Isilawuli kude iyidivayisi yokudlulisa okungenantambo esebenzisa ubuchwepheshe besimanje bombhalo wekhodi wedijithali ukufaka ikhodi yolwazi lwenkinobho, futhi ikhipha amaza okukhanya nge-infrared diode.Amaza okukhanya aguqulwa abe amasiginali kagesi yisamukeli se-infrared sowamukelayo, futhi aqoshwe iphrosesa ukuze akhiphe imiyalo ehambisanayo ukuze kuzuzwe izidingo zokusebenza ezidingekayo zokulawula amadivayisi afana namabhokisi abekwe phezulu.

Akuqinisekwa ukuthi ubani owasungula isilawuli kude sokuqala, kodwa esinye sezilawuli kude zakuqala sasungulwa umsunguli ogama lakhe lingu-Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) owayesebenzela u-Edison futhi wayaziwa nangokuthi umsunguli onobuhlakani ngo-1898 (i-US Patent No. 613809) ), ebizwa ngokuthi “Indlela Nezisetshenziswa Zokulawula Indlela Yokuthutha Imoto noma Izimoto”.

Isilawuli kude sakuqala esasetshenziswa ukulawula umabonakude kwakuyinkampani kagesi yaseMelika ebizwa ngokuthi i-Zenith (manje etholwe ngabakwa-LG), eyasungulwa ngeminyaka yawo-1950 futhi yaqale yafakwa izintambo.Ngo-1955, inkampani yakha idivayisi yokulawula okude engenantambo ebizwa ngokuthi "Flashmatic", kodwa le divayisi ayikwazi ukuhlukanisa ukuthi i-beam yokukhanya ivela ku-remote control, futhi idinga ukuvumelanisa ukuze ilawulwe.Ngo-1956, u-Robert Adler wenza isilawuli kude esibizwa ngokuthi “iZenith Space Command”, okwakuphinde kube yidivayisi yokuqala yesimanje yokulawula okukude engenantambo.Wasebenzisa i-ultrasound ukuze alungise iziteshi nevolumu, futhi inkinobho ngayinye yayikhipha imvamisa ehlukile.Nokho, le divayisi ingase futhi iphazanyiswe i-ultrasound evamile, futhi abanye abantu nezilwane (njengezinja) bangezwa umsindo okhishwa isilawuli kude.

Ngawo-1980, lapho kwakhiwa amadivaysi e-semiconductor okuthumela nokwamukela imisebe ye-infrared, kancane kancane ashintsha amadivaysi okulawula ama-ultrasonic.Noma ezinye izindlela zokudlulisa okungenantambo njenge-Bluetooth zisaqhubeka nokuthuthukiswa, lobu buchwepheshe busaqhubeka busetshenziswa kabanzi kuze kube manje.