Nikola Labs 'Powers What's Next' with Kickstarter for its RF-to-DC Converting iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 Cases
Proprietary technology captures and converts the "lost" energy from Wi-Fi and mobile transmissions into DC power
COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- After shocking the tech world last month at TechCrunch Disrupt New York with its impressive technology, Nikola Labs has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its groundbreaking phone case which powers your phone with wasted energy. Through an innovative partnership with The Ohio State University, Nikola Labs' cases extend a phone's battery life by harvesting wasted radio frequency (RF) energy.
At Disrupt New York, Nikola Labs CEO Will Zell debuted a fully functional prototype of an iPhone 6 case with Nikola technology. "Due to the overwhelming response at TechCrunch Disrupt we are excited to announce that we will also be bringing this breakthrough technology to Android users by launching a case for the Galaxy S6," said Zell.
While Nikola Labs is currently focused on harvesting wasted energy emitted from mobile devices, Zell has even bigger plans for the future. "We're excited about getting this technology into consumers' hands, but we are also focusing on what's next. Our goal is beyond just this phone case. We're working to enable an entire platform for powering future devices."
How Does it Work?
Mobile devices like tablets and phones use RF waves – like WiFi, Bluetooth and LTE – to transmit data through the air. These RF waves are a form of energy and can be harnessed to create electricity. The process of converting RF into direct current (DC) power was first pioneered by Nikola Tesla over a century ago.
When transmitting, only a small fraction of the phone's signal actually reaches the receiver, while the majority of the signal is wasted to the air. To capture that wasted power, Nikola Labs is utilizing patent-pending technology created by Dr. Chi-Chih Chen's research team at The Ohio State University ElectroScience Laboratory. The team saw an opportunity to convert this wasted RF energy into DC power and use it to extend the battery life of the phone. The cases have three key components:
- Built-in 'low-profile' antennas
- A high efficiency RF harvesting circuit
- An integrated lightning port to feed power back into the phone
Product Features
The Nikola phone case increases battery life by slowing the rate at which the phone's internal battery discharges and does this:
- Without impacting data transmission rates or call quality
- With no supplemental batteries, allowing the case to be significantly slimmer than typical powered cases
- While providing a layer of protection through its lightweight, high-strength polycarbonate material offered in a variety of colors
- With easy access to the headphone jack and charging port
Nikola Labs plans to release a full system of products including routers that are fully optimized to provide RF-to-DC charging solutions. Future technologies from Nikola Labs will be able to charge the battery instead of just slowing down the discharge.
Timing and Pricing
The Kickstarter campaign is live and backers can receive their own iPhone 6 or Samsung Galaxy S6 case with Nikola Labs technology for $99. They will be the first to receive it with an estimated ship date of February 2016.
Nikola Labs has created a "Beta Team" level for early-adopters who want to not only try but also aid in the development of future product lines. Beta Team members will be asked to give their feedback on products that are still in development and help visualize future uses for the technology.
For more information, please visit http://www.nikolalabs.co, like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nikolalabs and follow us on Twitter at http://www.Twitter.com/nikolalabs.
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SOURCE Nikola Labs
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