Optical Wireless Power Transmission

Information communication technology is becoming increasingly wireless, and significant changes in society by making the power supply wireless, i.e., the wiring that remains for devices. Optical wireless power transmission has advantages over wireless power transmission using electromagnetic waves in that it is smaller, can provide power over longer distances, and is free of electromagnetic noise. Therefore, it is expected to be used in internal implantable devices, many small IoT terminals, information devices, home appliances, mobile objects such as drones, robots and EVs, underwater applications, and space applications. On the other hand, although it is possible to construct them using the established technologies of laser light sources and solar cells, this is a field that has only recently begun to attract attention, and the research and development record is still insufficient. It is believed that this method will rapidly become more active. In this chapter, the advantages and challenges of optical wireless power transmission, technologies, and the latest trends are explained.