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

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’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.

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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

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

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.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

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

 

PITTSBURGHJan. 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.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

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

PITTSBURGHSept. 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@www.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.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

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

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: https://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. https://www.powercastco.com.

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

 

Powercast Joins RAIN RFID Alliance

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

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. https://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.

Powercast and Liquid X Announce Printed Electronics Venture to Enable Durable, Washable e-Textiles that Seal in Wireless Charging Electronics

Powercast and Liquid X Announce Printed Electronics Venture to Enable Durable, Washable e-Textiles that Seal in Wireless Charging Electronics

Liquid X’s particle-free conductive inks can print wireless charging electronics directly onto smart wearables rather than adding it afterwards

Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based long-range over-the-air wireless power technology, and Liquid X, an advanced manufacturer of functional metallic inks with prototype-to-production design and manufacturing capabilities, today announced a printed electronics venture to enable garment manufacturers to easily integrate wireless power functionality into durable, flexible, high performance and washable e-textiles.

Utilizing Liquid X’s proprietary ink technology, manufacturers can print circuitry directly onto a garment, add Powercast’s wireless power technology and a battery, and seal this all into the garment during the manufacturing process. The two companies’ goal is to enable cost-effective manufacturing of durable e-textiles, with battery-powered features such as health and wellness, movement monitoring, or LED-based illumination embedded directly into garments, that consumers can conveniently recharge over the air, and wash, without having to remove a battery pack.

Today’s smart garments often snap electronics onto the garment along with battery packs that users must detach before washing. With the combined technologies of Liquid X and Powercast, now manufacturers can integrate the electronics directly into the garment. First, circuitry is printed on the fabric using Liquid X’s proprietary particle-free ink, including Powercast’s RF wireless receiving antenna. Next, Powercast’s Powerharvester® RF wireless power receiver chip, a battery, and other components are mounted onto the printed traces. Finally, an encapsulant provides a high strength waterproof bond to seal in all of the electronics.

To recharge the battery, consumers simply place a Powercast RF transmitter in the closet or drawer where they store their smart wearable. It transmits RF energy over the air to the RF receiver embedded in the wearable, which then converts it to direct current (DC) to charge the battery.

The two Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based companies showcased at CES in January 2020 a wirelessly rechargeable smart athletic shirt prototype that illuminates using printed electronics, embedded power harvesting technology, and LEDs powered over the air up to 10 feet away from the wireless transmitter.

Editorial note: Multimedia assets are available at: 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 57 patents worldwide (32 in the US) and 29 patents pending. https://www.powercastco.com.

About Liquid X
Liquid X, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an advanced material manufacturer of functional metallic inks that takes an application from prototype to production. Liquid X partners with manufacturers within the electronics industry to develop and print functional components utilized in various devices, including sensors; heating elements; smart textiles and many others. Through our proprietary particle-free inks, printing capabilities and technical expertise, we take an application from concept to commercialization using additive manufacturing techniques. http://www.liquid-x.com

CES 2020: Powercast Showcases Over-the-Air Wireless Power Products from Partners and its Own Product Team

CES 2020: Powercast Showcases Over-the-Air Wireless Power Products from Partners and its Own Product Team

Plans release of its Wireless Charging Grip for Nintendo Joy-Con Controllers on Amazon in Spring 2020

PITTSBURGH–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Powercast Corporation will showcase an array of consumer products featuring its radio-frequency (RF)-based long-range over-the-air wireless power technology at CES 2020, booth #42161, Sands Expo. Among these include first production units of the company’s own Wireless Charging Grip for Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controllers, which Powercast plans to release on Amazon in Spring 2020.  Partner products will include Sportcor’s embeddable smart electronics core, which powers sporting equipment such as the Kookaburra Smart Ball to deliver sports data analytics, and TAG by British Airways, in which Powercast preserves battery life so this digital tag can be reused for over 3000 flights.

“Powercast has had an exceptionally exciting year partnering with our OEM customers to bring real wireless power solutions to the consumer market, “ said Charles Greene, Ph.D., chief operating and technical officer of Powercast, “and we’ve had a blast developing our own wirelessly rechargeable consumer product as well.”

Powercast’s Wireless Charging Grip for Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controllers:

Developed to deliver carefree wireless charging where there’s no need to dock Joy-Con controllers, Powercast’s Wireless Charging Grip automatically recharges over the air when placed within two feet of Powercast’s FCC- and ISED-approved PowerSpot® wireless power transmitter, achieving a full charge when left overnight.  Heavier gamers place their grip closer to their PowerSpot transmitter and less frequent gamers can charge from up to 2 feet away.

Powercast’s embedded Powerharvester® receiver harnesses RF energy sent over the air from the PowerSpot transmitter, converts it to direct current (DC) to charge the grip’s embedded battery, which then charges the connected Joy-Con batteries. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for intelligent wireless charging, the grip requests power from the transmitter only when its batteries are low, and signals it to stop when charged. A multi-color LED blinks to show charging speed and blinks green when fully charged.

Powercast plans the grip’s first release on Amazon in Spring 2020.  Its companion PowerSpot transmitter is already available on Amazon. Greene noted, “Though we had hoped to ship our grip in Q3 2019, we’re excited to be back on track after some manufacturing delays to offer first production units this Spring.”

Sportcor’s embeddable smart electronics core for high-tech sports data analytics:

Designed to transform traditional into smart sporting equipment, Australia-based Sportcor’s embeddable electronics core contains movement sensors to deliver sports data analytics such as speed, distance, force, position, and spin, and Powercast’s wireless power technology to charge the battery over the air. Adopted so far by leading Australian cricket ball manufacturer Kookaburra, its new Smart Ball needs no charging port so it remains balanced and its analytics data remains accurate. During a day of sports play the battery lasts about eight hours, and is recharged wirelessly over the air by placing the ball in its cradle. While today’s solution charges one ball, Powercast plans a solution that could recharge a whole bucket of smart balls simultaneously.

ViewTag’s electronic bag tag, which British Airways rolled out in 2019:

ViewTag’s electronic bag tag, which British Airways rolled out in 2019 as TAG, allows passengers to tag their own bags to simplify their check-in experience. Passengers use an app to get boarding passes and synchronize itineraries to their tag. Powercast’s RF harvesting technology preserves the battery by keeping the tag dormant until it detects and harvests RF from nearby airport RFID equipment, at which time it will update the screen if the tag isn’t already displaying the passenger’s current itinerary.  This enables the tag to be reused for over 3000 flights on a single battery, cutting down on the paper waste created by typical printed baggage tags.

Powercast will also display batteryless printed electronics products, co-developed with PPG Industries. These printable solutions will include wirelessly illuminated product packaging that showcases products on a shelf, smart identification (ID) cards, and electronic, batteryless retail price tags capable of wireless price updates: https://www.powercastco.com/PPGTeslinDemo/

Powercast’s vision is to enable far-field (up to 80 feet) over-the-air wireless charging where consumers simply place all their enabled devices within range of a PowerSpot transmitter. Up to 30 enabled devices in the charging zone will automatically connect and receive power, sharing the transmitter’s three-watt (EIRP) output. Charging range and rate depend on a device’s power consumption; power-hungry products charge best at close range, while low-power devices such as sensors can operate up to 80 feet (24 meters) away. Instructions included with devices will show their recommended charging distance and time.

Editorial note: Multimedia assets are available at the links included in this press release.

 

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. www.www.powercastco.com.

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

Contacts

Michelle Moody
michelle@moodypr.com
+1.214.363.3460

ViewTag Chooses Powercast Wireless Power Technology for Electronic Bag Tag

ViewTag Chooses Powercast Wireless Power Technology for Electronic Bag Tag

Embedded Powerharvester chipset preserves battery life so tag can be reused over 3000 times

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Powercast Corporation, the leader in radio-frequency (RF)-based long-range wireless power technology, announced that ViewTag, the pioneer of the electronic bag tag, has selected its Powerharvester® Chipset for battery management so that the ViewTag Electronic Bag Tag (EBT) can be reused over 3000 times.

The digital ViewTag snaps onto luggage and allows customers to tag their own bags, reducing their airport check-in experience to a simple bag drop. British Airways is the first to roll ViewTag out to its customers (http://www.ba.com/tag), with more airlines expected to launch in 2020. Passengers use their Bluetooth-enabled phone and the airline’s app to check-in, get their boarding pass and synchronize their itinerary to their tag. Passengers can also easily transfer the tag between bags.

ViewTag is equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), a digital display, a lithium battery, and Powercast’s Powerharvester Chipset, which is comprised of a wireless power RF-to-DC converter chip and boost converter IC. Powercast’s technology preserves the battery by keeping the tag dormant until it detects and harvests RF energy over the air from nearby airport RFID scanning equipment, at which time it updates the screen with the passenger’s itinerary. The tag is capable of over 3000 itinerary updates.

Powercast will display ViewTag at CES 2020 in its booth #42161 at the Sands Expo.

About Powercast:
Powercast 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 50 patents worldwide (25 in the US) and 29 patents pending. www.www.powercastco.com.

About ViewTag:
ViewTag® is a permanent, electronic bag tag (EBT) that securely attaches to luggage for convenient itinerary information writing and airline check-in. Equipped with RFID, Bluetooth LE, and a digital display of flight information, it fits seamlessly into the scanning sortation equipment used in every airport around the world. Headquartered outside of Philadelphia, PA, ViewTag pioneered the EBT for the airline industry. Viewtag.com.

Note: Visuals are available: https://www.powercastco.com/visuals/

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a5d0f3d1-ce79-42c4-ae8c-afb418de4dc5

Contact:
Michelle Moody

+1.214.363.3460