A company by the name of Nikola Labs claims to have created a case capable of charging your smartphone wirelessly. No, I don't mean it's a wireless case that relies on a power source; this particular case converts RF signals from the air into DC power that can extend the life of your device by up to 30 percent.
Nikola Labs announced its creation at TechCrunch Disrupt. According to the company's website, the case contains a proprietary RF harvesting circuit that converts the wasted 90 percent of energy a phone produces via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and LTE into DC power that can be supplied to mobile devices. My only concern is whether or not the case would impact signal strength.
The case doesn't contain a battery. Instead, it continuously pumps generated juice directly back into your handset. Think of it as a constant trickle charge throughout the day.
While a non-stop recharge for your phone would be nice, the real potential of the technology - originally developed at Ohio State University - lies within licensing deals. Medical devices, wearables and Internet of Things products could all benefit from RF harvesting due to their low power draw.
Nikola Labs plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign next month where it'll "sell" an iPhone 6 case for $99. The team said it hopes to get the case out to early backers within four months of the campaign.