Rob Kleiman

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Sony E-Ink Refines Control of the Home

What’s a remote control without buttons? Something like this

These days we have lots of remote controls. Of those remotes how many of those buttons actually get used? Wouldn’t it be great if there were a simple device that could work with devices smoothly? And because fumbling around with remotes is already complicated enough, the design of said object should be elegant and simple to reflect the problem it intends to solve. The HUIS REMOTE CONTROLLER is a remote control from Sony, which can control smart appliances in your home. But what makes it unique isn’t its ability to communicate with various devices throughout your home, but its screen — it uses electronic paper instead of buttons.

This universal remote with a novel display allows you to choose what buttons you want to surface on the home screen. Users can toggle between screens easily and navigate the phone through gestures and swipes.

The electronic paper dons a natural look and gives the object a refined style. The electronic paper display allows it to show the screen at all times without using any power. This makes it possible to access the buttons while it’s in a sleep state.

Sony sees a future in e-ink screen smart remotes. The vision behind HUIS, then, is to evolve the user interface of our homes and our lives, allowing us to focus on a simplicity that could help tame our relationship with the digital world.

HUIS REMOTE CONTROLLER

Originally published at www.psfk.com on February 19, 2016.