TED Tech How wireless energy from space could power everything | Ali Hajimiri
Aug 25, 2023
Electrical engineer Ali Hajimiri explains wireless energy transfer principles and shares his vision of launching solar panels into space to collect sunlight, convert it to electrical power, and beam it down to Earth. He discusses the potential of wireless power to transform energy transfer and eliminate physical wires, the role of wave interference in directing energy waves, and new lightweight fabric-like structures as power stations for wireless energy transfer from space.
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Principles of Wireless Energy
- Wireless energy transfer works by controlling the timing of waves to focus energy in one direction.
- This method creates focal points for energy, allowing precise and efficient wireless power delivery.
Deploying Wireless Power
- Use integrated circuits to synchronize multiple tiny antennas for efficient power transmission.
- Deploy such systems in indoor environments to wirelessly power devices dynamically.
Advantages of Space Solar Power
- Space-based solar panels can collect about eight times more energy than Earth-based ones.
- Wireless power transfer from space offers always-available energy, useful for remote and crisis-hit areas.