Energous Partnerships Extend Company's Reach Into Hearables, Microbatteries

Wireless charging company Energous announced a partnership Wednesday with hearing aid company NewSound based on its WattUp personal sound amplification product reference design; NewSound is showcasing its Primo W hearing aid at a conference for hearing care professionals in Germany this week. In addition to wireless charging, device features include app control for charging status and battery monitoring and eight-channel digital signal processing hearing capabilities, Energous said. Wireless charging alleviates the “biggest pain point” for hearing aid users: the frequent need to replace the tiny batteries in the device, said Boyang Li, NewSound chief technology officer. Energous also announced Wednesday a partnership with ZPower, developer of silver-zinc rechargeable microbatteries. WattUp is well-suited to ZPower’s miniature applications, said Tim Powers, vice president-business development: wireless charging fits into its microbatteries and supports spatial freedom when charging devices, he said.