Charging Moving Vehicles

In Spectrum IEEE

Wireless Power for Moving Electric Vehicles Closer to Reality     By Charles Q. Choi

 Two men stand in front of and beneath a pair of large white wheels trimmed with copper foil. Electronic equipment hangs from the bottom of the wheels and more equipment is on a table behind one wheel.

Wireless charging of moving electric vehicles is one step closer to hitting the road, Stanford University researchers say. Such technology could also help charge mobile devices, medical implants, and factory robots, the scientists add.

Wireless charging via a technique known as magnetic induction is currently used to power electric toothbrushes, power tools, robotic vacuum cleaners, medical implants, and other devices. Inductive charging depends on at least two coils—one in the power transmitter, and one in the power receiver. When the transmitter coil is energized, it generates an electromagnetic field that can transfer energy to the receiver coil. ... "