Energous Corporation, a developer of RF-based charging for wireless power networks for IoT, and LIXIL, a maker of water and housing products, has announced their collaboration to develop wirelessly powered maintenance-free smart sensors for home and office applications. The companies are working to combine Energous’ WattUp wireless power transfer technology and LIXIL’s suite of housing technology, including IoT home solutions, to deliver a joint solution that removes the need for battery maintenance via reliable and consistent power delivered wirelessly over-the-air.
“The smart home of tomorrow features a number of internet-connected devices that we can power wirelessly with our active harvesting technology,” says Cesar Johnston, CEO of Energous. “We are working with LIXIL on sensor solutions that harness wireless power over the air for true maintenance free smart applications.”
Tokyo-based LIXIL, with global brands including INAX, GROHE, American Standard and TOSTEM, offers products and services that touch the lives of more than a billion people a day.
These include:
- Windows and doors connecting the home to the outside world, providing high thermal, security and smart technology options
- Bathroom and kitchen products, including shower toilets and touchless faucets, designed for the luxurious to functional ends of the consumer spectrum
- Exterior building materials adding character to homes, from entrance gates, garages, terraces and garden rooms
Interior building materials available in a variety of designs and colors to match personal tastes and preferences - Home IoT solutions connecting home products and appliances to enhance life at home
“LIXIL products solve everyday, real-life challenges to make better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere. As smart devices expand to every room, the question of how to seamlessly provide them with reliable power is increasingly challenging,” says LIXIL. “This collaboration with Energous will help address this growing challenge by combining Energous’ wireless power technology with our housing products, offering maintenance-free smart sensor applications that can be charged wirelessly from a distance.”
WattUp PowerBridge transmitters from Energous are capable of charging multiple devices simultaneously at-a-distance using RF-based wireless power. Transmitting from 1W and up to 15W, WattUp PowerBridges send power to, and also act as a data link for, connected IoT devices such as sensors, Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs), IoT tags, batteryless devices and more. Multiple WattUp PowerBridge transmitters can be meshed together to create a WattUp wireless power network covering unlimited distances for large footprint deployments such as retail stores, industrial warehouses, manufacturing plants, logistics hubs and more. WattUp PowerBridges provide a consistent level of power for IoT devices while ushering in a new reality of batteryless, mobile, waterproof, maintenance-free, and easier-to-implement devices.
To learn more about Energous, please visit Energous.com or follow the company’s corporate pages on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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