Wireless is one of those hot tech catch-alls of the new millennium.  There's wireless broadcasters and receivers, utilizing such technology as WiMax, 802.11n, and Bluetooth.  There's wireless gaming controllers.  There's just about wireless everything -- except power transmission.

Wireless power transmission is something than inventor Nikolai Tesla came up with over a century ago and claimed to have perfected.  However, his mysterious work vanished with his death, and for decades the topic was left untouched.  Now there has been a resurgence in interest with several companies competing to becoming the first to offer commercially broadcast wireless power.

At the Intel Developers Forum (IDF) this month, Intel demoed just such a system.  Using two large coils it showcased a system that could send 60 watts of power at 75 percent efficiency up to 3 feet.  The power was enough to light up a bulb at the receiving end.

Justin Rattner, Intel