Right now, the sensor can't be further than an inch from its host, which isn't exactly practical. Thankfully, this isn't the end of the story. The team hopes to extend that range to nearly 10 feet within a year, and ultimately to 16 feet. If the network-based power takes off, you could see smart homes full of virtually invisible sensors that control all your devices. You could have lights that turn on the moment you enter any room (not just those you care about the most), or heating that shuts off as each room warms up. The best part may be that these sensors would be very cheap, at about 20 cents each. At that price, it wouldn't cost a fortune to make the upgrade.

[Image credit: Bart van Overbeeke/Eindhoven University of Technology]