Archinect - News

Detroit installs America's first wireless EV charging track

2023-12-08T12:24:00-05:00

Detroit has debuted an EV charging roadway concept from Electreon inside of its new Michigan Central Station innovation district they say represents a “major milestone in the future of mobility” as the first-ever wireless charging roadway in America.

The quarter-mile track through the city’s Corktown neighborhood was developed by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) after being announced by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in February of 2022. The track will serve as a five-year test pilot for the anticipated boom in EVs that are expected to hit the road in the next decade, cornering about half of the total market by the year 2035.

Similar concepts are been developed in Europe by Electreon, which hopes to open the new, eventually one-mile-long Detroit track to the public next year. The installation was also made possible by Ford (backers of the Michigan Central project), Jacobs, DTE, KIEWIT, Next Energy, and ROUSH CleanTech.

Related on Archinect: Detroit to host first public w...

New 5G towers are altering the streetscape all over NYC

2022-11-08T14:27:00-05:00

But as is often the case when something new appears on the New York City streetscape, people seem startled by the large structures — and some have expressed unfounded fears about 5G. They’re concerned about the towers’ sheer size and, in some cases, the wrecked views from third-floor windows.

The three-story towers are part of the de Blasio Administration-backed LinkNYC wireless infrastructure network expansion that will eventually deliver more than 2,000 such structures to underserved neighborhoods in an effort to increase accessibility and combat racial inequality throughout the city before 2026.

The plan had to be approved by New York’s Public Design Commission and will be subsidized in large part by wireless carriers who can rent out space inside the poles, which are designed to last well into the era of 7G, according to CityBridge CEO Nick Colvin.

Detroit to host first public wireless charging road for electric vehicles in the U.S.

2022-02-18T18:43:00-05:00

Electrical Vehicle wireless charging technology company Electreon has announced that it is set to establish its first public wireless EV charging road system in the U.S.

The Michigan Department of Transportation along with the State Department of Future Transportation and Electrification awarded the company a tender to create a wireless charging demonstration project that will include a one-mile wireless charging road and static charging stations. Dubbed the “Michigan Project,” the initiative is expected to launch in 2023 in Detroit.

The Michigan Project is expected to be a significant part of Michigan’s aim to strengthen the economy, electrify vehicle fleets, and reduce carbon emissions by 2050. The State Department of Michigan will provide $1.9 million in funding towards the project.

Previously on Archinect: New research reveals the possibility for wireless vehicle charging while driving

“Michigan’s automotive industry roots built a foundation for mobility innovation, and we’re t...

Ceiling tile that wirelessly charges devices unveiled at CES 2017

2017-01-05T17:24:00-05:00

The days of having to purchase astonishingly expensive replacement charging plugs accidentally left behind on trips, or for that matter of lugging around charging plugs in general, may be over. At this year's CES in Las Vegas, licensing company Ossia is unveiling a drop ceiling tile that purports to wirelessly charge a variety of devices, depending of course on how close the device is to the tile. The more tiles, the chargier: up to four Cota Tiles can be combined to provide the maximum radius and charge to those battery-draining devices. As the press release explains:

Each Cota Tile contains Ossia's wireless power smart antenna technology that automatically powers Cota-enabled devices — from tablets to smoke alarms. Cota Tile has proven safe for operation around people, pets and plants. It is environmentally friendly and does not interfere with Wi-Fi or other wireless technologies while continuously streaming power to multiple Cota-enabled devices, even as they move around a room. C...

Sorry, Your Phone Is Blocked In This Coffee Bar

2014-07-14T14:22:00-04:00

Artist Julien F. Thomas and architecture office Hughes Condon Marler have designed a coffee bar in Vancouver that disconnects you from all wireless networks once you’re inside. The Faraday Café in Vancouver got its name from the Faraday Cage, a material shield around the bar’s interior that was built by the designers to block all electromagnetic signals. By creating a place without any digital connections the owners [...] hope to restore non-digital, social interaction between people.