'Remote' is Latin for 'moved back' — from 'removere,' kin to 'motion' and 'motor,' not to 'transmit.'
Far away in distance, time, or relation; situated far from the main centers of population; having very little connection or relevance.
From Latin remotus, past participle of removere (to move back, to withdraw), from re- (back, again) + movere (to move). The PIE root underlying movere is debated but most connect it to *mewe- or *mew- (to push away, to move). Something remote has been moved back, placed at a distance from the centre. The word entered English
The 'remote control' was invented in 1955 by Zenith engineer Eugene Polley, who called it the 'Flash-Matic.' It used a directional flashlight to activate photocells on the TV. The earlier wired 'Lazy Bones' remote (1950) had a cable people kept tripping over — proof that the desire for remoteness from one's television was strong enough to drive innovation.