Energous, a specialist of the wireless charging 2.0 technology – announced that EarTechnic has selected WattUp to wirelessly charge its upcoming hearing device, Tie-X. For many users, frequently replacing tiny hearing aid batteries is often problematic, if not outright impossible. The ability to wirelessly charge these vital devices delivers peace of mind, confidence and a new level of convenience to users.
“Hearing aids are a prime example of small electronic devices that can benefit from WattUp’s wireless charging 2.0 platform. Eliminating the need to constantly change batteries which can also enable hermetically sealed designs is a very compelling use case for this market” said Stephen R. Rizzone, president and CEO of Energous. “Our WattUp hearing aid developer kits enable manufacturers like EarTechnic to efficiently and cost effectively integrate the next generation wireless charging into their devices.”
Hearing aids can be life-changing for those with hearing loss, however, for the elderly this comes with a downside: the cost and nuisance of purchasing and replacing batteries. These tiny batteries, which might need to be replaced as frequently as every three daysi, can be frustrating for anyone. Energous’ WattUp wireless charging technology is based on radio frequency (RF), which provides a number of benefits for wireless charging, including the ability to fit into small form factor products and devices without flat surfaces.
WattUp’s technology ecosystem – which supports both at-contact and over-the-air wireless charging – reduces placement and interference issues that consumers experience with coil-based solutions. WattUp can also be monitored by a smartphone app to alert the wearer when battery levels are running low.
“We evaluated a number of wireless charging platforms and were impressed by Energous’ WattUp technology as it provides the sizing flexibility and overall functionality we need for our next-generation Tie-X hearing aid,” said EarTechnic CEO M. Emin AGAC. “We strive to use the very latest technology in our efforts to design best-in-class, user friendly hearing devices.”
Hordon Kim, International Editor, hordon@powerelectronics.co.kr
