WiTricity, the industry provider in Highly Resonant Wireless Power Transfer (HRWPT) over distance, announced a major contract award by Protonex, a provider of advanced portable power solutions for military applications. The project, which aims to develop wireless charging systems for mounted and dismounted warfighters, was commissioned by the US Army’s Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center.
Today’s warfighters must carry 20 pounds or more of batteries to power the radios, computers, and other electronic devices that are critical to their mission. The goal of this project is to develop new approaches to wireless charging and wireless distribution of energy that will eliminate cumbersome and failure-prone power cables, while streamlining the charging of the main battery pack worn on the soldier’s vest. In one target configuration, the soldier’s central battery pack will charge automatically when the soldier is seated in a vehicle. In another configuration, energy will be transferred wirelessly from the soldier’s vest to electronic devices worn on the helmet, reducing the need to equip helmet-worn devices with expensive and heavy batteries.
WiTricity’s expertise in Highly Resonant Wireless Power Transfer will be coupled with Protonex’s experience as a leading technology developer and supplier of portable power management and distribution energy solutions for the US Department of Defense.
“We look forward to working with WiTricity to deliver the most innovative and intelligent energy distribution and management solutions to our trusted counterparts in the military. This is a first step towards realizing that goal,” said Paul Osenar, CEO of Protonex.
“Wireless charging over distance is being applied in many defense, medical, consumer and automotive applications,” said Eric Giler, CEO of WiTricity. “In this program, we look forward to bringing our transformational technology to our troops and making powering their equipment and recharging their batteries easier, faster, and more streamlined.”
