Berkeley researchers develop world's smallest radio

Move over, UC Irvine: your colleagues across the state at UC Berkeley have just one-upped your nano-scale radio by not only using nanotechnology for the demodulator, but actually "stuffing" all the components into a single carbon nanotube. By utilizing mechanical -- rather than electrical -- vibrations of a nanotube protruding from an electrode, the team from Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory were able to mimic the tuner, antenna, amplifier, and demodulator which compose traditional radios. Their prototype nano-radio, 10,000 times thinner than a human hair, has already been used to broadcast and receive such classic tunes as Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys and Eric Clapton's Layla; a video of this latter transmission, whose poor quality will make you long for the relative clarity of AM radio, is available after the break...

[Via San Francisco Chronicle, image and video courtesy of Zettl Research Group, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California at Berkeley]

[DickHardknocks @ Nov 1st 2007 2:07PM]

It doesn't qualify as radio till me until I can listen to Hot 97.1 WQHT.

I'm willing to be the first thing all you gadget lovers out there do when you see a device with an embedded FM tuner - is to try and play your favorite station.

[coplice @ Nov 1st 2007 2:09PM]

imagine dropping a box full of these and they all start playing britney spears's give me more
what do you do to stop them?

[Nando @ Nov 1st 2007 2:18PM]

Drop a bucket full of water?!

If that doesn't work, try vacuuming the area.

[James Gnann @ Nov 1st 2007 2:10PM]

Here comes Metal Gear Solid style codec sequences.

[Mike @ Nov 1st 2007 2:13PM]

I'm glad to see that they have some class. Eric Clapton's "Layla" is an excellent song to play when setting a record that involves radios.

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 1st 2007 2:46PM]

As opposed to classical music?

[Chris Macdonald @ Nov 1st 2007 3:04PM]

well at least they didnt play 'gimmme more' or some shit

[Le Master @ Nov 1st 2007 4:49PM]

For the love of crumb cake, "Layla" is by DEREK AND THE DOMINOS. It's off of their album "Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs."

Will anyone ever get it right?

It's like saying "Strawberry Fields Forever" is by Paul McCartney.

[Mike @ Nov 1st 2007 5:15PM]

Eric Clapton wrote the song. It's his. He owns it. Notice my use of the apostrophe and the s at the end of his last name; "Clapton's." The 'apostrophe s' is possessive. It means he owns the following subject, 'Layla.' Which he does.

Thanks for playing.

[Mike @ Nov 1st 2007 5:15PM]

Eric Clapton wrote the song. It's his. He owns it. Notice my use of the apostrophe and the s at the end of his last name; "Clapton's." The 'apostrophe s' is possessive. It means he owns the following object, 'Layla.' Which he does.

Thanks for playing.

[Le Master @ Nov 1st 2007 6:07PM]

"Thanks for playing?"

You didn't refute me. It's a Derek and the Dominos song, a collaboration by the whole group, period. Even Duane Allman added his own touch. Clapton may have the rights to it or whatever but you know just as well as I do that most people think "Layla" is by Eric Clapton...solo. Most don't even know who the hell Derek and the Dominos are. Like whoever wrote that article up there didn't say "Brian Wilson's 'Good Vibrations.'" It's just annoying.

[Le Master @ Nov 1st 2007 6:07PM]

"Thanks for playing?"

You didn't refute me. It's a Derek and the Dominos song, a collaboration by the whole group, period. Even Duane Allman added his own touch. Clapton may have the rights to it or whatever but you know just as well as I do that most people think "Layla" is by Eric Clapton...solo. Most don't even know who the hell Derek and the Dominos are. Like whoever wrote that article up there didn't say "Brian Wilson's 'Good Vibrations.'" It's just annoying.

[Paul Barwick @ Nov 1st 2007 2:14PM]

Anyone know where my radio is? I dropped it and I don't see it anywhere.

[Chris @ Nov 1st 2007 2:25PM]

The surprising thing is that you saw it in the first place.

[skyward03 @ Nov 1st 2007 2:20PM]

So when are they going to start working on the real nano ipod?

[superhoman @ Nov 1st 2007 2:26PM]

...and yet they still can't fit one into an ipod

[Luke @ Nov 1st 2007 2:46PM]

ba-zing!

[ethana2 @ Nov 1st 2007 6:27PM]

As long as they get people's money, and they look spiffy, why would they care?

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Nov 1st 2007 2:49PM]

Though no longer in production, Circa 1997-98, I had purchased a radio designed and manufactured by American Technology Corporation that fit inside of your ear canal.


http://www.atcsd.com/

[DB @ Nov 1st 2007 3:27PM]

Wait until the RIAA finds about this!

[Gerlinger, A @ Nov 1st 2007 3:38PM]

improve the reception, implant it into my ear, and let my brainwaves control the volume, frequency, etc... all is great until it breaks and I have Brittany Spears jamming in my head at 3am on some idle Wednesday morning.

[Eric @ Nov 1st 2007 4:16PM]

Glad to see someone aware of Derek and The Dominos.

[snowglyder @ Nov 1st 2007 4:52PM]

Here's there explanation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjHOByeqS6k

[Chris @ Nov 1st 2007 7:46PM]

This is pretty cool, however, the writeup makes it seem like all of the components were scaled down to nano size when in fact at least the amplifier and power source were not scaled down.