Wireless electricity has been a dream since the days of Nikola Tesla, but it's never really come to pass. There's the Qi and Ki standards for wireless power, but that's not quite the same thing. There have been some developments in the past few years, but none of them are really commercially viable, for various reasons. But, a new technology standard has been created, called Wi-Charge, that avoids the pitfalls of the others.

The Wi-Charge technology, which they call AirCord, uses infrared to transfer power wirelessly. The biggest advantage of infrared is that it doesn't lose strength over normal distances. The power transmitter could easily be installed on the ceiling and a device on a table could receive the full strength of the signal. This differs from the RF-powered systems that we've seen in previous years, where the amount of power available degrades quickly over short distances, making it a fairly ineffective concept.

Of course, like with any infrared technology, it is very focused and directional. But, with the proper work, the transmitters can push power in more of a fan design, rather than a straight line. That can make it perfect for powering all of the devices on a table, like lamps or phones, or a group of electronics in a collection on a wall, like security and safety devices.

The company is looking to work with product manufacturers to integrate AirCord technology into their products, such as phones. The goal is to have a small army of products with "Powered by Wi-Charge" on their packaging available for purchase, creating an active ecosystem to encourage adoption. It is a similar approach to the Qi Certified products that have made that standard a success.

To learn more about the technology and see the current lineup of products that are compatible, head to their website.

Interview by Todd Cochrane of Geek News Central.