This new reference design Google TV remote charges itself using only indoor light

There are few things more annoying in the modern living room than sitting down to watch a movie, grabbing the remote, and realizing the batteries are dead. You do the “battery roll,” maybe swap them around, or frantically dig through a drawer looking for a fresh pair of AAAs.

Well, a new Google TV remote design wants to make that problem a thing of the past. According to a press release from Epishine (via 9to5 Google) , Google partner Ohsung Electronics has revealed a new reference design for a Google TV remote that claims it “never runs out of power.”

Indoor Solar Power

The new remote, model G32, ditches traditional disposable batteries in favor of a special indoor solar cell developed by a company called Epishine.

Unlike those old solar calculators that needed direct sun, this tech is designed to harvest energy from ambient indoor light. That means just having the remote sitting on your coffee table with the lights on is enough to keep it juiced up. As Epishine explains:

“By powering the remote with ambient indoor light instead of disposable batteries, it never runs out of power. The collaboration marks a shift towards more sustainable product design and smarter energy solutions.”

A familiar look

If you’ve used a Walmart Onn streaming box or any other generic Google TV device lately, you know the G10 reference remote. This new solar G32 model appears to keep that same beloved form factor (unlike previous bulky attempts at solar remotes) but adds the solar panel to the mix. It also features the standard Google TV button layout, including the mandated Free TV button we’ve seen popping up recently.

When can you get one?

The bad news is you can’t buy this right this second. This is a reference design, which means it’s a template that manufacturers (like Walmart, Mecool, or others) can choose to bundle with their future streaming devices.

However, since the previous G10 and G20 designs became the industry standard for almost every Google TV box out there, there’s a very good chance the next streaming device you buy could come with a remote that you never have to feed batteries to again.