Universal remotes and television remotes haven’t changed much over the past few decades. Most of these remotes are rigid, can be used with one hand, and contain basic buttons. A new remote that has just been created by Japanese company Murata aims to change the way that we look at, use, and purchase remotes of all kinds.

The Murata Flexible Remote doesn’t have any buttons. This remote also requires the use of two hands. Lastly, the Murata Flexible Remote isn’t rigid – this remote bends in all kinds of different directions. Sound interesting? There’s more.

How the Murata Flexible Remote Works

Technically, the Murata Flexible Remove is made from many different piezoelectric films. These films detect motion quite accurately. When the remote is twisted in one direction or another, your television or entertainment system will turn on, off, or do anything else that you want it to do. Of course, a remote of this type must come with a set of instructions, and Murata has made sure that the flexible remove is easy to use.

Testers have found this remote to be especially responsive, which is one of the first things to look for in a remote of this type. If you still can’t conjure up a complete image of this remote, think about a licorice stick. You can bend the stick in many different directions while using both hands (if you were to grab the stick by both ends). This is precisely how the Murata remote works.

Design-Wise

Surprisingly, this remote is sleek and thin. Why surprisingly? Most new concepts tend to be bulky when first introduced, but this isn’t the case this time around. Instead, the Murata remote is every bit as design-friendly as you’d want it to be. The only complaint that some testers have had is that this remote requires the use of two hands.

Why is this a big deal? Consider those times when you’ve changed the channel by pressing one button with one finger. Now, think about the Murata remote which will require both hands and a solid grip. You can’t drink or eat while using this remote. This might not be such a big deal for some people, but for other people it’s a huge deal. Either way, the concept of a remote that can be bent and twisted in a million different directions is an exciting one – novelty, but exciting.

Availability

If you can’t wait to get both of your hands on a Murata Flexible Remote, you’ll have to wait a few months. This remote is set to debut at a few device shows in Japan over the next month. Following the remote’s debut, it will be available across the world (hopefully), but will likely begin with the Japanese market.

As far as pricing goes, there’s no word yet as to whether or not this remote will cost you a lot of coin. I imagine that an innovative remote of this sort will not be on the cheap side, but this may not be the case.