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Remote control inventor dies

Those reliant on the remote control to change the channel of a television have reason to mourn, as the co-inventor of the TV remote control, Robert Adler, died Feb. 15, according to the Associated Press.

Zenith Electronics Corp. announced that Adler, who co-invented the device with Eugene Polley, died of heart failure at a nursing home in Boise, Idaho, at the age of 93.

Adler, who worked for Zenith for six decades, developed more than 180 U.S. patents, with the invention of the remote control in 1956 among his most well known.

Adler and Polley were awarded an Emmy in 1997 as recognition for the remote control.

The AP said Adler joined Zenith’s research division in 1941 after earning a doctorate in physics from the University of Vienna. He retired as research vice president in 1979 and served as a technical consultant with the company until 1999, when Zenith merged with LG Electronics Inc.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published his most recent patent application on Feb. 1, according to the AP. The patent was for advances in touch screen technology.

Adler was considered a pioneer in SAW technology, or surface acoustic waves, in color television sets and touch screens.