UBeam’s ultrasound wireless charging is real and about to be funded • Hacker News Board

Re: UBeam’s ultrasound wireless charging is real and about to be funded

#11

Post by raverbashing » Mon, Apr 27, 2015, 8:54 AM UTC

Sir_Substance wrote: post #10

jdjdps wrote: post #7

Im slightly concerned about having ~5w of beam formed ultrasound tracking my mobile phone as I clamp it against my ear to make a phone call. I will need convincing!

The really dangerous part is you can't tell until it starts damaging your hearing, and sometimes not even then, depending on decibels. You won't hear the sound, so you're depending on it meeting your pain threshold to be warned that something is happening. If it's "merely" 100db or so (a loud drill), you won't feel a thing, and could be exposed for hours without noticing. These are the lasers of hearing. Without real…

Depends on the frequency, if it's something like 30kHz I would worry, but for MHz range I think it's pretty harmless (in the "loud sound" item, which doesn't mean these are all the issues that might arise)

Re: UBeam’s ultrasound wireless charging is real and about to be funded

#12

Post by karmakaze » Mon, Apr 27, 2015, 1:07 PM UTC

For a split-sec I thought this might set the record for time from first experimental result to consumer product. Acoustic transducers. Old dog, new trick.

Re: UBeam’s ultrasound wireless charging is real and about to be funded

#13

Post by BinaryIdiot » Mon, Apr 27, 2015, 2:10 PM UTC

rasz_pl wrote: post #9

BinaryIdiot wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty interesting how that article talked about how it was impossible and now they supposedly have working prototypes, about to close several huge deals and a series B of about $50 million less than a year later. I wonder how well it works.

Practical applications are impossible. Prototypes are easier, because they dont have to live in real world. simple examples - can charge phone in my pocket while im moving around? that will require at least 2(3 to be viable) charging stations in the room. What if there are two people in that room? What if I have a cat and would like to keep him sane? what if my phone is in a lower pocked below the desk level? I have…

I'm not saying you're wrong (I really don't understand the science behind the thing; at least not enough to form an opinion worth any consideration) but I'm curious how they would get $60M in total funding without this being a product that can be sold and used in the home.

I'm very curious what happens when or if they launch.

Re: UBeam’s ultrasound wireless charging is real and about to be funded

#14

Post by xg15 » Mon, Apr 27, 2015, 10:10 PM UTC

"uBeam’s ultrasound wireless charging has several advantages. First and foremost, it’s safe. These are similar ultrasonic waves used for ultrasound scans of babies in the womb."

"How can it be dangerous? Look at the babies!"

I would be less worried about the whole thing if they released a single statement about the safety of their system that doesn't insult the reader's intelligence.