SBIR Phase II: Wireless Charging Systems for Automated Production Lines

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to fully automate the quality control process for production lines of complex electronic products to improve US manufacturing productivity. There is currently a trend for manufacturing facilities in developed countries to automate more of their processes to be more cost-competitive with low-cost labor countries. Given the current geo-political environment whereby the US is attempting to diversify its supply chain and bring more manufacturing processes back to the US, these wireless power systems can make this transition more economically viable and in turn increase US productivity and its national security. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project results in a commercial product that can wirelessly power, test, verify, and record data for products while they move on production lines for manufacturing customers. This includes verifying high power switching amplifiers and converters that can operate dynamically for real-time changes in load conditions, high quality coils that can operate for a wide field of view due to changes in misalignment, and a wireless communication system that can effectively perform and issue the results of tests applicable for quality control verification. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.