Miniature Coil for Wireless Power and Data Transfer through Aluminum

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Wireless Communication

Background:

• Wireless power and data transfer through metal remains a significant challenge.
• Existing solutions often lack miniaturization or efficiency for practical applications.
• The need for robust communication systems in metal-encased environments is growing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop miniature coils for efficient wireless power and data transfer through metallic barriers.
• To characterize the performance of these coils when transmitting through various metal thicknesses.
• To establish a through-metal communication system utilizing the developed coils.

Main Methods:

• Miniature coils with dimensions of 15 mm × 13 mm × 6 mm were designed and fabricated.
• Coil performance was evaluated by measuring power harvesting through aluminum and stainless-steel plates of varying thicknesses.
• A communication system was implemented using a pair of the designed coils to test data transfer capabilities.

Main Results:

• The designed coils achieved wireless power harvesting of 440 mW through a 1 mm-thick aluminum plate.
• Successful data transfer through a 1 mm-thick aluminum plate was demonstrated.
• A maximum data rate of 100 bits per second (bps) was achieved using only harvested power.

Conclusions:

• This research presents the first demonstration of power and data transfer through aluminum using miniature coils.
• The developed system offers a viable solution for wireless communication in metal-enclosed environments.
• The miniature coil design shows promise for future integrated wireless systems.