the charging status of the grip and other PowerSpot-enabled devices, downloading firmware updates, and more.

“Over-the-air wireless charging is perfect for most of us gamers who play a few hours per day,” said Charles Greene, Ph.D., chief operating and technical officer of Powercast. “Without having to plug in or position it on a charging mat, users can simply set their Wireless Charging Grip down in front of their PowerSpot transmitter and it will wirelessly recharge until they’re ready to game again.”

Greene continued, “Our grip is great for gamers who want the convenience to ‘set it and forget it,’ but we also included a standard USB-C port for wired charging if needed.” He explained, “Wired charging delivers high power for a fast charge, while over-the-air charging delivers more convenient, lower power over an extended period of time. Powercast’s highly efficient RF harvesting system optimizes power delivery over the air for a high performance, easy-to-use alternative to wired charging.”

Powercast’s embedded Powerharvester® receiver harnesses RF energy sent over the air from the U.S. FCC- and Canadian ISED-approved PowerSpot transmitter, and converts it to direct current (DC) to charge the Wireless Charging Grip’s embedded battery. This embedded battery then charges the connected Joy-Cons, and can act as a backup battery pack once the Joy-Cons are fully recharged. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), the grip requests power from the transmitter when its batteries are low, and signals it to stop when charged.

“While our focus remains helping our OEM customers design in our wireless power technology and deliver their products to market, we’ve really enjoyed developing our own wirelessly rechargeable consumer product as well,” continued Greene. “Many of us are Switch gamers, so we can’t wait to leave our Joy-Cons in the grip and just set it down to recharge without having to dock them.”

“We’re very excited to start shipping our Wireless Charging Grip even amidst the pandemic that caused manufacturing delays, and we plan to continue to ramp production as the global situation allows,” continued Greene.

Powercast’s future vision is for consumers to be able to place all their PowerSpot-enabled devices in front of a PowerSpot transmitter to enjoy far-field (up to 80 feet, or 24 meters) over-the-air wireless charging. Thirty or more enabled devices in the charging zone will automatically connect and receive power, sharing the transmitter’s three-watt (EIRP) output emitted in the 915 MHZ band. A device’s power consumption determines its charging range and rate; power-hungry products charge best at close range, while low-power devices such as sensors can operate at the maximum distance. Each device’s instructions will recommend its charging distance and time.

Editorial note: Visuals are available at: http://www.powercastco.com/grips.

About Powercast
Powercast, established in 2003, is the leading provider of RF-based wireless power technologies that work in the far field (up to 80 feet) to provide power-over-distance, eliminate or reduce the need for batteries, and power or charge devices without wires and connectors. Founded with the vision of enabling untethered devices powered over the air, Powercast continues to create the most efficient, safe and highest power harvesting technology achievable while complying with the FCC and other global standards. Powercast’s IP portfolio includes 57 patents worldwide (32 in the US) and 29 patents pending. http://www.powercastco.com.

Note: Nintendo, Switch, and Joy-Con are registered trademarks of Nintendo.

 

Powercast Joins RAIN RFID Alliance

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Powercast Joins RAIN RFID Alliance

Collaboration brings over-the-air wireless power to UHF RFID systems by harvesting RF from existing RFID infrastructure to power EPD tags, retail ESLs, sensors, logistics and location tracking, and LED illumination

PITTSBURGH (PRWEB) JUNE 02, 2020

Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based long-range over-the-air wireless power technology, announced that it has joined 160 other organizations in the RAIN RFID Alliance who share the goal of promoting the universal adoption of ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID technology. This global alliance aims to emulate the same success for RFID that the Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG have had in achieving universal adoption for their wireless standards.

RAIN RFID is a wireless technology that uses both handheld and fixed UHF RFID readers that are prevalent in industries around the globe to connect billions of everyday items to the internet. It enables businesses and consumers to identify, locate, authenticate and engage each item bearing an RFID tag or label.

Powercast’s Powerharvester® RF-to-DC converter chips harvest RF from 10MHz to 6GHz, and bring new functionality to RAIN RFID systems. The Powerharvester PCC110 and PCC114 chips can harvest RF from existing UHF RFID readers and very efficiently (up to 80% efficiency) convert it to direct current (DC) to power applications over the air. RFID readers emit a similar RF signal to Powercast’s PowerSpot® and Powercaster® RF wireless power transmitters, enabling RAIN RFID to be another reliable source of RF wireless power.

A Powerharvester receiver chip embedded in an electronic paper display (EPD) tag such as a retail electronic shelf-edge label (ESL), an environmental sensing or logistics tag, or a secure ID card can harvest RF when it comes within range of a UHF RFID reader. That range is application dependent; most can function up to 30 feet (9 meters) from a reader, while some can work up to 80 feet (24 meters) away. RFID tag or label devices can be designed with batteries that Powercast either recharges or manages, or without batteries because an embedded Powerharvester chip can harvest enough power from UHF RFID readers to operate perpetually.

Several applications developed with partner E Ink and deployed over the last two years enable companies to use RFID infrastructure to wirelessly update E Ink’s ePaper screen over the air. These include ViewTag’s electronic bag tag, launched by British Airways in 2019 as TAG, which harvests RF from airport RFID equipment to refresh the ePaper screen with the passenger’s itinerary; and Powercast’s UHF RFID Retail Price Tag, a batteryless ESL launched in 2018 which harvests RF from retail RFID readers to send over-the-air price updates to its ePaper screen. More details are in E Ink and Powercast’s white paper, “Integrating wireless power technology into ePaper devices for carefree wireless charging:” http://go.eink.com/whitepapers

Other UHF RFID over-the-air wireless power applications include environmental monitoring, such as Powercast’s RFID Sensor Tags launched in 2017 which measure temperature, light and humidity; smart packaging with wirelessly illuminated LEDs; smart ID cards which electronically verify user credentials; logistics and advanced location tracking devices; and on-product sensing devices.

“We are delighted to join the RAIN RFID Alliance and look forward to a mutually beneficial collaboration,” said Charles Greene, Ph.D., chief operating and technical officer of Powercast. “RAIN provides an industry forum to promote the benefits of RFID technology and is driving awareness to accelerate growth and adoption across many industries.”

“The alliance welcomes Powercast to our growing membership,” said Steve Halliday, president of the RAIN RFID Alliance. “Powercast brings deep experience in defining and executing wireless power solutions to benefit our members, and will contribute to our mission of promoting RFID technology.”

Editorial note: Visuals are available from the links in this release, or from https://www.powercastco.com/visuals/.

About Powercast
Powercast, established in 2003, is the leading provider of RF-based wireless power technologies that work in the far field (up to 80 feet) to provide power-over-distance, eliminate or reduce the need for batteries, and power or charge devices without wires and connectors. Founded with the vision of enabling untethered devices powered over the air, Powercast continues to create the most efficient, safe and highest power harvesting technology achievable while complying with the FCC and other global standards. Powercast’s IP portfolio includes 62 patents worldwide and 38 patents pending. http://www.powercastco.com.

About RAIN RFID Alliance
The RAIN RFID Alliance is an organization supporting the universal adoption of RAIN UHF RFID technology. A wireless technology that connects billions of everyday items to the internet, enabling businesses and consumers to identify, locate, authenticate, and engage each item. The technology is based on the EPC Gen2 UHF RFID specification, incorporated into the ISO/IEC 18000-63 standard. For more information, visit http://www.RAINRFID.org. The RAIN Alliance is part of AIM, Inc. AIM is the trusted worldwide industry association for the automatic identification industry, providing unbiased information, educational resources, and standards for nearly half a century.