Cymbet Corporation today announced that it has released the EnerChip RF Induction Charger evaluation kit CBC-EVAL-11 into global distribution. This kit is an easy way for electronics designers to experiment with near field RF (radio frequency) charging of EnerChip CC rechargeable solid state energy storage devices.

The near field RF Induction method of supplying “wireless power” is an excellent contactless solution for recharging the EnerChip and has many applications. The EVAL-11 kit includes an RF charging transmitter board, a USB cable to power the transmitter board from a PC, and an EnerChip CC CBC3150-based receiver board. The receiver board has a connector for a Texas Instruments eZ430-RF2500T wireless network endpoint device. This combination enables designers to experiment with the concept of RF Induction charging for wireless sensor nodes.

Near field RF Induction charging has been used for several years in consumer and medical products to charge internal batteries. With millions of handheld, battery-based devices being shipped every month, new types of RF Induction-based charging pads have been introduced to the market. Market research firm iSuppli estimates that 3.6 million units will ship in 2010 and expects the 2011 market to grow to 31 million units. By 2014, iSuppli forecasts nearly 235 million units.

“Customers are asking us to couple RF Induction charging techniques with the EnerChip CC,” said Steve Grady, Cymbet’s vice president of global marketing. “They are integrating this EnerChip charging technology into innovative devices such as reusable smart patches, data loggers and wireless sensors. The convenient small form factor enables new compact designs.”

The Cymbet EnerChip CC RF Induction kit is available today from the company’s distribution partners, Digi-Key and Mouser.