Prolific U.S. inventor dies

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BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Stanford R. Ovshinsky, who invented the nickel-metal hybrid battery and a host of other devices, died at his Michigan home, his family says.

He was 89.

Ovshinsky, who was largely self-taught and contributed to the development devices such as solar energy panels, flat-panel displays and rewritable compact discs, died Wednesday of prostate cancer, The New York Times reported.

He died at his home in Bloomfield Hills, his son Harvey said.

Ovshinsky was a commercially successful scientist who shepherded many of his ideas into practical, useful products.

His nickel-metal battery technology is used to power hybrid cars, portable electronics and many other devices.

Ovshinsky held patents relating to rewritable optical discs, flat-panel displays, electronic-memory technology and thin-film solar cells.

The Economist magazine, in an article about him titled "The Edison of Our Age?" placed him in "the league of genius inventors."