There are credible indications that Xiaomi will be upping the stakes soon in the accessories market by unveiling a fast-charging device that uses sound to charge smartphones and other electronic devices. This much can be gotten from the recent application for a patent filed by the Chinese company at the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). The CNIPA filing revealed some essential details about the revolutionary charging system. The implications of this new technology, when it finally debuts, are pretty exciting.
The market has been awash with various innovative charging solutions from several manufacturers in recent times. From fast wired charging to wireless charging solutions, the list has been rising as companies seeming to pursue the development of an ultimate charging solution.
Although this innovative sound charging technology from Xiaomi could take years before it becomes a reality, the filing indicates some level of progress in developing sound charging technology. The device will deploy sound and other components to provide power for charging smartphones and other devices. It will consist of a sound charging device (that will be capable of collecting sound), an energy storage apparatus, and an electronic device.
The device will have a mechanism for converting sound energy to electrical energy to charge connected devices. It will first convert the sound wave to mechanical vibration before transforming it to electrical power, the patent document reveals. There would be an interface to convert the generated alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), which could then be used to charge devices without using a power socket.
Industry watchers see the move by Xiaomi in registering this patent as ambitious, as the requisite technology for sound charging is, at best, at its infancy. We await further definitive moves by the Chinese company as it seeks to break new ground in charging solutions for smartphones and other electronic devices.
