RFID pioneer Charlie Walton dies at 89
updated 09:05 pm EST, Tue November 29, 2011
Inventor received first RFID patent in 1973
Charlie Walton, an inventor who pioneered RFID technology, has reportedly passed away at the age of 89. Walton had worked to develop RFID technology for several decades, receiving his first patent related to the wireless technology in 1973. He eventually amassed more than 50 patents, bringing in royalties to his Sunnyvale, California-based company Proximity Devices.
Although the technology has been around for quite some time, it has become the latest method for handling payments using mobile phones. Many companies, including Google, are implementing RFID technology on the latest smartphones to eliminate the need for credit-card swiping at retail outlets.
Walton's company is said to have pushed the technology forward despite losing the ability to collect royalties by the mid-1990s. [via VentureBeat]
