In 2021, Samsung introduced the Eco Remote--a television controller that promised to do away with the need for disposable batteries. Instead, it had a bank of solar panels that topped off an internal battery using outdoor or indoor light.
This year, Samsung announced that its Eco Remote now includes radio frequency harvesting. A "rectenna" receives radio signals from your WiFi router and converts them to energy.
Charging via RF harvesting can be very slow because the amount of captured energy is not that much. However, TV remotes are a perfect application since they are low-power devices. Additionally, the Eco Remote still has solar and USB charging to use when needed.
Last year Samsung touted that the Eco Remote would eliminate the disposal of 99 million batteries over the average lifespan of its TVs (seven years). Furthermore, the remote is not a standalone item. The Korean tech giant said all 2022 Samsung televisions include an Eco Remote.
News Source: Techspot
