Within the same room, it is possible to use a frequency of light that will reflect off of almost anything. I just got a window AC unit with a remote that defies physics. Like I can have a desk, and closed plantation shutters (slats and doors) in front of the receiver on the front of the unit, point the remote anywhere in the wrong direction and still activate the thing. It’s just an IR LED transmitter setup. I’ve never seen one that is quite this powerful. It is uber cheapo general electric bottom of the consumer grade junk category too.
This is the NSA’s wet dream tech. Anyone with line of sight could intercept the data stream.