Reach Power, a Silicon Valley startup that generates wireless power, said Friday it has raised $30 million in a funding round that will help it commercialize its products.
Reach Power Inc, a Silicon Valley startup that generates wireless power, said Friday that it has raised $30 million in a funding round that will help it commercialize its products.
While high-power large-disc antennas have been used to demonstrate similar technology before, Chris Davlantes, Founder and CEO of Reach says the recent development of the antenna- High-power antennas can precisely focus beams of energy and improved software for control have made it possible to create efficient wireless power transmission systems.
In a demonstration for Reuters, Davlantes connected a battery-free radio to an antenna-based wireless power receiver to turn the radio 25 feet (7.6 meters) away from the generator.
When asked about the safety of firing more powerful electrical beams, Dalvantes said the system can detect objects and turn them off or route around them. “We always make sure that when you are around one of our systems, you get exposure that meets the same limits as all mobile phones,” he said.
Reach has contracted with the US Department of Defense for prototypes that can incorporate multiple power-transfer modules for more powerful power transmission or longer range, he said.
Reach has also designed a power chip that can transmit and receive power carriers that will be used in commercial products the company plans to ship in the first quarter. Initial customers include manufacturers and logistics companies using robots and autonomous vehicles.
“Reach will power what Wi-Fi already does for Internet access – cut the cord,” said Matt Ocko, co-founder of DCVC, which led the funding round. There are several other startups in the field, he said, but none can match the “combination of power, distance, scalability, energy efficiency, safety and efficiency.” cost results” by Reach.
