The inventor of the wind-up radio, Trevor Baylis, has died aged 80.
He is believed to have died of natural causes in his home in Twickenham, southwest London, on Monday morning.
David Bunting, who runs his company Trevor Baylis Brands, said he had been ill for a long time and has no living relatives.
Baylis, who was awarded a CBE for services to intellectual property in 2015, had been seriously debilitated, having suffered from Crohn's disease, he added.
Scotland Yard said his death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.
Baylis developed the wind-up radio in 1992 for people in the Third World who do not have access to electricity or batteries.
He was well known for championing the rights of inventors and was often outspoken about intellectual property rights.
The inventor was awarded an OBE in 1997 for his radio design.
