To lazy to use the remote!!!!
I did read this story in a few of the UK newspapers lat month but i finally had a chance to give it a go at a tech exhibition this weekend. Basically people invent or design solutions to problems or solutions to make life easier, such as the remote for the TV.
The first remote intended to control a television was developed by Zenith Radio Corporation in the early 1950s. The remote — unofficially called “Lazy Bones” was connected to the television set by a wire. To improve the cumbersome setup, a wireless remote control called “Flashmatic” was developed in 1955 which worked by shining a beam of light onto a photoelectric cell. Unfortunately, the cells did not distinguish between light from the remote and light from other sources and the Flashmatic also required that the remote control be pointed very accurately at the receiver.
In 1956 Robert Adler developed “Zenith Space Command”, a wireless remote. It was mechanical and used ultrasound to change the channel and volume. When the user pushed a button on the remote control it clicked and struck a bar, hence the term “clicker”. Each bar emitted a different frequency and circuits in the television detected this noise.
Anyway, enough of the history, this was just to demonstrate that the first remote had been called ‘Lazy Bones’. Problem solved, you don’t have to get up and turn the TV over.
Scientists have come up with a box that lets television viewers change channels, switch on the DVD player or switch off an irritating presenter with the wave of a hand. The controller’s built-in camera can recognise seven simple hand gestures and work with up to eight different gadgets around the home.
Not only will it be a godsend for lazy viewers, it could also save hours of fruitless scrabbling among the sofa in search of the remote control.
The all-seeing wave controller is the brainchild of Australian engineers Dr Prashan Premaratne and Quang Nguyen. They believe it could be on sale within three years, ending the frustration involved in finding and using remote controls.
Wave the TV remote control goodbye and change channel with a thumbs-up??? Or annoy people by turning the TV over while you pick your nose!!!!