TI expands development of wireless-power technologies

Texas Instruments has announced it has joined the A4WP (Alliance for Wireless Power). TI will continue to develop new bqTESLA wireless-power receiver and transmitter ICs that comply with existing and future versions of the WPC's (Wireless Power Consortium's) Qi standard, and also create products that support the A4WP magnetic resonance specification. "TI is actively bringing advanced wireless-power capabilities to the market," said Sami Kiriaki, senior vice president of TI Power Management. "The WPC Qi specification is clearly the standard for wireless power today and there is an emerging trend toward loosely coupled technologies—something both WPC and A4WP are exploring. We believe that working closely with both initiatives will help us continue to lead in wireless power." Organized in April, A4WP is a group of electronics companies, including Samsung, Qualcomm, and others focused on advancing the field of wireless power by delivering a specification that permits spatial freedom. The group officially released its A4WP specification, based on loosely coupled magnetic resonance technology, to charge simultaneously smartphones and other portable electronics with different power requirements. Texas Instruments