The world of streaming hardware continues to evolve, but one of the most overlooked pieces of the puzzle is the remote control. Now a new Google TV reference remote has appeared that could mark a major shift in how these small devices get their power.
This prototype is built to operate entirely on indoor light, removing the need for disposable batteries.
The concept comes from Ohsung Electronics in South Korea, a long standing manufacturing partner known for building remotes and consumer electronics. They created the design in collaboration with Epishine, a Swedish company that specializes in energy harvesting from ambient indoor lighting.
While this device is not a retail product yet, reference designs like this often influence the direction of future hardware from Google and its partners.
How Indoor Light Keeps It Running
Epishine’s solar cell technology is engineered to work with the modest levels of light found inside most homes. The remote collects power continually from lamps, ceiling fixtures and even reflected natural light. There is no internal battery hidden inside it. The remote runs directly on the energy it gathers.
The designers placed solar cells on both the front and back of the remote. This simple decision means the remote continues to gather power whether it is lying face up on a coffee table or face down on a couch cushion.
For typical everyday use, especially in homes where the lights are on for evening viewing, the remote should never lose power.
This is a meaningful shift away from the current Google TV and Chromecast remotes that still rely on replaceable batteries. Anyone who has spent time hunting through drawers for new batteries in the middle of a show knows how disruptive it can be.
Phone based remote apps exist, but they are rarely as convenient as physical buttons when you simply want to adjust the volume or pause a movie.
Convenience and Environmental Benefits
A self powered remote has obvious advantages for users. It removes the inconvenience of dead batteries and the ongoing cost of replacements. There is no charging cable to keep track of and no charging cradle taking up space. It is simply a remote control that always works when you pick it up.
From an environmental perspective the benefits are just as important. Eliminating disposable batteries reduces waste as well as the resources required to manufacture and recycle them. Epishine notes that removing the battery also allows the remote to be lighter and potentially less expensive to produce.
What This Could Mean for Future Devices
While this is only a reference design, ideas like this tend to find their way into consumer products when they offer clear improvements without significant tradeoffs. A remote that is lighter, cheaper and that never needs fresh batteries checks all the boxes.
If manufacturers adopt this design, Google TV devices in the next few years could arrive with remotes that simply power themselves using the light already present in your living room.
This is an easy feature to support and an even easier one to appreciate. With no drawbacks and plenty of day-to-day benefits, indoor light-powered remotes seem like a change the industry is ready for.
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