smart-infrastructure - Ideaz

Real-World Problem

Electric vehicles (EVs) are critical for cutting urban air pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions, yet range anxiety and long charging times remain major barriers to mass adoption. Even the fastest public chargers require drivers to stop for 20–40 minutes, creating congestion at charging stations and discouraging people who travel long distances or operate commercial fleets. Larger batteries add cost, weight, and environmental impact. A solution that lets EVs charge while moving would remove the need for frequent stops and reduce battery size, helping EVs compete with petrol vehicles on convenience and price.

Gaps in Current Solutions

Current infrastructure focuses on stationary charging—either slow home charging or expensive high-power DC fast chargers. Battery-swap stations exist but require extra logistics and standardisation. None of these options provide continuous, automatic energy transfer during normal driving, so vehicles must still carry oversized batteries to cover worst-case range.

Proposed Solution

Install dynamic wireless charging lanes: specific road segments with high-efficiency inductive coils embedded beneath the asphalt.

•Vehicle Side: A flat receiver plate mounted under each EV automatically aligns magnetically to collect energy while the car is in motion.

•Smart Control: Roadside systems detect vehicles, activate only the coil sections directly underneath, and bill the correct amount of electricity in real time.

•Grid Integration: Power can come from the local grid or roadside renewable micro-grids with battery storage to balance demand.

Who Benefits

•Drivers & Fleet Operators: Continuous top-ups mean smaller, cheaper batteries and virtually unlimited range for delivery trucks, buses, and private cars.

•Cities & Governments: Reduced need for large charging stations and less peak-time grid strain.

•Environment: Smaller batteries require fewer raw materials, lowering the carbon footprint of EV production.

Why This Matters to Me

As someone excited about clean transportation, I see many friends hesitate to buy EVs because of charging hassles. A road that charges cars as they drive feels as natural as street lighting—an infrastructure upgrade that could accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility.

Technical Details

The system uses resonant inductive coupling capable of transferring tens of kilowatts across a 15–20 cm road surface gap. IoT sensors manage coil activation and communication with vehicle billing systems. Pilot deployments could begin with fixed-route buses or delivery fleets, where predictable paths simplify early construction and data collection.

Real-World Problem

Modern smartphones and wearables have become our wallets, keys, and constant companions, but their batteries rarely last a full day of heavy use. Students juggling online classes and travel, professionals on long commutes, and travellers navigating airports all face the same obstacle: at some point, the battery warning appears and work or communication stops. Carrying power banks adds weight and eventually contributes to electronic waste. Conventional “wireless” pads still require a user to stop, place the phone carefully, and remain stationary. We need a way for devices to stay charged while we live life on the move.

Gaps in Current Solutions

Fast chargers cut charge time but still tether users to a wall socket. Portable power banks solve mobility but not weight or sustainability. Inductive pads only work over a few centimetres and lose connection if the phone is lifted. Public USB ports raise data-security concerns. No mainstream system offers safe, efficient charging across several metres while the phone is in normal use or even in a pocket.

The Proposed Solution

Create long-range wireless charging zones, similar to how Wi-Fi delivers data.

Infrastructure: Ceiling or table-mounted transmitter panels emit a focused electromagnetic field or low-power RF beam.
Smart Control: Sensors detect compatible devices, track distance and orientation, and energise only the area directly around the phone, adjusting power to maintain efficiency and safety.
Device Hardware: Phones include a thin resonant coil or RF harvesting chip—technology that fits within today’s standard smartphone casing.

When a user enters a café, airport lounge, lecture hall, or bus equipped with these transmitters, their devices start topping up automatically—no cables, no specific placement.

Who Benefits

Users: True “always-charged” convenience, lighter devices, and freedom from carrying chargers.
Businesses: Cafés, co-working spaces, airports, shopping malls, and public transport systems can attract and retain customers with a premium “power everywhere” service.
Manufacturers: Phone makers can reduce battery size and cost, cut material use, and differentiate new models with built-in receivers.
Environment: Fewer disposable power banks and smaller batteries reduce e-waste and mining of rare materials.

Personal Motivation

As a student and frequent traveller, I often rely on my phone for maps, tickets, research, and payments. Running out of battery mid-journey is frustrating and sometimes risky. A world where phones charge automatically—just like connecting to Wi-Fi—would remove this daily stress and support more sustainable technology.

Technical Snapshot

The system uses resonant inductive coupling or beam-forming RF with directional antennas, operating in safe ISM frequency bands. Energy transfer at 1–3 metres has been demonstrated in research labs; our innovation is packaging it into scalable ceiling panels and IoT-based control for energy metering and user authentication.

Campus Ideaz

smart-infrastructure (2)

Motion Volt: Dynamic Wireless Charging Lanes for Electric Vehicles

PowerSphere-Seamless Long-Range Wireless Charging for Phones and Wearables