Eugene Polley has passed into the mist of time. He was 96. It was the Zenith Electronics Corporation, where he'd begun his career in the stockroom before moving into engineering and eventually inventing the device called the 'Flash-Matic", which had announced his passing away.
The gun like device was a revolutionary invention in 1955. It worked by pointing light at photosensitive cells in the corners of the television screen and activating picture and sound besides changing channels. The device, thus, gave birth to the population of 'couch potatoes'!
Potential buyers were lured by the then advertisement and I quote,
"A flash of light from across the room(no wires, no cords) turns set on, off or changes channels......and you remain in your seat. You can also shut off long, annoying commercials while picture remains on screen! You've to see it to believe it!"
Polley was paid a bonus of $ 1,000 for this work of his and went on to earn 18 patents in 47 years.
Thanks, Eugene Polley, for making our lives easier. RIP.
Tailpiece.
Soon after Polley's invention, his device was overtaken and replaced by a more enduring one made by Robert Adler, who, over time, has often been named as the remote's sole inventor! However, we now know the actual trailblazer!!
The gun like device was a revolutionary invention in 1955. It worked by pointing light at photosensitive cells in the corners of the television screen and activating picture and sound besides changing channels. The device, thus, gave birth to the population of 'couch potatoes'!
Potential buyers were lured by the then advertisement and I quote,
"A flash of light from across the room(no wires, no cords) turns set on, off or changes channels......and you remain in your seat. You can also shut off long, annoying commercials while picture remains on screen! You've to see it to believe it!"
Polley was paid a bonus of $ 1,000 for this work of his and went on to earn 18 patents in 47 years.
Thanks, Eugene Polley, for making our lives easier. RIP.
Tailpiece.
Soon after Polley's invention, his device was overtaken and replaced by a more enduring one made by Robert Adler, who, over time, has often been named as the remote's sole inventor! However, we now know the actual trailblazer!!
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