Another awesome innovation from the Japanese; remote controls that do not require batteries to work.
Prototype battery-less remote control by NEC and Soundpower
The remote control was realized by combining (1) a vibration-based power generation device developed by Soundpower, (2) NEC Electronics’ microcomputer supporting RF remote controls that use radio waves with a frequency band ranging from several tens of MHz to several GHz to transmit and receive data and (3) a power supply control technology that drives electronic circuits with a small amount of electricity.
Basically, it works by deriving its power from the vibration made when pressing the buttons on the remote control. Brilliant! Isn’t it? TV sets have been making leaps and bounds in innovation but its essential partner, the remote control has been left behind and continues to consume batteries that costs us money and do harm to the environment. We all know how annoying it is to have a remote control with dying batteries at home, it’s maddening! We can say goodbye to this problem thanks to this new innovation.
The prototype is currently exhibited at the on-going Embedded Technology 2009 forum in Yokohama, Japan. What’s more exciting is that this new remote control could be available for consumers as early as 2011.
Image from TechOn
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Julius aka "Jhay" Rocas has been blogging since 2006. He is a certified geek. New Media publisher/Professional blogger and Internet ninja. Youth activist. He blogs about tech news, gadgets and social commentary. 
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This is what you call technological innovation!