Challenge 1, Wired Buildings: The Wiring
When designing or remodeling a commercial/residential space, whether it’s a supermarket, retail outlet, warehouse, multi-storied apartment complex, or office building, the challenges for designers are beyond estimations of where outlets will be needed the most. Even with extensive planning to determine where and how the wiring cables will be placed to power the building’s essential utilities, such as security and safety systems, lighting, generators, and many more, over/under estimation occurs. In the hope to facilitate essential utilities, buildings have power sockets at every nook and corner.
This means pulling permits, adhering to the rules and regulations of the state and national standards, in addition to complying with international standards. Grounding conductors, branch circuits, voltage, fuses and circuit breakers, usage loads, and patterns are not universal.
Review the wiring and safety standards[1] laid out by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for a glimpse of the work required for optimal safety.
With wireless power, miles and miles of cabling and loads of components will become obsolete. 
Challenge 2, Commercial Electricity Needs: Usage
Governments, utility management companies, and communities are encouraging enterprises to conserve resources, including the use of electricity. Something as simple as “setting computers, monitors, and copiers to use sleep-mode when not in use helps cut energy costs by approximately 40%.”[2] From this step alone, the cost savings to these businesses could amount to billions.
This is where the Internet of Things (IoT) plays a major role. Manufacturers are building IoT equipment with dozens of tiny sensors that can learn usage patterns and save companies’ revenue. Real Wireless Power not only can help power those sensors only when they need it, which saves on utility costs, but it also helps administrators manage and monitor the usage of their equipment. The data alone would lead to cost savings strategies.
Safety of Wirelessly Powered Building
It’s easy to imagine the convenience, flexibility, and innovation of having power without wires. Retail devices, medical tools, scanners, electronic shelf labels … we have only begun to imagine how the world of retail, industry, and public spaces, such as airports, hospitals, and train stations could be if they automatically transmitted wireless power when devices needed it.
The safety of swapping the manual power charging method (wires and plugs, batteries and battery chargers) with safe automatic wireless power charging method, is tremendous.
Wireless Power versus Battery Safety
Speaking of batteries, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has “received consumer complaints, and manufacturer and retailer reports involving hazards associated with batteries and battery chargers. Potential hazards include overheating, fire, electrical shock from battery chargers, thermal burns, exposure to alkaline battery electrolytes, and high-velocity ejected internal components of batteries.”[3]
Batteries can also fail. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, security cameras, and more safety equipment at work and home would benefit from continuous, automatic wireless power.
Ossia’s Cota Real Wireless Power is delivered much like Wi-Fi™ or Bluetooth®, without wires or charging pads, and is inherently safe.
Imagine the Wirelessly Powered Buildings of the Future
The wireless power technology eliminates wires from hundreds of small devices and IoT in a building. No humongous cords, no cords to trip over, no plugs to plan for, no remembering to plug in job-vital appliances or devices.
Imagine an environment of no wires at all; your devices always powered, efficiently, without user intervention. No batteries to manage; convenience of mobility; safety hazards disappearing. It’s not so much of a dream, but a process, where we are all working together to make it happen. Become a part of the Ossia Wireless Power Ecosystem.
Cota Real Wireless Power technology is currently available for license.
Contact Ossia for a demonstration.
[1] Wiring design and protection: Occupational Safety and Health Standards: Regulations
[2] DC.gov: Department of Energy and Environment
[3] https://www.cpsc.gov/Regulations-Laws--Standards/Voluntary-Standards/Topics/Batteries
