Eugene Polley, the man who invented the wireless TV remote, died on May 20 of natural causes at the age of 96, according to Deadline. Polley, an engineer, developed the gun-shaped Zenith Flash-Matic wireless remote control in 1955, which allowed television viewers to change the channel without having to stand up and turn the dial.

This invention revolutionized the way people watched TV, and later that design evolved into remotes for computers, video games, VCRs, DVD players, and countless other household items. In 1997, Polley was awarded with an Emmy for his work in TV remotes. It's an invention that so many of us have taken for granted over the years, so it's only proper that we recognize the man that dreamed it up.

[via Deadline

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