Researchers at the University of Washington created a prototype phone that is capable of making voice calls without any power source. The device receives energy literally from the air.

Researchers in the field of computer science and electrical engineering said that the team aimed specifically at cell phones, because today they can be called the most common gadgets, without which people do not go out into the street.

To create a prototype of such a device, the developers had to completely re-assemble all the internal components of the phone so that the device consumes as little energy as possible. The device receives signals from the base station and converts them into electricity. At this stage of research, this method allows the device to operate at a distance of no more than 15 meters from a station that uses unlicensed frequencies and is limited to low power transmission.

In the current state, the prototype has only the buttons for dialing the number and the LED indicator. In the next version, researchers intend to install an E-ink-display for sending and reading text messages.