• Varyk@sh.itjust.works
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    6 months ago

    In no way is this a discovery.

    This is what crystal diode radios are from the '40s.

    Some guy built one in Japan, it’s basically just a thousand transceivers in a box hooked up to a USB port harvesting radio/wifi signals.

    Here’s a guy using them to make light:

    It’s super cool, but not a discovery.

    https://youtu.be/_pm2tLN6KOQ?si=ppEv2PkdK_MHFrw6

    • astrsk@kbin.run
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      6 months ago

      This would be neat for a bunch of passive IoT buttons. No need for a piezo to generate power, good for a couple presses at a time, just simple stuff like that.

      • billwashere@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Charge up a capacitor and allow a single button press to send a radio signal. Or maybe have enough power to send a WiFi signal.

      • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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        6 months ago

        I wonder if it could power a sensor. Something like a soil dampness or thermometer, where you only need a few updates per day. Could be pretty cool for passive monitoring applications.