Wireless power will provide energy equity and accessibility for people who are limited physically or environmentally
At Ossia, we talk a lot about how Cota Real Wireless Power will significantly impact IoT growth, improve worker efficiency and productivity and decrease costs associated with batteries, and advance building and worker safety. But one thing we don’t talk about much is how wireless power will measurably increase quality of life for millions of people around the world.
The World Health Organization defines quality of life as “an individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns.1”
Measurably improving quality of life is a primary goal for many types of businesses, from healthcare centers, clinical research organizations, and pharmaceutical companies to civil engineering and community planning organizations. “The access to electricity and subsequent energy use can be indicators of overall well-being.2indepen”
Two big real-world examples of how wireless power will increase quality of life are:
- Energy equity for underdeveloped countries and rural areas
- Energy accessibility for people with limited mobility
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Energy equity for underdeveloped areas
Wireless power will help decrease new building costs by reducing the need for extensive wiring and outlet installation. This will help expedite the building of schools, housing, and hospitals in areas that are struggling economically.
“Consider this single use case: in the US, the average cost of wiring a 1,200-square-foot home is $10,400 according to Fixr, with a single outlet costing between $200 and $750. Imagine new home prices dropping by thousands of dollars, because they don’t need as many plugs and hardwiring. And that’s just one house, and not an 800,000 square foot airport terminal.” Read the full article.
Wireless power will also provide more energy equity for people in rural or underdeveloped areas who don’t have easy access to electrical outlets or fresh batteries. More than one billion people live without access to electricity, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Decreased building costs and increased access means people around the world will have more opportunities to work remotely, access the Internet, benefit from IoT, and more reliably communicate with family, friends, and colleagues, all which will lead to improved quality of life.
The benefit to quality of life is not limited to expanding access to electricity in different environments; it can also provide people with physical limitations more freedom and independence.
Energy accessibility for people with disabilities
Everyone knows someone who has had a mobility challenge, whether temporary or permanent.
It’s fairly obvious how people with long-lasting physical disabilities could benefit from having their medical and personal devices always powered up, without the need to reach a power cord or an outlet. “Telehealth devices abound, with wireless devices that take blood glucose and oxygen level, blood pressure and weight, then send the results to doctors without a trip to the clinic …” which contributes to “independence.”3 Now imagine that all of these devices are always on, always powered up, without the need for multiple charging cords, reachable outlets, or battery changes.
Consider the parent who broke a hip in the middle of the night, was sent to the ER with a mobile phone but no charger, and could not reach family during the long, scary, and painful wait for surgery or the even longer isolation in the rehabilitation facility that has a strict Covid policy of no visitors. Wireless power would have kept the patient connected and supported.
Or think of your favorite uncle who has started showing signs of dementia and cannot remember to plug in his devices, and you cannot reach him and he doesn’t understand why he hasn’t heard from you. If all of his devices are automatically receiving power, he will have an improved sense of control. Research shows that people with dementia who experience increased independence in daily activities have increased quality of life.4
Or perhaps you understand personally, because you have injured yourself skiing or in a car accident and know how difficult it can be to achieve the simplest things, like reaching a dangling charging cord, without calling out for help, again and again, which made you feel despondent.
Independence and a sense of control are foundational to quality of life. “Feeling that you have no control can lead to anxiety or depression.”5 Not only will wireless power technology at home and in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and assisted living centers provide reliable, continuous power for people who need it most, it will relieve the caretaker from multiple trips to help plug in or change batteries while giving the cared-for individual more personal freedom and independence.
When Real Wireless Power is ubiquitous globally, energy equity and accessibility will be a given, and many more use cases will become obvious. If you have a use case to share, we’d love to talk to you about whether Cota Real Wireless Power would be an effective solution. Contact us.
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1 https://www.who.int/tools/whoqol
2 J.M.K.C. Donev et al. (2021). Energy Education - Quality of life [Online]. Available: https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Quality_of_life. [Accessed: February 22, 2022].
3 https://www.healthcominc.com/5-ways-to-promote-quality-of-life-independence-for-seniors/
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4939554/
5 https://www.healtheuniversity.ca/EN/CardiacCollege/Wellbeing/Stress_And_Sense_Of_Control/Pages/sense-of-control.aspx
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