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PV Power Extends Smartwatch Battery Life up to 50%

February 18, 2016 by Jeff Shepard

Sunpartner Technologies returns to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona for its fourth consecutive year to unveil its latest advances in telephones, connected accessories and IoT devices. Sunpartner is known for its patented Wysips®: an invisible photovoltaic component embedded into any kind of surface that enables devices to generate their own energy. In the fast-growing market for smartwatches, aesthetics and longer battery life are crucial. Sunpartner's invisible solar solutions solve both those issues: Wysips® modules are totally design neutral and extend smartwatch battery life by 30% to 50%.

To respond to market demands, the company has extended its range of products enabling mobile devices, connected objects, and accessories to go anywhere by harnessing free inexhaustible energy from the sun. The energy performance of Wysips® Graphics is now at 10mW / cm² under 1 SUN. Wysips® Graphics prolongs the battery life of portable speakers by 30-70%, depending on the duration and level of sunshine. In a solar bag, embedded Wysips® technology provides a perpetual power reserve.

After Wysips® Crystal for emissive screens and Wysips® Graphics for textured surfaces, this year at MWC Sunpartner will unveil Wysips® Reflect: an ultra-thin, invisible photovoltaic component that can be embedded in all types of reflective screens (LCDs in smart watches, electronic shelf tags, sensors, etc.). Wysips® Reflect also works with objects without a screen: analog watches (on the watch dial or the crystal), rear phone casings, wearable tech and more.

Like all Wysips® tech, Reflect modules adapt to the device’s shape and size, and their degree of transparency varies depending on the client’s needs. A new solar smartwatch will be unveiled at MWC 2016 and a partnership will be announced. Sunpartner Technologies will also unveil its working demo solar bag and portable speakers, in addition to the company’s solar phone covers and e-readers.

With Wysips® Graphics, connectivity has no limits! Wysips® Graphics makes it possible to hide and integrate solar cells into everyday objects. How? By combining a printed optical network with solar cells. Embedded solar power then charges a mobile device using an external battery and a built-in USB port. On the design side, a large range of colors, shapes (geometric, textured) and images are available.

At Sunpartner Technologies’ stand at MWC 2016, come experience LiFi and watch streaming videos over light! LiFi (Light Fidelity) is a wireless technology that transmits data over visible light waves. Sunpartner Technologies’ R&D has been working to increase the bandwidth speed of its LiFi receiver so users can watch streaming videos. Since Wysips® technology is a photovoltaic material, it can also act as a photodetector and receive data in the LiFi chain. Several manufacturers are interested in this new tech so they can enhance user experience.