tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post1570629238622395768..comments2024-03-07T17:15:19.426-08:00Comments on Lies, Damn Lies, and Startup PR: uBeam - Still All Sizzle?StartupPRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10863632782404121915noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-55828920703870571182018-09-22T10:33:53.445-07:002018-09-22T10:33:53.445-07:00Rob. Thanks for your response, I always appreciate...Rob. Thanks for your response, I always appreciate anyone coming in and wanting to discuss the posts, especially if it's regarding the actual physics or maths. I'm traveling right now and try to follow up more fully later. Some things I may not be able to comment on due to what I worked on in the past, but I will say that there are a lot of technologies that can be brought to bear in consumer apps that never are, because size, weight, and cost implications are significant.StartupPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863632782404121915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-63984076354690970982018-09-22T07:21:03.143-07:002018-09-22T07:21:03.143-07:00I know this post is over a year old and I am in no...I know this post is over a year old and I am in no way validating uBeam's technology, but I want to point out to future readers that your efficiency calculations are way off. The power consumption you calculated above is PEAK power, not AVERAGE power. Average power would be closer to 165 Watts at 120 Volts, not 1300 Watts. Using your updated voltage of 40 Volts would give an average power of around 20 Watts. Using the acoustic power out numbers from above would give an efficiency of roughly 16% not including other system efficiencies. On top of that, use of energy recycling could increase overall efficiency by up to 50%. Robnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-45399191165174870172017-06-24T11:48:05.163-07:002017-06-24T11:48:05.163-07:00Can you go into more details on that? This analysi...Can you go into more details on that? This analysis assumes it's driven at the resonant frequency, and while there are tricks to play there's none I am aware of that will give a 10x improvement there. Are you meaning putting an inductor on each element? If so, then that works on an individual element in the lab. Now put it on thousands of them in a cost constrained consumer device. Possible, not practical.<br /><br />(I've seen something like that drawn on the whiteboard in the uBeam videos recently)StartupPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863632782404121915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-14024700804227069452017-06-22T19:15:35.725-07:002017-06-22T19:15:35.725-07:00Regarding low efficiency claims based on capacitan...Regarding low efficiency claims based on capacitance - that could happen if you just drive them using totem-pole. But if you go for resonant driver, you're at least 10 times more efficient...Michailhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15513628757844784017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-71323901693560280092017-06-05T22:01:15.871-07:002017-06-05T22:01:15.871-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Sok Sarethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15373712078360375074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-69590838268133205422017-03-15T03:30:34.346-07:002017-03-15T03:30:34.346-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18114571726683468753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-28270385157097160582017-02-12T16:13:35.632-08:002017-02-12T16:13:35.632-08:00..Or it was faked; one assumes there was _some_ am.....Or it was faked; one assumes there was _some_ amount of ultrasound being emitted, but not at all impossible they either (a) used it to gate the power from a battery hidden in their (quite bulky) receiver, or (b) they modified the phone to indicate charging when less than a useful amount of power was supplied. <br />I'd love to have a poke around inside that receiver and play "spot the shenanigans"... <br /><br />I have no specific evidence that they did cheat, but if you _were_ going to cheat, (y'know, to reassure investors after failing to ship anything and the majority of your senior engineering team have fled) those two options are pretty much what you'd do. <br /><br />BTW "insonifying" - nice word!Dr.Tunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13142858563438117443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-91307106004416893202017-02-10T14:55:57.763-08:002017-02-10T14:55:57.763-08:00I worked w/ Paul so have *first* hand experience. ...I worked w/ Paul so have *first* hand experience. I never viewed those traits and from my perspective, had nothing to do with his (our) departure; ours was more a realization of the inevitable. <br /><br />Paul and others were world class talent. When they were repeatedly dismissed and ignored over things that didn't even pass a giggle test to a much less talented audience (myself), you start realizing where the issues lay. RandomTaskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00182796682108334382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-23956049636525320662017-02-08T22:36:12.399-08:002017-02-08T22:36:12.399-08:00Don't bring yours. Bring the neighbors dog, th...Don't bring yours. Bring the neighbors dog, the one that barks all the times at 2 in the morning.ImSellingBS, looking 4 investor.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01866880789708800730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-50283421758305479652017-02-08T22:33:37.250-08:002017-02-08T22:33:37.250-08:00$10 mil to someone with a billion to invest is lik...$10 mil to someone with a billion to invest is like $1000 to most of us. Many men throw $1000 easily at hookers and never gave it second thought the next day, unless the ROI included STD.ImSellingBS, looking 4 investor.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01866880789708800730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-32314429357682719782017-02-08T08:59:09.349-08:002017-02-08T08:59:09.349-08:00No, please don't. I like cats and dogs.No, please don't. I like cats and dogs.StartupPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863632782404121915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-5519345087061413062017-02-08T08:58:10.799-08:002017-02-08T08:58:10.799-08:00On that front, safety, I completely agree. No excu...On that front, safety, I completely agree. No excuses.<br /><br />OSHA exists for a reason and the limit is 115 dB. Which is about 0.3W/m2, or 27mW from an array of that area, which is 1/20th the amount needed to trigger charging from USB (assuming 100% efficiency elsewhere). Either the phone was not actually charging, or OSHA was exceeded. Also looked to be permanently on while pointed at that cameraman, and with spacing of those transducers, grating lobes were insonifying the audience. (All based on info from a 20 second video, could be more, or less, to it than that)<br /><br />Who is the acoustics safety expert there now?StartupPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863632782404121915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-39460915234084929542017-02-08T08:51:54.732-08:002017-02-08T08:51:54.732-08:00Sounds like we've worked at some of the same c...Sounds like we've worked at some of the same companies! :)<br /><br />And I'm not worried about them trying to defame me - I take it as a compliment.StartupPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863632782404121915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-16604448365194602312017-02-08T06:04:46.716-08:002017-02-08T06:04:46.716-08:00Paul,
Thanks again for your analysis, don't ...Paul, <br /><br />Thanks again for your analysis, don't worry about the distractors, killing the messenger is standard operating procedure of charlatans. I've read all of your posts and find it refreshing that you've taken the time to express your views. I've worked in the Information Technology space for almost three decades and as a consultant bound by confidentiality agreements = (Paid to keep your mouth shut because you know where the bodies are buried). I've gotten a front row seat to lots of clown shows. There are many companies that from the outside appear to be well put together but inside are rotten to the core because they are overrun by sociopaths. Wisdomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10562517672026392452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-59153076782385892202017-02-07T23:08:37.377-08:002017-02-07T23:08:37.377-08:00Someone please bring their cat to the next demo.Someone please bring their cat to the next demo.ImSellingBS, looking 4 investor.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01866880789708800730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-53669897528035743942017-02-07T22:57:47.532-08:002017-02-07T22:57:47.532-08:00Yes, you can blame UBeam. High school physic stuf...Yes, you can blame UBeam. High school physic stuff here. Yes, I can create wireless charging(500ma to 2amp) at not near field distant, but it will cause great harm to unlucky person who cross the beam path.ImSellingBS, looking 4 investor.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01866880789708800730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-64886076367753135622017-02-07T22:51:59.385-08:002017-02-07T22:51:59.385-08:00Pretty sure JChan is one of the investor. Say bye...Pretty sure JChan is one of the investor. Say byebye to your $$. Don't invest in things you don't understand.ImSellingBS, looking 4 investor.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01866880789708800730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-7864834413073025292017-02-07T22:17:28.215-08:002017-02-07T22:17:28.215-08:00Definitely marvelous.Definitely marvelous.StartupPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863632782404121915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-28040040543608914272017-02-06T19:03:45.103-08:002017-02-06T19:03:45.103-08:00BTW; completely off topic but marvelous: https://m...BTW; completely off topic but marvelous: https://medium.com/@CardsAgainstHumanity/why-our-super-bowl-ad-failed-2af66e6a976c#.8s6sdhp8yDr.Tunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13142858563438117443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-88838744896248276212017-02-06T01:20:06.960-08:002017-02-06T01:20:06.960-08:00It would be helpful if UBeam would:
a) ship somet...It would be helpful if UBeam would: <br />a) ship something, <br />b) allow a 3rd party test, <br />c) do a proper demo providing hard numbers and state the parameters under which those numbers were measured (including both favorable and unfavorable results, i.e. what the power falloff is like when the device is moved around relative to the transmitter, as it would be in everyday use), <br />d) address the dozens of specific technical questions/challenges that have been compiled in the EEVBlog thread. <br /><br />Lots of startups fail, but few have a declared mission that was debunked pretty much from day one. Here's the original skeptical post from pretty much the same day UBeam went public back in 2014:<br />http://lookatmeimdanny.tumblr.com/post/101432017159/how-putting-10m-into-ubeam-illustrates-everything<br />the choicest quote is (verbatim) "IT’S AN IMPOSSIBLE IDEA".<br /><br />When Mark Suster invested $10M in UBeam (https://bothsidesofthetable.com/the-audacious-plan-to-make-electricity-as-easy-as-wifi-45d9e26d81f0#.trkx39u12 - sadly he subsequently switched blog hosting and all the comments on that got lost, because there were several very prescient ones) he said a lot of things, including a bunch of puff about how much due diligence he'd done ("Did the physics actually work? Check").. but where are we now? <br /><br />Ms Perry's demo (5 years later) doesn't prove a thing. <br /><br />Marc Berthe (mentioned in Suster's piece) lasted barely a year as CTO before bailing out to go do contract gigs for Raytheon. <br /><br />The author of this blog was there for just over two years before quitting.<br /><br />Suster later wrote a strongly supportive post when UBeam was having a PR crisis because of the revelations in this very blog ( https://bothsidesofthetable.com/what-is-it-like-to-wake-up-and-have-the-press-ready-to-torpedo-your-business-351f27ca6d67#.r3q9w5cf1 ) which was thin on detail and thick on cheerleading but did give praise to their 'very talented VP of Engineering, Sean Taffler' (who bailed in October last year, to do consulting gigs), and VP of acoustics Paul Chandler (who also bailed last October to go back to consulting) - only two of the four people Suster mentioned are still there - and one of them's Meredith! <br /><br />So all these undoubtedly talented and experienced staff have left the company, presumably of their own volition, and we can see it's not because they were lured away to lucrative jobs at mega-successful companies; the logical conclusion is the scientists on board decided to quit their comfortably paid - but futile - jobs and go do something meaningful with their lives instead, even if it was just picking up consulting gigs.<br /><br />Here's the EEVBlog FAQ - probably the single most comprehensive and thorough demolition job on the UBeam concept.<br /><br />$29.3 million dollars have been spent on this so far. I hope it keeps going for a little while longer because it's a very entertaining story, although it seems we've known for years how it will end.<br />Dr.Tunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13142858563438117443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-23061864330766839242017-02-06T00:09:58.266-08:002017-02-06T00:09:58.266-08:00Your comment is absurd. "anyone can start wit...Your comment is absurd. "anyone can start with assumptions and then do math against those assumptions to try to prove a point" ... well.. quite, what's wrong with that? He's walking us through how you'd get some ballpark estimates (by using public information, i.e. what we see in the video) of whether this system is even remotely practical. Sure, some assumptions may be wrong, and Paul frequently throws them a bone e.g. "OK, I'm being mean, let's say it's 10x more efficient" and shows that even with the most generous possible assumptions, the math shows us it's an absurd, impractical proposition. I'm sure he could regale us with many actual examples of UBeam's internal engineering prototypes but that'd be both violating his NDA _and_ we wouldn't be able to verify. If you want to challenge his assumptions above and come up with the math showing a different conclusion, have at it. <br />The name of this blog is "lies, damn lies and startup PR" and that's what he's been discussing since day one. Move along, uninformed troll.Dr.Tunehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13142858563438117443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-29394054224259749112017-02-05T22:59:52.264-08:002017-02-05T22:59:52.264-08:00I just found this blog after seeing the tweets abo...I just found this blog after seeing the tweets about ubeam, and after reading thru his post I've been wondering the same. I was hoping for some actual information but the maths in his post are based off of assumptions entirely from a 20 second video clip...anyone can start with assumptions and then do math against those assumptions to try to prove a point. This post proved nothing just as the video proved nothing. He also just confirmed that he left the company cause the co didn't give him more money or authority. Skimmed through other blogposts he's written and this dude's entire blog seems to be devoted to bitching and moaning about his old boss and whether or not the technology of the startup he was part of two years ago is practical for consumer markets. It's really pathetic and sad. Get a life man.EEVTHORPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16205943022186513004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-37014517434084328472017-02-05T20:29:18.253-08:002017-02-05T20:29:18.253-08:00I don't normally comment on threads, but as pa...I don't normally comment on threads, but as part of the team mentioned I feel the remarks about Paul's conduct after leaving Weidlinger are unwarranted. Whatever Paul's personal feelings when leaving Weidlinger he maintained a very professional relationship with his former colleagues in all business dealings, and continues to do so to this day.Gerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11492887868307143358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-20618281410703675722017-02-05T20:19:12.886-08:002017-02-05T20:19:12.886-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Gerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11492887868307143358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3057869926275243678.post-56788863664755300242017-02-04T06:46:00.962-08:002017-02-04T06:46:00.962-08:00Did I say the technology was bullshit? I think I s...Did I say the technology was bullshit? I think I said it's possible, but is it practical or cost effective? I said the demo has clearly baffled people with bullshit - from what was seen in that video (is there more?) there is no proof of charging, just that a phone was put in front of a box and a light came on. The press puts a eye grabbing headline, even if they temper it later saying 'science experiment', and people run with that. If it's actually charging at 500mW plus, why not actually say so, it's a pretty simple statement to make, leaving out even the efficiency and system cost. But I'm surprised, since this is what's shown when they were moving to production 18 months ago?<br /><br />Anyway, as always, attack the messenger not the message, keep it up.StartupPRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863632782404121915noreply@blogger.com