Couch potatoes everywhere - get up and stand at attention. Robert Adler, the co-inventor of one of the most beloved and fought over pieces of technology known to modern man, has died. He was 93. While not really what he wanted to be remembered for, Adler probably knew there was no denying the impact of the lowly television remote control device, nor did he feel one twinge of guilt over his invention, which is universally blamed for enabling couch potatoes.

What other piece of consumer technology can top the remote for becoming a virtual, and for some, almost literal, extension of the human body? Don't talk to me about MPG players and headphones. I bet more people own TVs, and the remote has been around longer.

It also has the potential to be way more annoying. You know what I'm referring to - that incessant flipping of channels on the TV surf to nowhere. It's nauseating, and if you're a practitioner, I hope your fingers fall off. And of course, that's nothing compared to the all-out war that such surfing - and remote hogging - can trigger.

Yes, the remote may have brought instant gratification to TV viewing, but it has probably contributed just as much to familial strife!

According to the Associated Press, Adler contributed over 180 patents while working at Zenith Electronics Corp., and among other things, was considered a pioneer in surface acoustic waves, military and space technologies.

So next time you stretch out in the recliner or unfold yourself onto a couch, be sure to click one for Mr. Alder. And if you're curious about how remotes work, just continue surfing right on over to here.