Wysips Crystal Uses Light to Charge, Receive Data on Smartphones

Even though most people think using light technology to transmit information is new, the fact of the matter is Alexander Graham Bell invented his Photophone in 1880. With this invention, Bell transmitted a voice signal on a beam of light using sunlight, a mirror and a device that vibrated the mirror when he talked into it. The only downside was that overcast days interfered with the Photophone, which led Bell to abandoned further research on this invention.

Fast-forward more than 100 years, and light is being used to transmit massive amounts of data and generate electricity. Today's fiber-optic technology transports over 80 percent of the world's telecommunications, and solar technology is producing gigawatts of electricity globally.

At the Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) 2014 in Barcelona, a demonstration of a smartphone using light to recharge itself using Wysips Crystal was carried out by TCL Communication/ALCATEL ONETOUCH and Sunpartner Technologies.

As the world's first integrated phone to use light to charge and receive data, this new technology opens new opportunities for device manufacturers and consumers around the world without the infrastructure to charge mobile phones.

The charging capability of this technology is able to enhance battery life while at the same time making critical handset functions available when the battery is completely drained. The Wysips Crystal is integrated into mobile devices during the manufacturing process on top or underneath the touchscreen. With 90 percent transparency, it does very little to get in the way of the touchscreens functionality. The photovoltaic component is connected to a chip that converts and manages the energy that is produced which is then used to recharge the batteries of the device. The Wysips Connect version is LiFi, which allows it to receive and transmit data over light waves.

Whenever a battery is dead all you have to do is hold the device to a light source to recharge the phone. According to the company, full self-sufficiency is possible for e-readers and low-cost mobile phones that consume less energy. This means, for these devices, chargers will be a thing of the past.

"This is a very exciting collaboration, using cutting edge photovoltaic technology to extend the battery life of smartphone devices and to ensure that users always have access to their most critical applications,” said Dan Dery, chief marketing officer. “As consumers become ever more reliant on smartphone technology for all aspects of their daily life, it is essential to investigate and utilize new technologies to deliver and enhance user experience."