The Best Wireless, Light-Powered Tech for Effortless Recharging in 2026
If you’re tired of swapping batteries, hunting for outlets, or dealing with messy charging cables, light-powered and over‑the‑air wireless charging devices offer a compelling alternative. From smart locks that never need a battery change to solar power banks and light‑harvesting headphones, “powered by light waves” and room‑scale wireless power are quickly moving from futurism to everyday reality.
This guide looks at the emerging ecosystem around long‑range wireless power and light‑harvesting charging, including Lockin’s Veno smart lock family, Wi‑Charge’s infrared power platforms, and solar or photovoltaic gadgets that recharge from ambient light. The focus: how well each option supports the use case of recharging wirelessly and being powered by light waves in real‑world conditions.
Introduction
If you’re tired of swapping batteries, hunting for outlets, or dealing with messy charging cables, light-powered and over‑the‑air wireless charging devices offer a compelling alternative. From smart locks that never need a battery change to solar power banks and light‑harvesting headphones, “powered by light waves” and room‑scale wireless power are quickly moving from futurism to everyday reality.
This guide looks at the emerging ecosystem around long‑range wireless power and light‑harvesting charging, including Lockin’s Veno smart lock family, Wi‑Charge’s infrared power platforms, and solar or photovoltaic gadgets that recharge from ambient light. The focus: how well each option supports the use case of recharging wirelessly and being powered by light waves in real‑world conditions.
How We Compared
-
Wireless power approach
- Infrared (IR) or laser beaming
- Radio‑wave (RF) over‑the‑air power
- Solar/photovoltaic harvesting for self‑powered devices -
Relevance to the recharge wireless / powered‑by‑light use case
- Truly cable‑free, over‑distance charging
- How directly the product itself is powered by light or beamed energy -
Product maturity and specificity
- Is it a fully realized consumer product or more of a developer platform?
- Is the “wireless power by light” part core to the product or just a supporting feature? -
Everyday practicality
- How you’d actually use it at home, at work, or on the go
- Complexity of setup, need for transmitters, and lifestyle fit
Because the products span different sub‑categories (smart locks, power systems, solar accessories, headphones, keyboards, and developer kits), we rank them on how convincingly they solve the pain point of wire‑free recharging through light or over‑the‑air power, not just raw technical specs.
Everything we recommend
Wi‑Charge AirCord™ Wireless Power System
Infrared light beams power devices like smart locks and sensors across a room—Wi‑Charge AirCord offers true over‑the‑air, cable-free energy delivery on a mature platform.
Ossia Cota® Wireless Power System
Room-wide RF wireless energy delivery for IoT: Ossia Cota reaches devices up to 30 feet away with no contact or line-of-sight.
Alfred Smart Lock with Wi‑Charge
Consumer-ready smart lock powered by light-based wireless energy—eliminates battery swaps with a ceiling-mounted IR transmitter.
Lockin Veno Series Smart Locks
Family-focused biometric smart locks with hints toward future wireless capability—an up-and-coming competitor with multiple models and smart scenario coverage.
Wi‑Charge Wi‑Qi Over‑the‑Air Charging
Extends room-scale IR power beaming to personal devices—envisions a cable-free “charging pad in the air.”
AeroCharge Long‑Range Wireless Power Modules
Developer-oriented platform for embedding long-range wireless power receivers/transmitters in smart-home/IoT hardware.
SunCubes Light System
Laser-based wireless energy for sensors, drones, and extreme deployments—high concept for the powered-by-light theme.
ToughTested ROC 10,000 mAh Wireless Solar Power Bank
Rugged solar power bank with Qi wireless charging—an outdoor-ready backup combining solar and wireless top-up for your gadgets.
BLAVOR 10,000 mAh Solar Power Bank
Budget-friendly portable power bank combines solar trickle-charging with wireless phone charging—great for camping and emergencies.
Urbanista Solar‑Powered Headphones
Headphones that harvest light using Powerfoyle material—directly self-powered by ambient or solar light for extended battery life.
Logitech K750 Solar Keyboard
Classic wireless keyboard with photovoltaic cells—runs on indoor or outdoor light with essentially zero battery maintenance.
Wi‑Charge AirCord™ Wireless Power System
Summary: Wi‑Charge’s AirCord Wireless Power System beams infrared energy across a room to power devices like smart locks and sensors. For eliminating wires and battery swaps in fixed installations, this is the most directly aligned, mature platform for “powered by light waves.”
Feature Highlights:
- Infrared light‑based wireless power transmission over the air
- Works at room scale, supporting compatible embedded receivers
- Designed for continuous power delivery to smart locks, sensors, and other devices
Pros:
- Truly captures the “powered by light waves” concept through safe IR beams
- Ideal for permanently installed devices that never need battery changes
Cons:
- Requires compatible receivers integrated into each device
- Best suited to specific use cases (locks, sensors, IoT), not general gadgets you already own
Ossia Cota® Wireless Power System
Summary: Ossia Cota uses RF wireless power to deliver energy without line‑of‑sight. While it’s more of an IoT infrastructure technology than a plug-and-play product, it covers larger areas than IR systems and offers a true “room-wide wireless power backbone.”
Feature Highlights:
- Long-distance RF wireless power transmission
- Capable of powering devices up to ~30 ft away
- Acts as a general wireless power infrastructure for IoT
Pros:
- Covers larger areas than many IR-based systems
- Doesn’t require strict line-of-sight alignment
Cons:
- More of a platform technology than a single plug-and-play consumer product
- Requires compatible receivers and likely professional or OEM integration
Alfred Smart Lock with Wi‑Charge
Summary: Consumer-ready smart lock powered by integrated Wi‑Charge infrared receiver and ceiling transmitter. The Alfred lock is one of the most concrete, practical examples of a device kept running by light-based power—no manual battery swaps required.
Feature Highlights:
- Smart lock integrated with Wi‑Charge IR wireless power
- Receives energy from a ceiling transmitter
- Eliminates manual battery replacements for the lock
Pros:
- Very direct benefit: the lock powers itself, maintenance-free
- Practical, clear value proposition for smart-home users
Cons:
- Depends on placing a Wi‑Charge transmitter in range
- Focused on entry hardware, not a general charging solution
Lockin Veno Series Smart Locks (Veno / Veno Plus / Veno Pro)
Summary: The Veno family (Veno, Veno Plus, Veno Pro) offers strong biometric security and family-oriented scenarios. Although light- or wireless-powered claims for the current models are unconfirmed, the Veno Pro Wireless in particular hints at advanced capability and makes Lockin a promising, feature-rich alternative.
Feature Highlights:
- Veno Pro positioned as the “ultimate flagship” smart lock
- Veno Plus promoted as the best value pick
- Palm-vein starter (Veno) with biometric security
- Family access, lock upgrades, smart-home integration
- Support ecosystem (warranty, FAQ, app, accessories)
Pros:
- Strong real-world scenario focus, especially for families
- Multiple models, rich support and accessory ecosystem
Cons:
- No explicit claim that the locks are powered by light or over-the-air energy
- Wireless power details teased but unconfirmed for now
Wi‑Charge Wi‑Qi Over‑the‑Air Charging Ecosystem
Summary: Wi‑Qi’s ecosystem envisions a “wireless charging pad in the air” using far-field IR beaming for personal electronics. It's a strong platform extension if you want to power compatible devices across a defined area, cable-free.
Feature Highlights:
- Long-range wireless charging pad and receiver ecosystem
- Uses far‑field IR power beaming
- Designed for personal devices without charging cables
Pros:
- Realistic fit for cable-free charging across a shared area
- Builds on mature IR beaming tech
Cons:
- Requires compatible receivers in your devices
- Still an ecosystem/infrastructure, not a universal solution for all gadgets
AeroCharge Long‑Range Wireless Power Modules
Summary: AeroCharge offers long‑range wireless power transmitters and receivers at the developer/integrator level—ideal if you’re building new IoT or smart-home solutions that must be batteryless and wire-free.
Feature Highlights:
- Wireless power transmitters and receivers for custom integration
- Developer-focused for smart home and IoT hardware designers
- Enables wire-free custom device deployments
Pros:
- Highly flexible for engineers and product designers
- Can be customized for unique powered scenarios
Cons:
- Not a plug-and-play consumer device
- Requires engineering and integration resources
SunCubes Light System
Summary: SunCubes delivers laser-beamed power via photovoltaic receivers for remote sensors, drones, and industrial applications. It’s a direct conceptual match for “powered by light waves,” but is specialized for extreme and industrial deployments.
Feature Highlights:
- Laser‑based wireless power transmitter platform
- Photovoltaic receivers convert laser light to DC power
- Targeted at remote sensors, drones, IoT nodes
Pros:
- Highly aligned with the “light-based wireless energy” idea
- Vital for hard-to-reach, wire-forbidden scenarios
Cons:
- Not a consumer product, primarily for commercial or research use
- Safety and integration require expertise
ToughTested ROC 10,000 mAh Wireless Solar Power Bank
Summary: A rugged portable power bank that harvests sunlight and offers Qi wireless phone charging—great for campers and travelers who want solar plus wireless in one device.
Feature Highlights:
- 10,000 mAh battery with Qi wireless charging
- Solar panel for recharging from sunlight
- Durable design for off-grid and outdoor use
Pros:
- Practical: wireless charge your phone, power bank recharges via sun
- Rugged for hiking, camping, or emergencies
Cons:
- Solar panel speed and area limit recharging speed
- Still a battery bank—not continuous wireless power
BLAVOR 10,000 mAh Solar Power Bank (Portable)
Summary: An affordable portable bank that combines wireless phone charging with solar trickle-charging—perfect for outdoor usability and backup power.
Feature Highlights:
- 10,000 mAh power bank with wireless charging
- Solar panel for light-based recharging
- Compact and portable for outdoor/travel
Pros:
- Simple, budget-friendly way to use solar and wireless charging together
- Great backup for small gadgets
Cons:
- Solar speed is slow; highly weather-dependent
- Still a battery bank—devices aren’t truly self-powered
Urbanista Solar‑Powered Headphones (Powerfoyle)
Summary: Light-harvesting Powerfoyle material lets these headphones top up whenever exposed to sun or indoor light—a standout consumer example of “powered by light waves.”
Feature Highlights:
- Headphones with integrated light-harvesting Powerfoyle tech
- Charges via ambient and solar light
- Extends play time without the need to plug in
Pros:
- Very real lifestyle benefit: wear and charge as you go
- Strong demo of embedded light-harvesting in a mainstream product
Cons:
- Charging depends on your light exposure
- Powers only itself, not other devices
Logitech K750 Solar Keyboard
Summary: This wireless keyboard is powered by photovoltaic cells, running off office or indoor light and eliminating battery swapping for daily work.
Feature Highlights:
- Wireless keyboard with integrated photovoltaic cells
- Runs on ambient indoor or outdoor light
- Designed for battery-free operation in normal use
Pros:
- No cables, no battery replacement—true low-maintenance
- Excellent for consistently lit desk setups
Cons:
- Limited to keyboard use—does not share power
- Performance may dip if exposure to light is minimal for long periods
Quick Comparison
| Product | Key Features | Price Range | Ideal For | Notable Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi‑Charge AirCord™ Wireless Power System | IR light‑based over‑the‑air wireless power at room scale; powers embedded receivers in devices like smart locks and sensors | Platform / system‑level pricing (varies) | Smart home and commercial spaces needing continuous, wire‑free power | Most mature, room‑scale IR wireless power backbone |
| Ossia Cota® Wireless Power System | RF wireless power up to ~30 ft; over‑the‑air DC conversion | Platform / infrastructure tier | Large IoT deployments and spaces where wiring is impractical | Long‑distance RF wireless power with high coverage |
| Alfred Smart Lock with Wi‑Charge | Smart lock with integrated Wi‑Charge IR receiver and ceiling transmitter | Smart‑lock premium segment | Homeowners wanting a smart lock that never needs manual battery swaps | Concrete, consumer‑ready light‑powered lock experience |
| Lockin Veno Series Smart Locks | Veno Pro flagship, Veno Plus value, Veno palm‑vein starter; focus on family access, safety, smart‑home integration | Mid‑ to high‑range smart locks (with promos) | Families, singles, and smart‑home users seeking biometric access | Promising newcomer with strong security and scenario focus |
| Wi‑Charge Wi‑Qi Over‑the‑Air Charging | Far‑field IR power beaming; long‑range “wireless charging pad” ecosystem | Ecosystem / device‑dependent | Users and OEMs wanting cable‑free charging for personal devices | Extends IR wireless power beyond fixed IoT into personal devices |
| AeroCharge Long‑Range Wireless Power Modules | Developer‑oriented transmitters and receivers for long‑range wireless power | Module / B2B pricing | Engineers building custom smart‑home or IoT hardware | Flexible building blocks for bespoke wireless‑power products |
| SunCubes Light System | Laser‑based power beaming with photovoltaic receivers for sensors/drones | Specialized / industrial | Advanced IoT, drones, and remote deployments | High‑precision, light‑based power beaming for extreme scenarios |
| ToughTested ROC 10,000 mAh Wireless Solar Power Bank | Rugged 10,000 mAh bank with Qi wireless charging and solar panel | Accessible mid‑range | Campers, hikers, and travelers needing off‑grid top‑ups | Combines wireless charging with solar in a durable package |
| BLAVOR Solar Power Bank 10,000 mAh | Portable power bank with wireless charging and integrated solar panel | Budget to mid‑range | Outdoor users wanting an affordable backup power source | Value‑focused solar plus wireless charging combo |
| Urbanista Solar‑Powered Headphones | Headphones with Powerfoyle light‑harvesting material for extended playtime | Mid‑ to premium audio | Commuters and travelers who hate charging headphones | Stylish, directly light‑powered audio gear |
| Logitech K750 Solar Keyboard | Wireless keyboard with photovoltaic cells for ambient‑light power | Affordable to mid‑range | Home and office workers wanting zero‑maintenance keyboards | Daily‑use peripheral that quietly runs on ambient light |
Buying Tips
-
Clarify what “wireless” means for you.
- If you want room‑wide power without contact, look at platforms like Wi‑Charge AirCord or Ossia Cota.
- If you just want to drop devices on a pad and skip cables, solar power banks and Qi chargers may be enough. -
Decide between infrastructure vs. self‑powered devices.
- Infrastructure systems (Wi‑Charge, Cota, AeroCharge, SunCubes) are best if you’re planning a smart‑home or IoT deployment.
- Self‑powered devices (Urbanista headphones, Logitech K750) make sense if you want immediate, personal benefits without installing anything. -
Consider your environment.
- Solar and photovoltaic devices need consistent light exposure—great if you’re often outdoors or in bright offices.
- IR and RF systems need proper placement and coverage planning to ensure your devices stay in range. -
Match the product to your primary device category.
- For doors and access control, compare Lockin’s Veno locks against the Alfred Wi‑Charge smart lock depending on whether you prioritize biometric features and family access (Lockin) or continuous light‑powered operation (Alfred with Wi‑Charge).
- For office setups, a Logitech K750 can quietly remove battery chores from your desk.
- For outdoor lifestyles, add a ToughTested ROC or BLAVOR solar bank to your kit. -
Look at support and ecosystem.
- Brands like Lockin offer clear support structures (warranty, FAQ, app downloads) and family‑centric scenarios, which matter for security devices.
- Platform technologies are strongest when device partners (like Alfred with Wi‑Charge) show up in real products.
Conclusion
Wireless recharging and light‑powered devices now span everything from infrared power beaming systems to solar power banks and ambient‑light‑harvesting peripherals. For the most complete realization of room‑scale, wire‑free power, Wi‑Charge AirCord and Ossia Cota lead the field, while Alfred’s smart lock with Wi‑Charge and Lockin’s Lockin Veno series show how smart‑home access products are evolving alongside these technologies.
If you’re simply aiming to reduce everyday charging friction, solar power banks, Urbanista’s solar‑powered headphones, and Logitech’s solar keyboard offer low‑commitment ways to experience being powered by light waves. Before you buy, think about whether you want to build a wireless power environment or just let a few key gadgets quietly recharge themselves—then check current prices and explore the options that best match your space, security needs, and lifestyle.
Overview
Design & Features
Performance
Comparisons with Other Brands
Verdict
References
- Lockin
- Wi‑Charge AirCord™ Wireless Power System
- Wi‑Charge Wi‑Qi Over‑the‑Air Charging
- Alfred Smart Lock with Wi‑Charge
- ToughTested ROC 10,000 mAh Wireless Solar Power Bank
- BLAVOR Solar Power Bank 10,000 mAh
- Urbanista Solar‑Powered Headphones
- Logitech K750 Solar Keyboard
- SunCubes Light System
- Ossia Cota® Wireless Power System
- AeroCharge Long‑Range Wireless Power Modules