Video: Beaming up laser power
LaserMotive (Kent, WA) develops laser power beaming systems to transmit electricity without wires, for applications where wires are either cost prohibitive or physically impractical.
LaserMotive won $900,000 in the NASA-sponsored Power Beaming competition in 2009, part of the Space Elevator Games. In laser power beaming, the laser light is shaped by a set of optics to define the beam size at its destination. This light then propagates through air or space until it reaches the photovoltaic (PV) receiver. This array of PV cells then converts the light back into electricity.
Recent advances in commercial laser technology are bringing many exciting applications within the reach of economic and technical viability, from powering unmanned aerial vehicles to launching rockets via laser power to beaming limitless solar energy from space to Earth.
In this video, LaserMotive founders Tom Nugent (President) and Jordin Kare (Chief Scientist) explain the technology. Also part of their executive staff is Dave Bashford, VP of Operations, a professional applied technologies developer, electro-mechanical designer and prototyping specialist with over 30 years experience in the innovation business.
