MIT Wirelessly Powers a Lightbulb

kcurtis writes "According to the Boston Globe, MIT Researchers have powered a light bulb remotely. The successful experiment lit a 60-watt light bulb from a power source two meters away, with no physical connection between the power source and the light bulb. Details about WiTricity, or wireless electricity, are scheduled to be reported today in Science Express, the advance online publication of the journal Science, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said. 'The team from MIT is not the first group to suggest wireless energy transfer. Nineteenth-century physicist and engineer Nikola Tesla experimented with long-range wireless energy transfer, but his most ambitious attempt - the 29m high aerial known as Wardenclyffe Tower, in New York - failed when he ran out of money. Others have worked on highly directional mechanisms of energy transfer such as lasers. However, unlike the MIT work, these require an uninterrupted line of sight, and are therefore not good for powering objects around the home.'"

Comments

Mmmmmm...wireless

[Anonymous Coward]

I want a wireless lightbulb hanging above my head, for when I have good ideas.

Re:Mmmmmm...wireless

[Anonymous Coward]

you, sir, are a dim bulb...

Re:Mmmmmm...wireless

[Walt Dismal]

This rivals the invention of the cordless lightsaber. Luke Skywalker used to lose a LOT of battles until he ditched that awful extension cord. Kept getting his feet tangled up. And Count Doofus would laugh as he yanked on it and watched Luke fall on his ass. Also, sometimes opponents would pull the plug out of the wall socket and snicker at Luke's bewilderment. Yoda would just smack his head and say "Duh-oh! The Force is not especially smart in this young one! Save up for Duracell adapter, he must."

This is great!

[cashman73]

No longer having to search for an ethernet cable or phone jack for my modem was great! In a few years, I won't have to battle against the hippie-chick mac users in the coffee shop for one of the tables next to one of the three electrical outlets in the joint! The only problem is, I wouldn't call my computer a, "lap top," anymore, as I wouldn't want to put any device that is recharged wirelessly anywhere near my, ... um,... "equipment."

Re:This is great!

[DogDude]

I won't have to battle against the hippie-chick mac users in the coffee shop for one of the tables next to one of the three electrical outlets in the joint!

Are you retarded? Seriously, are you retarded? You want LESS reason to interact with hip coffee shop girls who also happen to have enough cash to buy a Mac? And geeks wonder why they never get laid.... sheesh!

Re:This is great!

[zerocool^]

You want LESS reason to interact with hip coffee shop girls who also happen to have enough cash to buy a Mac? And geeks wonder why they never get laid.... sheesh!

I just repeated this punchline to my wife. Her comment?

"I wouldn't worry about it, most of them are lesbians."

Re:Induction?

[forkazoo]

How does this differ from induction?

Chiefly by the differentiating degree of buzzword compliance.

They should make me the editor

[UbuntuDupe]

I'm tired of mistakes like this:

The successful experiment to lit a 60-watt light bulb

It should be "to lite a 60-watt light bult." Duh?

Re:Cancer..

[MightyMartian]

I don't know about cancer, but I'll wager standing in the way of a very high power transmitter would probably negate the need for condoms, or possibly skin.

Re:Cancer..

[markov_chain]

There is so much negativity in the air tonight!