At the IEEE Wireless Power Technology Conference and Expo (WPTCE) in Kyoto, Japan, Rohde & Schwarz demonstrated a proof of concept for testing far-field wireless power systems. The Rohde & Schwarz radio frequency (RF) wireless power tester makes use of the company’s test and measurement equipment as well as commercially accessible wireless charging development kits. It also has an easy-to-use web interface and tools for test automation. The AirFuel Alliance RF Standard is supported by Rohde & Schwarz with this setup.
Several devices can be powered simultaneously within a few meters of the power supply thanks to RF wireless powering, a contactless power transfer method. This removes the inconvenience of battery maintenance and the requirement for wiring. Although RF wireless charging has many uses, low-power Internet of Things devices are among its most common applications.
For instance, this technology would allow the numerous sensors within a smart car or smart building to be powered without the need for manual battery changes or recharging. There are environmental advantages to wireless power transmission as well. The production of batteries uses a lot of energy, and the hazardous materials they contain can contaminate water supplies. The usage of battery-less devices made possible by wireless power transfer may lessen the impact of batteries.
Creating a thorough testing solution for wireless power transmitters and receivers is the goal of the Rohde & Schwarz WPT project. The AirFuel Alliance is a global coalition spearheading the development of a standardized RF wireless charging technology known as AirFuel RFTM, and Rohde & Schwarz is an active member of this group. As a supplier of test and measurement, Rohde & Schwarz offers their experience in creating the industry standards that will shape wireless powering in the future.
The AirFuel Alliance Conformance Test Specification for RF charging is supported by the Rohde & Schwarz WPT system. Two R&S HMC8012 digital multimeters, an R&S FSV3000 signal and spectrum analyzer, an R&S NGU source measure unit (SMU) that serves as a battery emulator, and an R&S SMB100B RF and microwave signal generator make up the test setup. A web interface can be used to automate and control the entire system.
Key Comments
Dr.-Ing. Rania Morsi, head of the WPT project at Rohde & Schwarz, says: “Today, we have over 15 billion connected IoT devices, yet we still power them manually. At the very least, low-power IoT devices should be powered over the air and without human interaction. We clearly see that wireless RF energy can meet this need, offering a maintenance-free solution that provides power on demand to multiple devices – even when the devices are in use or in motion. We are confident that the Rohde & Schwarz test solution for RF wireless power transfer will accelerate the adoption of this technology. We are excited to collaborate with AirFuel Alliance to test device conformance to the AirFuel Alliance RF standard.”
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, President and Chairman of AirFuel Alliance, says: “I want to thank Rohde & Schwarz for their leadership in developing a wireless power tester (WPT) for the AirFuel RF standard. The WPT will enable companies to test and validate conformance to the AirFuel RF standard and accelerate the deployment of interoperable RF wireless power solutions.”
The Growing Market of Wireless Communication Devices
According to Statista, there will be around 29 billion wireless communication devices by 2030, making creative power solutions imperative. Conventional means of powering devices, such as wireless charging pads or battery replacements, manual recharging, are inefficient and require expensive, regular upkeep. A promising substitute is provided by RF technology, which transforms RF signals into direct current (DC) to power devices wirelessly. Rohde & Schwarz demonstrated a proof of concept for this technology at the recent IEEE WPTCE conference in Kyoto, Japan, using a prototype wireless power tester (WPT) system.
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