Remote Controls Are the Past, the Future Is Now

Normally, an article like this would start off with a question that gets you thinking about the problem that the device we’re discussing is designed to solve. In this case, that’d be something like “have you ever lost your TV remote?” But, really, that’s a pretty silly question — of course you have. Every person who has used a TV that’s been made since remote controls were invented has lost that remote control.

Many solutions have been implemented over the years to solve this problem. Remotes that beep so you can find them, programmable replacement remotes, and more recently high-tech options like tracking tags and voice control. The ideal solution, however, is to not even need the remote in the first place. Unfortunately, voice control tends to be lacking — even if it can understand your voice, who wants to shout out what they want to watch for their neighbors to hear?

Luckily, researchers at England’s Lancaster University have come up with new tech called Matchpoint that gives you the best of both worlds. It operates silently like a traditional remote, while not requiring any physical device that could get lost. It does this by watching for movements that correspond to particular functions on the television (or other screen).

Unlike gesture control systems you’ve may have seen in the past, this doesn’t require learning complicated hand gestures. In fact, it doesn’t require hands at all—it can recognize anything moving. That could be your hands, your head, the coffee mug you’re holding, or even a well-trained dog’s paw. It simply watches for any kind of matching movement from any object it sees. Matchpoint is still in development, but it might be wise to make sure your next dog is an intelligent breed.