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Low Battery? No problem! PowerShare lets you wirelessly share your battery to charge a friend's phone

PowerShare is made of ferrite plate, coils and copper tape
Can be embedded in a smartwatch or smartphone
12 seconds of charging gives users one minute of talk time

Published: 00:09, 20 May 2016 | Updated: 00:14, 20 May 2016

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Seeing the 'Low Battery' alert on your smartphone is enough to send anyone into a frenzy.

But a group of researchers have developed a solution that not only lets you power your own device, but allows you to share your charge with others in need - without using a power pack.

Called PowerShare, this technology consists of flexible coils and docking aids embedded in a smartphone or smartwatch to transfer power to devices just by touching them together.

New technology not only lets you control the balance of power levels of your device, but allows you to share your charge. Called PowerShare, this technology consists of flexible coils and docking aids embedded in the device that deliver on-the-go, fast Wireless Power Transfer - just by touching two devices together

WHAT IS POWERSHARE?

PowerShare consists of flexible coils and docking aids embedded in the device that deliver on-the-go, fast Wireless Power Transfer -- just by touching two devices together.

Developed by researchers at the University of Bristol, it is a circuit design based on the QI standard and uses a class E amplifier for a transmit circuit and a QI based receive circuit.

It is designed with a ferrite plate, coils and copper tape.

Once the technology is placed inside a smartwatch or smartphone, simply tap it with another device and watch it charge.

The creators estimate that around 12 seconds of charging would give users one minute of talk time and two minutes would generate enough power to watch four minutes of a video

There are a number of products on the market that provide Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for smartphone users that power their phones without the need of an outlet.

Although power packs and mobile hand generators are good back-ups, they can be bulky and a nuisance when traveling.

Developed by researchers at the University of Bristol, PowerShare is a circuit design based on the QI standard and uses a class E amplifier for a transmit circuit and a QI based receive circuit.

Once the technology is placed inside a smartwatch or smartphone, simply tap it with another device and watch it charge.

The creators estimate that around 12 seconds of charging would give users one minute of talk time and two minutes would generate enough power to watch four minutes of a video.

The average Wireless Power Transfer gadget consist of at least two coils, one located in the power transmitter and the other in the power receiver, reports LiveScience.

As electricity moves through the power transmitter coil, it creates an electromagnetic field that sends a charge to the next coil.

To develop PowerShare, researcher experimented with a variety of different power transmitters and receiver coils.

In order to recreate the magnetic shielding, they used ferrite plate and copper tape placed on the back of coils – this hindered transmitted energy from getting close to human tissue.

The researchers also found that flexible coils can be used in the system and are ideal for smartwatch straps.

Developed by researchers at the University of Bristol, PowerShare is a circuit design based on the QI standard and uses a class E amplifier for a transmit circuit and a QI based receive circuit. To develop PowerShare, researcher experimented with a variety of different power transmitters and receiver coils

As electricity moves through the power transmitter coil, it creates an electromagnetic field that sends a charge to the next coil. In order to recreate the magnetic shielding, they used ferrite plate and copper tape placed on the back of coils – this hindered transmitted energy from getting close to human tissue

'We present two contributions, first we extend the QI wireless charging standard from an on-boarding use perspective that emphasizes safe transfers,' said researchers.

'Secondly we conduct a series of workshops exploring mobile power as sharable commodity.'

Researchers asked six designers created two candidate designs and interactions for power shared enable devices such as embedding the device in a smartwatch to power a smartphone or vise versa

Next, the team explored the context, activity, interaction and safety of the technology by studying human participants use it.

There are a number of products on the market that provide Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for smartphone users that save them from searching for an outlet Although power packs and mobile hand generators are good back-ups, they can also be bulky and a nuisance when traveling

'Our design emphasizes safety, minimizes form factor, presents flexible coils and shows real world power transfer up to 3.1 volts,' said the researchers.

'Our cords support docking to support maximum transfer and receive coil alignment under 8mm.'

However, just like most new technology PowerShare does have its limitations – twice as much energy needs to be transmitted as is received.

The researchers also found that flexible coils can be used in the system and are ideal for watch straps. Users simply tap their smartphone to the watch that contains the PowerShare system and the device will begin to charge

Once the technology is placed inside a watch or smartphone, simply tap it with another device and watch it charge. The creators estimate that around 12 seconds of charging would give users one minute of talk time and two minutes would generate enough power to watch four minutes of a video