[CES 2016] There are plenty of universal remote controls out there, and most of them are pretty huge simply because they need to accommodate a host of different functions and buttons for a variety of devices, such as TV, Blu-ray players, DVD players, VCD players (if you still have those at home), hi-fi systems, and more.
However a French startup by the name of Sevenhugs has a better idea: why not create a universal remote control that’s small for a change? An early prototype was shown off at TechCrunch’s Disrupt in 2015, and how it works is that the end result is a smart remote control that is contextual, so all the user has to do is point at the device they want to control, and the Sevenhugs smart remote will know what it’s pointing at and will act accordingly, as you can see in the UI screenshots (which will also sport a tactile interface).
According to the company, this utilizes indoor localization technology and a dynamic adaption of both the display and control. This is achieved by three connected sockets, WiFi, and triangulation that tries to determine the Smart Remote’s location. At the moment the Smart Remote is compatible with other smart devices like Philips Hue lights, Sonos speakers, and the Nest Learning Thermostats.
That being said, we should point out that during CES, we were told that the remote control pictured in the video and photos is still a prototype unit. It is a fully functional prototype but it is not necessarily an indication of the final product. The company plans on starting pre-orders either during February or March with a price tag of under $200. This will include the Smart Remote itself and three connected sockets.
Filed in . Read more about CES, CES 2016, Connected Objects and IoT (Internet of Things).