AWARD YEAR
2015
CATEGORY
Home
GOALS
Affordable & Clean Energy
KEYWORDS
wireless technology, gadgets, future scenarios
COUNTRY
Sweden
DESIGNED BY
IKEA
WEBSITE
http://www.ikea.com
Smart-Furniture: IKEA
Home Smart-Furniture for the Future
No need to waste time looking for your phone charger: some new Ikea furniture will be able to charge your phone wirelessly. The wireless charging stations, designed by the Wireless Power Consortium, will be integrated into pieces like desks, tables and lamps using a technology standard called Qi Wireless. The company will also sell an add-on kit that allows people to add wireless charging to existing furniture. Smartphones that don’t support Qi will be incompatible with this furniture. The Qi wireless charging technology is controlled by the Wireless Power Consortium, which boasts 200-plus members including Samsung, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, HTC, Verizon Wireless, and others.