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RF-to-DC wireless power chip for IoT closer to commercialization

RF-to-DC wireless power chip for IoT closer to commercialization

Market news |
By Wisse Hettinga



Measuring 5.6- x 3- x 0.8-mm, the INDRA chip is claimed to offer best in class sensitivity and high efficiency and was specifically designed to power IoT devices, such as industrial sensors, that, with the addition of wireless power, can provide uninterrupted data without the need to ever change batteries. INDRA is a miniaturized version of the company’s highly efficient radio frequency to direct current (RF to DC) energy harvesting circuitry, upon which the company’s wireless power solutions are based.

Developed in collaboration with Texas Instruments and Skyworks Solutions, the INDRA chip includes technology from both companies. The collaboration, says Nikola Labs, enables it to deliver wireless power solutions at scale.

Qualification of INDRA included thorough testing at the company’s engineering facilities in Westerville, Ohio to verify sensitivity to RF signals and performance. In these tests, says the company, INDRA performed very well, showing best in class sensitivity, producing power at -15 dBm, and high efficiency.

Current such chips on the market require twice the input power (-12 dBm), the company says. The sample chips provided by Skyworks passed all qualifying tests and have been approved for scale manufacturing, which is expected to begin in May or June of this year.

“Qualifying INDRA is a watershed event because it enables us to finalize development of initial products that will start shipping later this year,” says Will Zell, CEO, Nikola Labs. “Having Skyworks and TI as collaborators has been a great experience and is critical for our goal of delivering wireless power technology and solutions to customers around the world.”

The company has also recently relaunched its website, featuring the vertical markets it serves, including industrial, smart city, smart home, health and medical, and space and military.

www.nikola.tech

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