Interact with the digital world in a whole new way
Controllers and keyboards are standard tools in every gamer’s repertoire, but what if I told you that a high-tech armband could be the next step in control interface evolution? Built by Canadian start-up firm Thalmic Labs, the Myo allows the user to complete a multitude of tasks based on simple hand and arm movements. Electrodes within the device detect subtle muscle movements, allowing the user to do everything from fly real-life drones to command virtual objects.
“We really have this belief that technology can be used to enhance our abilities,” says Stephen Lake, co-founder of Thalmic Labs. “This is a way of using natural actions that we’ve evolved to intuitively control the digital world.”
Set to ship later this year, the first model will contain software that is compatible with Windows and Apple devices. Not to mention, this super cool gesture machine is expected to cost only $149. While game applications might be a bit far off, Myo’s creators envision its application as a means to interact with a variety of mediums: web browsers, remote-controlled craft, and games.
Check a video of the device in action:
Despite the infancy of gaming applications for the Myo, I can instantly see this gadget working really well with a game like Skyrim. What are your opinions of this apparatus?
Armband adds a twitch to gesture control [New Scientist]
