Power Pebble – Intelligent, Modular Mobile Powering Source

Lately I have been thinking of methods of intelligently power up mobile devices through additional mobile power sources by using all currently available technologies and design solutions on the market. With wireless charging finally becoming a mass market reality through WildCharge, I am both excited and in the same time disappointed how little of the potential is actually covered by WildCharge. I decided to write down a quick list of features of a prototype product I’ve come up as the PowerPebble

Power Pebble is a modular mobile power source. It uses a LEGO brick design where each Pebble starter kit contains one middle rectangular block, called Power Block, with charging magnets on both it’s long sides, interconnecting plugs on it’s internal long sides, and tiny LED indicators on its shorter sides. Each Power Block contains multi-cell battery unit. The user can connect unlimited number of Power Blocks together as LEGO bricks using the interconnecting plugs. Two “caps” close the Power Block from both sides providing sleek rounded design. Each “cap” is a module with specific internal functionality, powered by the Power Block they are connected to. There can be numerous caps, with a limit of 2 caps used at a time.

Power Pebble is meant as a universal kit for building both mobile and desktop charging stands. One or two Power Blocks with Caps can be put in a laptop or messenger bag next to a device with WildCharge-compatible device and charge them while being carried in a bag. Multiple Power Blocks can align together to create travel-minded charging mega-device as a charging stand.

Feature-wise, the powered caps that complete the Power Pebble design feature modern mobile technologies that allow the user to assign up to two features (or packs of features) to the device from a list of multiple available features that are gradually expanded with introduction of new caps or upgrades of existing caps. Each cap itself is a mini-device with a programmable firmware. Each Alarm Cap offers a MiniUSB plug for cable charging off the grid, so the device can be charged from either side. The following cap feature packs I’ve come up so far:

Alarm cap. The default cap contains a clock with LED screen and alarm functionality and a buzzer. It can buzz user-defined alarms, create charge alarms based on Power Blocks remaining capacity, turn on or off charging alarms depending whether the Power Blocks are below or above certain capacity (do not ring in 21:00 for charging if Charging > 60%). Snap-out Wall Charge allows Pebble to be charged from a wall charger. The pebble will hang vertically while the charger is stuck in the grid horizontally.

Connectivity Cap. Based on an ARM8 processor, this cap is a Android-OS-based screenless mobile device with Bluetooth, WiFi b/g and 3G functionality. GPS is available. Android Cap runs a WiFi server, optional 3G-to-WiFi MiFi and a Web server allowing other screen-based devices to connect to it and configure it. The following software-based tasks are pre-packaged.

** Twitter, Facebook Publish or Facebook Mail (when API available) self. GoogleTalk/XMPP Push. RSS hosted locally or proxied via online service (FeedBurner with PubSubhubbub support). Email. Create alarms in Google Calendar for charging via iCal Calendar.
** Messaging can tell devices that PowerPebble has capacity to serve them thus devices should specifically ask the user to use the Pebble. Devices with GPS can compare their own GPS data with PowerPebble GPS data and if close, could tell the user that the closest PowerPebble is in close distance. Devices can subscribe to multiple PowerPebble feeds/accounts/etc. and triangulate closest Pebble.
** Google Latitude, Fire Eagle GPS support. GPS Log support for cross-tagging media from cameras, online travel tagging services. GPS-defined Locales that trigger on or off Alarm Cap functions. For example, be alarmed of low capacity only when you return home.
** Voice Alarms via Bluetooth-connected headset. Support for headsets capable of connecting with multiple devices.

PowerBag is a line of laptop and messenger bags that contain integrated wireless charger in its design. One of its compartments is meant for placing 4-cell or 6-cell PowerPebble. The whole interior of a PowerBag is lined up with multiple magnets (both compartment sides and compartment bittom) allowing any device placed inside to snap attached and charged if needed by just being carried in a PowerBag. PowerBag has handy MiniUSB connector that allows to “plug” the PowerBag to the grid and thus charge both the residing PowerPebble but also any device inside the bag. Power Bag also has wireless charger magnets on it’s exterior bottom, for placing over PowerPebble stands instead of wired charging via miniUSB

Solar Carrying Bag. Carrying Bag for PowerPebble of up to 8 Power Blocks, using velcro connections to stay together as a bag, but can be expanded to a canvas 32 Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide solar panels, with a miniUSB charger for connecting to PowerPebble via any of its Caps. PowerBog can have models with solar panels attached to it.

#concept, #device, #mobile, #power, #product

Apostol Apostolov 1:34 pm on September 28, 2009
I am still trying to expand the PowerPebble concept from a feature-rich wireless mobile charger to any sort of disruptive technology.

Point for expansion: Several PowerPebbles can communicate with each other via their Communication Cap, via Bluetooth or 3G/WiFi PowerPebbleRSS subscribe, or eMail, XMPP, etc. What information can a Pebble send to another Pebble unit. A Pebble could alarm the user to remove devices when its capacity is low, and then tell other Pebbles to alarm via sound the user to move devices there. Pebble1: “I’m dead. Sorry, user!”, Pebble2: “I’m up for the task. Gimme devices!”, Pebble3, demonstrating smart behavior based on data: “Your Pebble1 is dead and Pebble2 is in use, hey I’m almost dead too so please charge me and Pebble1 when you get home OK? Here, I set your Google Calendar for 18:30 and your HTC Hero will scream bloody murder even if I’m dead.”; You can also prepare for a travel and tell your Pebbles how many recharges you need. User: “Pebbles, I have added my HTC Hero profile to your databases. My HTC Hero operates for 5 hours on a heavy use. I need to travel 25 hours, so I need 5 recharges of my 1350 mAh HTC Hero. ” Pebble1: (is dead, doesn’t respond), Pebble2: “Count me in, I provide 3 charges”, Pebble3, smart behavior again, demonstrating receiving 2nd-pass data from web interface: “One charge from me, I see you only got 3 charges so far, charge me so I provide the remaining one!”, User via Web Interface: “Okay, thanks Pebbles, I’ll charge Pebble1 and leave Pebble3 as it is”.

Public or Paid PowerPebbles: Operating PowerPebbles in a similar fashion to what FON does for WiFi. Implement option to turn on or off PowerBlock’s magnet wireless charging via Communication Cap. Hotels, cafes and such can set up a Kiosk (or allow any other Web device) to web-connect to PowerPebble. Use Nokia Money, PayPal or Credit Card API to pay for number of hours operation of the PowerPebble, get temporary WiFi account to use Pebble as WiFi or MiFi point. Successful payment allows PowerPebble to charge for the next X hours.

Not as disruptive but a must for the iPod generation.
- iCap. Audio Cap that transforms PowerPebble in a mobile MP3 players providing hundreds of hours of audio with several PowerBlocks. Cap integrates stereo speakers (both ends of the cap). Between the speakers is a rotating bar with an iPod dock that can position an iPod either horizontally (when wall-charging) or vertically (normally), similar to the rotating camera of Sony Webbie PM1 pocket camera. Internal 2G if Flash provide barebones memory without an iPod. Two 3.5mm plug for Audio for split listening by more than one user.
- Nikolay 6:17 pm on September 28, 2009
  
  I think it’s a good idea and all electronics should be designed similarly to the Swarm Robotics post below.
  
  It’s kinda off topic, but Yonel had some crazy ideas in the past (which turned not to be so crazy) – wirelessly powering devices on big distances using lasers.
  - Apostol Apostolov 7:46 pm on September 28, 2009
    
    I’d be very interested to see that idea in a written form. I am quite interested about safety implications. While a bird or two can be sacrificed in the name of wireless charging, a plane off course cannot.
    - jyonkov 12:54 am on September 29, 2009
      
      The idea came to me while studying about lasers in high school. Its simple to describe but probably very difficult to implement realistically and impractical for electricity transmission. (more likely something else …). Basically some lasers ionize air and ionized air is the shortest path for a high voltage electrical discharge. The key words for this type of phenomenon should be (Laser Induced Tunnel Ionization, laser-guided electric discharge in air … etc.)
    - Apostol Apostolov 9:38 am on September 29, 2009
      
      I am not sure how safe such method of electricity transmission is, although it could probably be used with impulses rather than constant laser flow?
    - Nikolay 4:22 pm on October 2, 2009
      
      Here is a wireless powering from Sony!
    - Nikolay 6:11 pm on October 14, 2009
      
      Here’s another wireless electricity idea.
- jyonkov 12:30 am on September 29, 2009
  
  I like something about the idea of power bricks communicating with each other. There can be multiple algorithms for charging and providing power on demand from a group of interconnected power bricks replacing todays complicated central charge and drain controllers.
Nikolay 7:43 pm on September 28, 2009

BTW, is Duracell myGrid a re-branded WildCharge?
- Apostol Apostolov 7:48 pm on September 28, 2009
  
  Apparently yes, I think it’s a rebranding so Duracell can offer its own complete solution. The design is the same. It’s a shame though, as the current design size is really not comfortable for charging dozens of devices, especially larger ones such as netbook and notebook charging (Dell already announced a laptop with WildCharge charging).

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Power Pebble – Intelligent, Modular Mobile Powering Source