SNK prototypes squirt-gun-like batteryless remote
This tiny miniature water gun by SMK is actually a television remote. More interesting, it works without a battery thanks to an electromagnetic induction coil. It's not a particularly full-featured remote: it'll only turn a television on, change channels and control the sound, but its being touted as a more environmentally friendly television remote. It's neat, but you can take being green too far... considering my full-featured universal remote hasn't required a replacement battery in a couple years, I'm pretty content with "eco-friendly enough" and if the environment doesn't like that, it can bite me.
SMK prototype No Battery Remote Control [Far East Gizmos]
the latest
latest episodes
I've discovered that most IR remotes work perfectly happily on batteries that have gone too flat to operate other devices...
This touches me since my Harmony remote's batteries died today. I sat there crying as I impotently thumbed the power switch on the remote while standing a whole 3 feet away from the power button on the TV. This scene repeats itself every 3 months.
But unless they build it into a Harmony, it's a wasted effort, for I will never own another ghetto remote again.
Although I like the gadget, perhaps we'd better put the "eco friendliness" of remote controls into context here for people who haven't figured it out.
Nearly 5% of the energy being used at any given time in the state of California is consumed by "phantom loads". These are devices that don't actually turn off when you switch the little switch that says "on/off". Examples include anything with a remote control (TVs, stereos, ceiling fans, window air conditioners, etc. etc. etc.) and anything with a little clock on it (microwaves, other stoves, VCRs, etc. etc. etc) and a surprising number of commercial hard goods (such as some brands of clothes washer).
In order for a remote control to work, the device it controls has to be monitoring the area for the signals emitted by the control. So, when you turn your TV "off" with the remote control, all you do is turn off the screen - the TV continues to consume power so that you can use the remote control to turn it "on".
That famous energy shortage in California that turned out to have been created by crooked energy dealers conniving with big-oil plutocrats who wanted to get destroy of California's strong environmental lobby? Wouldn't have happened if it weren't for remote controls and other phantom loads. There was enough generating capacity if you subtract all the phantoms. Of course, the fake shortage would eventually have been created anyway in order to get Ahnold elected, but Enron would have had to shut down several more power plants to do it.
Terrorism and US neo-con military adventuring (I find it hard to tell the difference, personally) are both created and sustained by oil profits. So, remote controls are helping with both - by driving up energy consumption and thus driving up the price of oil.
Don't fund the next 9-11. Put your appliances on power strips and use a REAL HONEST TO GOODNESS SWITCH to turn your TV on!
--Charlie
My tinfoil hat is on!
I assume the environment might still bite you.
Seven years ago, there were 248 million TVs in the US alone. That's about half a billion AA batteries. Assuming they weigh an ounce or so a piece, that's what... fifteen thousand six hundred twenty-five TONS of batteries? That's like the S.S. Ormonde made entirely of batteries.
Steps like this are necessary to at least TRY to reduce that. Or you can step up to your TV and turn it off.
I just use rechargeable NiCd batteries. They last around a year between charges. Most of them are left over from my PDA, which I haven't used in 5+ years -- they didn't last long in that but still work great in remotes.
I do like the idea of the squeezy induction coil gadgets though.
I saw "SNK" in the headline and got immediately excited! I'm still awaiting the return of the Neo-Geo.
*goes back to sleep*