Xiaomi today unveiled its own remote charging technology called Mi Air Charge, which allows users to charge their electronic devices through the air without using wires or wireless charging stations. Xiaomi’s CEO, Lei Jun, said the technology is protected by 17 technical patents.

How does Xiaomi Mi Air Charge work?

  • Xiaomi’s remote charging is about spatial positioning and power transmission.
  • Xiaomi’s isolated charging station has built-in five-phase jamming antennas that can pinpoint the location of a smartphone.
  • The phase control network, consisting of 144 antennas, transmits millimeter waves via beam forming directly to the phone.
  • On the smartphone side, Xiaomi’s miniature antenna, with its integrated beacon antenna, transmits location information with low power consumption.
  • The receiving antenna, consisting of 14 antennas, converts the millimeter-wave signal emitted by the charging station into electrical energy via a rectifier circuit, making the science fiction charge experiment a reality.

Xiaomi’s remote charging technology currently allows a 5-watt remote charging for a single device that too in closed proximity of a few meters. In addition, multiple devices can be charged simultaneously (each device supports 5 watts), and even physical obstacles do not affect charging efficiency.

Xiaomi said the new charging technology will also work with smartphones, bracelets, and other wearable devices in the near future. Soon, living room devices like speakers, table lamps, and other small smart home appliances will be built on wireless power, making our living rooms truly wireless, according to Xiaomi. We hope that this remote charging technology will soon be available in commercial devices.