The first wireless remote control was invented in Chicago by Eugene Polley for Zenith and introduced in 1955. The gizmo, dubbed the Flash-Matic, looked like a ray gun from the future. Since then, the handheld devices have used everything from light, sound and radio waves to command our television sets.

When did TV remotes become wireless?

The first remote intended to control a television was developed by Zenith Radio Corporation in 1950. The remote, called "Lazy Bones," was connected to the television by a wire. A wireless remote control, the "Flashmatic," was developed in 1955 by Eugene Polley.

When was the remote control invented?

In 1955, Zenith introduced the first true wireless television remote, the Flashmatic. Invented by Eugene Polley, it was able to turn the television on or off, change channels, and mute the sound by flashing a directional light on photoelectric cells at each corner of the screen.