Smart underwear is finally here! Keri Lumm (@thekerilumm) reports on this newest wearable tech.
Well folks, 2018 could finally be the year that we get true wireless charging — or charging at a distance without the need for charging pads. Energous has been making news headlines for a few years now for its wireless charging concepts, and the company announced just a few weeks ago that it had received FCC approval for its WattUp Mid Field charging tech. Now, at CES 2018, it’s showing the first WattUp-supported product, a smart underwear from Skiin.
What the FCC approval means is that the company is now able to deliver products with Near Field and Mid Field charging — Near Field being wireless charging with contact, like a charging pad, and Mid Field being wireless charging at a distance of up to 3 feet. That makes it perfect for charging device on a desk or night stand. The company is also working on Far Field charging — which allows for charging at up to 15 feet.
Energous has been partnering with Dialog Semiconductor, a chip manufacturer, for some time now in an effort to bring the tech to consumers, and 2018 could be the year that the tech hits big. Already the company has partnered with Myant for a smart clothing line called Skiin, which uses Energous’ WattUp charging tech to charge the embedded sensors in the underwear. At launch, only Near Field tech will charge the underwear, but Energous says that once Mid Field and even Far Field chargers come to market they’ll be able to charge Skiin clothing too. Skiin clothing basically tracks metrics like heart rate, without the need for a device like a smart watch.
