Some crazy new tech was just developed at Eindhoven University of Technology in Eindhoven, Netherlands. It's the world's smallest temperature sensor chip. While that is an impressive achievement, that is not the most ground-breaking feature of this new tech. The researchers were actually able to imbue this chip with the ability to power itself through the radio waves of the same wireless network for which it operates. It basically needs no batteries at all, because it simply needs a wireless router nearby.
Of course, right now there is one caveat. This wonder chip can only be no farther than 1 inch from its host to function. Still, it's a remarkable breakthrough that should start the snowball rolling. Here's a quote with a few more details,
"Right now, the sensor can't be further than an inch from its host, which isn't exactly practical. Thankfully, this isn't the end of the story. The team hopes to extend that range to nearly 10 feet within a year, and ultimately to 16 feet. If the network-based power takes off, you could see smart homes full of virtually invisible sensors that control all your devices. You could have lights that turn on the moment you enter any room (not just those you care about the most), or heating that shuts off as each room warms up. The best part may be that these sensors would be very cheap, at about 20 cents each. At that price, it wouldn't cost a fortune to make the upgrade."
Isn't technology wonderful?
Source: Engadget