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   Deniz Opal (selzero@syzito.xyz)'s status on Friday, 07-Feb-2025 22:09:29 JST Deniz Opal

   Back in olden times, we used to have remote control cars powered by sonar signals, a weird "clicker" device would make a sound that instructs the toy to turn 45 degrees. An interesting technology that requires no electricity / batteries etc. Lost to the decades.

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     Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK (vfrmedia@social.tchncs.de)'s status on Friday, 07-Feb-2025 22:42:23 JST Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK

     in reply to

     • bazkie, lanparty callgirl

     @bazkie @selzero this technology was also used in early TV remote controls (these things had the disadvantage that they could scare / annoy cats and dogs)

     By the 1980s, small RF circuits and IR LEDs became more affordable and displaced ultrasonic remote controls..

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     bazkie, lanparty callgirl (bazkie@beige.party)'s status on Friday, 07-Feb-2025 22:42:24 JST bazkie, lanparty callgirl

     in reply to

     @selzero ohh how clever! never realized it worked like that

     Deniz Opal repeated this.
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     brie (brie@venera.social)'s status on Friday, 07-Feb-2025 22:42:47 JST brie

     in reply to

     @selzero There was even a TV remote, with few buttons hitting different length metal rods. Something like glockenspiel, but in ultrasound range ;)

     The buttons on Zenith’s original ‘clicker’ remote were a mechanical marvel

     My grandparents had a TV with ultrasonic remote (much later construction, battery-powered). Worked great, but their dog wasn't amused.

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     Deniz Opal (selzero@syzito.xyz)'s status on Saturday, 08-Feb-2025 00:37:37 JST Deniz Opal

     in reply to

     • brie
     • 𝓓 𝓑 𝓒𝓸𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓻

     @partnumber2 @brie

     A lot of us in the 80s had these cheap Sony Trinitron TVs that were cursed with rubbish touch buttons.

     So many of us learned to code on these crappy things, squinting our eyes like we are trying to work out a magic eye picture.

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     𝓓 𝓑 𝓒𝓸𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓻 (partnumber2@c.im)'s status on Saturday, 08-Feb-2025 00:37:38 JST 𝓓 𝓑 𝓒𝓸𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓻

     in reply to

     • brie

     @brie @selzero

     I had a tv that had “touch sensitive” buttons for changing channels. They were so sensitive that if a fly walked across them it would change channel. Really annoying whilst watching a programme. 👀

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     Deniz Opal (selzero@syzito.xyz)'s status on Saturday, 08-Feb-2025 04:33:04 JST Deniz Opal

     in reply to

     • Badri

     @badri just the remote, there was just a little metal thing inside that was flexed to produce the sound.

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     Badri (badri@snipetteville.in)'s status on Saturday, 08-Feb-2025 04:33:07 JST Badri

     in reply to
     @selzero wow that's so cool! By "no batteries" do you mean in the car itself or just the remote? (I'm guessing the latter as the car will still have to move somehow)