Needing to replace old batteries in your appliances with fresh ones can be a hassle.
However, you may be able to cross your TV remote off that list in the near future. A completely battery-free design from Google is working its way to the market, according to The Tech Buzz.
Google and supplier Ohsung Electronics designed the new G32 remote using a unique type of solar power from Epishine. Instead of drawing power from the sun, Epishine's solar cells only need the glow cast from standard indoor lighting fixtures. The remote can be tossed any which way and still charge, thanks to a panel on both the front and back.
"By powering the remote with ambient indoor light instead of disposable batteries, it never runs out of power," a press release from Epishine stated.
The ability to keep a device running indefinitely could mark the end of buying spare batteries for the junk drawer. Not only that, it means throwing away fewer batteries and adding less pollution to landfills. That's a win for your finances and the planet's health at once.
The G32 remote is a reference design. Google itself is not yet selling it, but other manufacturers can take the design and put it into products. The same thing happened with the company's earlier G10/G20 reference designs, which were used in Walmart's Onn devices, according to 9to5Google.
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Other companies, including Samsung, sell similar solar remotes. But Google's move to put the technology in its reference designs makes it more accessible and distributable, The Tech Buzz explained.
It may take some time, but this money-saving, less wasteful design could soon become a household staple. Like what you see? You can take further advantage of solar's benefits by looking for other sun-powered appliances and making the switch to solar for your home's energy.
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