Intel at its Developer Forum going on in San Francisco demonstrated “wireless resonant energy link”, a technology that Intel says will one day charge our laptops wirelessly. The technology is already used to recharge toothbrushes and many companies have also demoed charging stations based on the technology for use with handheld devices like mobile phones and portable media players.
MIT physicist Marin Soljacic first discovered the technique of resonant induction wireless power transmission, but the efficiency of the transmission was so low that it was used for only electronic gadgets with very low power requirement. Distance was another problem, to charge a toothbrush you have to keep it above the charging station, basically making it wired.
Intel demonstrated the technology by using a setup of two metal arrays connected to a power amplifier. The arrays resonate at a certain frequency to establish an energy link. Transmitting power from one array to the other. In the demo the unit transferred 60 watts over two feet with 75 percent efficiency. Till now most companies that have worked on the technology have been able to achieve up to 40 percent efficiency.
According to Intel the technology is safe for humans, but it would take at least few years to make a product based on the technology as it is still in research stage.