Company aims to simplify the retrofit process for smart windows to make energy-efficient upgrades more accessible and cost-effective
PASADENA, Calif., October 2, 2024 — GuRu Wireless, Inc., the leading provider of adaptive, long-range wireless energy transfer solutions, announces it has received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Office (BTO). GuRu Wireless will use the grant to fund research on integrating wireless power and control with electrochromic windows to make energy-efficient building upgrades more accessible and economically viable for a wide range of commercial and government buildings. It is anticipated that by using GuRu Wireless’ technology, the cost to retrofit electrochromic windows in existing commercial buildings will be up to 90% lower than current hard-wired solutions.
Electrochromic windows are innovative glazing solutions that enable dynamic control of the amount of light and heat passing through them to significantly improve building energy efficiency. Despite the promise of this sustainable technology, adoption in existing commercial buildings faces significant barriers due to the extensive infrastructure and labor costs related to routing power cables.
GuRu Wireless’ innovative wireless power transfer technology can streamline the installation process and significantly reduce the cost of integrating these windows by eliminating the need for hardwired installations. GuRu Wireless will use the Phase 1 SBIR award to develop and customize its wireless power beaming system for a proof-of-concept deployment in a dedicated government laboratory installation. The successful completion of Phase 1 will form the foundation for development of a commercial-grade solution.
Marc LaFrance, Advanced Technology and Energy Policy Manager, Building Technologies Office, US Department of Energy, said: “DOE’s Building Technologies Office is excited about our new SBIR project pursuing wireless power and control that would be applicable to a variety of dynamic solar control products once it achieves market success.”
Narbeh Derhacobian, CEO, GuRu Wireless, said: “GuRu Wireless’ technology delivers power over the air to enable applications where batteries or wires are too expensive or impractical. Electrochromic windows in commercial buildings are a great example of this. Our technology has the potential to revolutionize the installation process and cost-effectiveness of this sustainable technology. Our approach not only decreases up-front costs, but also offers greater flexibility in window placement and design, as there’s no longer a constraint of proximity to power sources.”
GuRu Wireless’ system utilizes 24GHz mm-wave phased arrays and a proprietary RF smart lensing technology developed to efficiently deliver wireless power over distance. The system architecture is designed in a scalable and tiled format to enable different applications, use cases, form factors and power/distance requirements. For electrochromic windows, each GuRu Wireless system can not only power and control several windows but can also act as an access point for data aggregation within a building, as the company’s transmitters can connect to building and cellular networks. GuRu Wireless has already demonstrated this capability in other applications.
For more information on the SBIR program, visit the DOE’s website.
About GuRu Wireless
GuRu Wireless, Inc. is the leading provider of adaptive, long-range wireless energy transfer solutions. The company’s proprietary 24GHz millimeter-wave technology enables precise and targeted transmission and recovery of milliwatts to kilowatts of power over significant distances with unmatched performance. Its small, lightweight, tile-able modules, incorporating a highly integrated custom ASIC, intelligent algorithms and custom software, can be scaled for specific applications, resulting in solutions that are best in class for power/distance. Founded in 2017 by a team of scientists and engineers from Caltech, the company has successfully completed several proof-of-concept (PoC) projects with leading customers in industrial, commercial and defense applications. GuRu Wireless is making wireless energy transfer possible – and accessible – so that together with its customers, it can develop new applications and enter new markets where batteries or wires are impractical. See: www.guru.inc and follow us on LinkedIn.
GuRu Wireless and the GuRu logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of GuRu Wireless, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other company, product, and service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.
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Jen Bernier-Santarini
+1 650-336-4222
Jen.bernier@jbstechpr.com
