Passing of an Armchair Pioneer

Very few people would I expect be familiar with the name Eugene Polley. Well, a couple of days ago he passed away at the ripe age of 94. The reason his passing is so significant is due to the the fact the Eugene was instrumental in the design and development of an item found in practically every home, an item we would all struggle to do without. It's the remote control.
Back in the 1950's, attempts were being made to produce a device that would have the ability to operate a TV set enabling the viewer to change channels and adjust the volume. Previous to this, remote controls had been designed and made available on high-end sets, for radio receivers.
The remote control of 1955 was a far cry from the slick invisible infra red handsets we all take for granted today, but the principle is similar. For the original wireless remote controls worked by shining a beam of light at receivers on the set. The light would pulse, thus telling the TV to either change channel up or down, or change the volume level. The design worked but did require very precise aiming.

Another version was affectionately known as the 'clicker' and modern day remotes are still referred to as 'clickers' today. These worked in a different way, by literally making a loud clicking sound whenever buttons were pressed. The TV had a sound receiver that would decode the click (each button click was produced at a slightly different pitch) and the channel could be changed.
It wasn't until the late 70s that the infra red remote control was produced. It was driven by the BBC and the need for a more complex remote control that could operate CEEFAX, the new teletext service. The remote would need a number pad to enable the viewer to enter page numbers. It was in 1980 that the first commercially available IR remote control was produced.
I recall well visiting the home of a school friend and seeing for the first time his new teletext enabled TV with remote control. This must have been in 1983 or thereabouts. The remote control was chunky and it felt strange to be able to do so many things from the other end of the living room without wires.
So, how difficult it is then to imagine a world without the remote control. My son will grow up not knowing what it was like to live with remote control-less TV. But I did, I remember it well and in a strange way, I do slightly miss it...
RIP Eugene Polley, and thanks.