Wireless Battery Charging Methods for Distributed Soldier Electronic Devices

An inductive power transfer approach is proposed, in which a backpack-deployed central power source will deliver power omni-directionally to battery-powered devices also borne by the Warfighter. Charge will be maintained in batteries without removal from the devices they are powering and without the need for cables and connectors. Phase I will address the major technical challenges, including integration of the transmitter unit into the backpack and the receiver units into the battery holders of battery-powered devices; the tradeoff between device weight and transmission efficiency; and safety and detectability. Tasks during the Phase I base program will include (1) requirements definition for battery charging for a thermal weapon sight and/or other critical items, (2) design and construction of a power transmission prototype suitable for this application, (3) test of the prototype, in order to demonstrate its capability and to identify necessary design modifications, and (4) development of plots clearly presenting the major design tradeoffs. The Phase I Option will develop and document a full-scale design for a specific battery-powered item agreed to with Marine personnel, both with engineering drawings and illustrations and with a physical mockup.