Technological advances in wireless power charging and transmission have shown great promise for enabling plug-free and, in many cases, contactless charging for a wide variety of devices and machinery, said the research firm.

According to the research firm, from simple inductive charging mechanisms that require a direct point of contact between charger (transmitter) and device (receiver), wireless power systems have evolved to the point of promising the ability to transmit dozens of watts over dozens of kilometers.

Pike Research forecasts that the two largest application categories for wireless power will be consumer electronics and industrial applications, the latter of which includes sensor networking and wireless slip rings for machinery that uses robotic arms and/or rotating joints, such as automated assembly and processing facilities and wind turbines.

Other promising, albeit smaller, segments include electric vehicle charging, military applications, and mobile computing and communications devices, added the research firm.

Clint Wheelock, president of Pike Research, said: “Applications for wireless power are diverse, ranging from mobile phones to electric vehicles to unmanned aircraft. And in the future, wireless transmission will have the capability of sending large amounts of power to remote locations.”

Mr Wheelock adds that the industry taking shape around wireless power includes major manufacturers like General Motors and General Electric, as well as startups such as WiTricity, Pure Energy Solutions, and Powermat.

However, at the moment there are no clear leaders in terms of technologies or companies, no industry-wide specifications or standards for interoperability, and little agreement about the size of the market opportunity and the most promising areas for investment, said Mr Wheelock.

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