SonicEnergy

SonicEnergy (previously uBeam) was founded in 2011 by Meredith Perry and won the University of Pennsylvania's invention competition, PennVention, in April 2011.{{cite web |date=2011 |title=Team with wireless charger |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/blog/peter-key/2011/04/team-with-wireless-charger-for.html |access-date=2020-07-24 |website=www.bizjournals.com}} It demonstrated its first prototype of the technology at The Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital Conference, D9, in May 2011.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/video/d9-video-ubeam-demo/7332C7FB-8AEC-409D-9CA5-5A1DA2DBF0D1.html|title=D9 Video: uBeam Demo|website=Wsj.com|accessdate=1 October 2017|via=www.wsj.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/new-technology-beams-power-over-sound-waves/|title=New technology beams power over sound waves|date=3 June 2011|publisher=}}

uBeam received $26 million in investment from venture capitalists and investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Upfront Ventures, Founders Fund, Mark Cuban and Marissa Mayer.{{Cite web|title = uBeam Declassifies Secrets To Try To Prove Wireless Power Is Possible|url = https://techcrunch.com/2015/11/07/wireless-power-charger/|website = TechCrunch|date=7 November 2015|accessdate = 2015-11-10|first = Josh|last = Constine}}

By 2016, all of uBeam's original engineering team had left the company, with some engineers leaving before their stocks had vested.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ubeam-former-engineers-doubt-it-can-work-2016-5|title = The hype around wireless-charging startup uBeam got way ahead of reality, say former engineers| website=Business Insider }}

Axios reported that uBeam privately demonstrated a working prototype of the technology at the Upfront Summit on February 2, 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/ubeam-finally-shows-off-its-wireless-charging-technology-2236385621.html|title=uBeam finally shows off its wireless charging tech|date=3 February 2017|website=Axios.com|accessdate=1 October 2017}} uBeam demonstrated wireless charging of several phones using an improved prototype such as the iPhone 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 phones simultaneously to USA Today.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/06/01/ubeams-meredith-perry-shows-her-stealth-wireless-charging-technology-really-works/102336880/|title=uBeam's Meredith Perry shows her stealth wireless charging technology really works|website=Usatoday.com|accessdate=1 October 2017}}

In September 2018, Meredith Perry stepped down from her role as CEO. She was replaced by Jacqueline McCauley as acting CEO.{{Cite web|url=https://www.axios.com/ubeam-ceo-meredith-perry-steps-down-1537464261-82b55bb0-d83c-4630-aabd-ffbda3fc7804.html|title=Exclusive: Ubeam CEO Meredith Perry steps down|website=Axios|date=20 September 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-07}} In December 2018, McCauley was replaced by Simon McElrea as CEO who restructured the company under the name SonicEnergy;{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2019/01/08/ubeam-names-new-ceo.html|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2019-12-21|title=UBeam names new CEO}} Subsequent to this, McElrea stepped down as CEO in December 2019, and was replaced by Will Kain, formerly the company's CFO, as acting CEO. Will Kain stepped down as CEO in May 2021.

SonicEnergy has been reported to have gone out of business in February 2024{{Cite web |title=SonicEnergy Company Profile 2025: Valuation, Funding & Investors {{!}} PitchBook |url=https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/54800-92#overview |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=pitchbook.com |language=en}}

In November 2015, uBeam released technical specifications for its proposed system. uBeam's system would transmit ultrasound at frequencies between 45 kHz and 75 kHz, with a sound intensity of 145 dB to 155 dB SPL, and it would use a phased array technique to direct the beam.

Polarised beam polymer speakers can direct sound energy within the specified physical structure.

Some observers have been critical of the company's ultrasound technology, stating that uBeam's claims were unlikely to be achievable.{{cite news |last1=Gomes |first1=Lee |title=Experts Still Think uBeam's Through-the-Air Charging Tech Is Unlikely |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/experts-still-think-ubeamrsquos-throughtheair-charging-tech-is-unlikely |access-date=17 May 2022 |work=IEEE Spectrum |date=11 November 2015}} Critics have also cited problems such as the difficulty of achieving high efficiency in sound transfer, achieving an unobstructed path for the beam, and the high absorption of high frequency ultrasound in air.{{Cite web|url = http://labusinessjournal.com/news/2015/nov/08/skeptics-zap-wireless-charging/|title = Skeptics Zap Wireless Charging {{!}} Los Angeles Business Journal|website = labusinessjournal.com| date=7 November 2015 |access-date = 2016-05-13}}{{Cite web|title = Can uBeam's Through-the-Air Phone Charging System Live Up to the Hype?|url = https://spectrum.ieee.org/can-ubeams-throughtheair-phone-charging-system-live-up-to-the-hype|website = IEEE|date=9 November 2015|access-date = 2015-11-10|last = Gomes|first = Lee}}{{Cite web|title = Wireless Charging: uBeam's Headache and Nausea Question|url = http://observer.com/2015/11/ubeam-questions-headache-nausea-hearing-loss/|website = Observer|publisher = |date=9 November 2015|access-date = 2015-11-10|language = |last = Dale|first = Brady}}{{Cite web|title = uBeam FAQ |url = http://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/the-ubeam-faq/|website = eevblog|publisher = |date=12 October 2015|access-date = 2015-11-12|language = }}

Australian electrical engineer and blogger Dave Jones has been a frequent critic of uBeam, stating it "will never be a practical solution",{{Cite web|url=https://www.eevblog.com/2017/06/23/eevblog-1001-ubeam-ultrasonic-wireless-charging-debunked/|title = EEVblog #1001 – uBeam Ultrasonic Wireless Charging DEBUNKED}} and has offered detailed explanations on why "it will never work".{{Cite web|url=https://www.eevblog.com/2019/06/26/eevblog-1224-ubeam-is-sinking|title = EEVblog #1224 – uBeam is Sinking!}}

In 2016, former uBeam engineering VP Paul Reynolds wrote a series of blog posts stating that uBeam’s technology did not work, saying that "While in theory [uBeam] may be possible in limited cases, the safety, efficiency, and economics of it mean it is not even remotely practical."{{cite web | url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/20/ubeam/ | title=UBeam wireless power's CEO Meredith Perry steps aside amidst B2B pivot | date=20 September 2018 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/12/ex-employee-claims-wireless-charging-start-up-ubeam-is-a-sham.html | title=Ex-employee claims wireless charging start-up uBeam is a sham: Report | website=CNBC | date=12 May 2016 }} According to some former uBeam engineers, the technology would at best be able to supply a "trickle charge" to a cell phone, transmitting a few watts of power over one or two meters.{{cite news |last1=Gomes |first1=Lee |title=Engineer and Investor in Spat About Wireless Charging Startup uBeam |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/engineer-and-investor-in-spat-about-wireless-charging-startup-ubeam |access-date=17 May 2022 |work=IEEE Spectrum |date=13 May 2016}}

Ultrasound energy has the potential to produce biological effects on the body, such as heating the tissues slightly. In some cases, it can also produce small pockets of gas in body fluids or tissues (cavitation).{{cite web|url=https://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/MedicalImaging/ucm115357.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614082205/http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/MedicalImaging/ucm115357.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 14, 2009|title=Medical Imaging - Ultrasound Imaging|first=Center for Devices and Radiological|last=Health|website=Fda.gov|access-date=1 October 2017}} OSHA, citing a 2001 UK report, noted that hearing risk from exposure to very high frequency noise remained unquantified.{{Cite web|url=https://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/new_noise/#appendixc|title=OSHA Technical Manual (OTM) {{!}} Section III: Chapter 5 - Noise |publisher= Occupational Safety and Health Administration|website=Osha.gov|language=en-us|date=2022-04-28|access-date=2023-12-11|quote=The report concludes: There is not sufficient data in the literature to support, or even contemplate, a dose response relation between occupational exposure to VHF noise and resultant hearing risk.}} {{PD-notice}}

uBeam claimed that the beam will cut out automatically if it is intercepted by objects other than the receiver.{{Cite web|title = uBeam Finally Reveals The Secret Of How Its Wireless Charging Phone Case Works Safely|url = https://techcrunch.com/2015/10/08/how-ubeam-works/|website = TechCrunch|date=October 8, 2015|access-date = 2015-11-10|first = Josh|last = Constine}}

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• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20020118041213/http://sonicenergy.com/ Article title]}} (usurped site, {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520055605/https://sonicenergy.com/ |date=May 20, 2021 |nolink=y}})

Category:Wireless energy transfer

Category:Ultrasound