Alat kawalan jauh pertama yang dibangunkan untuk televisyen adalah model "Lazy Bones" dari syarikat Zenith Radio Corporation tahun 1950 yang dihubungkan melalui suatu wayar sambungan tunggal dalam suatu jarak.<ref name="metv.com">{{cite web|url=https[http://www.metv.com/stories/a-history-of-the-television-remote-control-as-told-through-its-advertising|title=A history of the TV remote control as told through its advertising|website=Me-TV Network|access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref>hapus]
Alat kawalan tanpa wayar pertama dikembangkan [[Eugene Polley]] melalui model "Flashmatic"<ref name="metv.com" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zenith.com/remote-background/|title=Remote Background - Zenith Electronics|website=zenith.com|access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref> tahun 1955; model ini berfungsi melalui pemancaran [[cahaya]] yang perlu dibidik tepat kepada empat [[sel fotovolta]] yang boleh mengaktifkan [[penala]] menukar satu saluran ke satu saluran lain serta menaikkan atau menurunkan kelantangan bunyi alat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/pictures/remembering-eugene-polley-and-his-flash-matic-remote-photos/|title=Remembering Eugene Polley and his Flash-Matic remote (photos)|last=Martin|first=James|date=23 Mei 2012|website=CNet|url-status=live|access-date=17 Ogos 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zenith.com/sub_about/about_remote.html|title=Five Decades of Channel Surfing: History of the TV Remote Control|website=Zenith|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116212531/http://www.zenith.com/sub_about/about_remote.html|archive-date=16 Januari 2008|access-date=3 Disember 2008}}</ref><ref name="theregister.co.uk">{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/23/remote_control_inventor_eugene_polley/|title=Wireless remote control inventor zaps out at 96|last=Walsh|first=Lawrence|date=23 Mei 2012|website=The Register|url-status=live|access-date=17 Ogos 2018}}</ref>
