Astronauts on the ISS will soon test two objects inside the station that will use steerable electromagnets to control their attitude and relative position and also to transfer power: Department of Defense Synchronized Position, Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites-RINGS – NASA

The Department of Defense Synchronized Position, Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites-RINGS (DOD SPHERES-RINGS) investigation uses the SPHERES facility and is designed to demonstrate and test, in a complex environment, enhanced technologies and techniques related to micro electromagnetic formation flight (EMFF) and wireless inductive power transfer. By advancing the knowledge base with regards to inter-satellite attitude control and wireless power transfer, future systems can expect enhanced attitude control performance between separate satellites and potentially the ability to efficiently transfer power at a distance, possibly alleviating the need for alternate or expendable (i.e., batteries) power sources.

The technology could be quite useful in space:

As a test bed, the SPHERES facility serves to develop and test new technologies which, in turn, become part of future DoD and NASA missions. The DOD SPHERES-RINGS investigation hardware and algorithms were developed to enable autonomous propellant-free, plume-free satellite cluster maintenance. By advancing the knowledge base with regards to inter-satellite attitude control and wireless power transfer, future systems can expect enhanced attitude control performance between separate satellites and potentially the ability to efficiently transfer power at a distance, possibly alleviating the need for alternate or expendable (i.e., batteries) power sources. The inductive wireless power transfer experiment aids in establishing the hardware necessary for future wireless powering of space robotic, sensor and enhanced communications systems.

And on earth:

The inductive wireless power transfer experiment aids in establishing the hardware necessary for future wireless powering of urban robotics and sensor systems as well as enhanced underwater communications systems.

Find more about the project at ISS Crew To Test Electromagnetic Station-Keeping – Aviation Week