Meta and Carnegie Mellon University are developing a wristband that allows users to control a computer with hand movements and even “write in the air.” The device is based on surface electromyography (sEMG), which reads electrical signals from muscles directly from the skin. The device is able to recognize the action before it’s performed and immediately transmit the command.
The technology is especially promising for people with limited mobility. According to Professor Douglas Weber, even in cases of complete paralysis, muscular signals are still present that the wristband can “hear.” This makes the device a more accessible alternative to surgical implants and less accurate than EEG headsets.
Meta’s wristband does not require operations and works right after it is put on. The device’s potential goes beyond medical applications. In the future, such wristbands could be used by everyone who needs to free up their hands—designers, engineers, and teachers. Perhaps we are heading toward a new era of human-computer interaction, where the body is the primary input device.
