We have certainly seen how technology has come a long way in helping change the way we interact with devices. Take the mobile phone for example – what was originally a small display with alphanumeric, physical keys have translated to a full touchscreen display without any physical keyboard in sight. The rules of interaction have definitely changed, and Microsoft believes a future that sees folks twitch their fingers or arms in order to control a computer, game console or mobile device.
Hmmm, it does sound somewhat like an extension of the Kinect family, don’t you think so? Recently, Microsoft did apply for a patent on electromyography (EMG) controlled computing that points towards a future smart wristwatch or armband which is capable of detecting one’s user’s muscle movements, interpreting them as gestures or commands. Known as the “Wearable Electromyography-Based Controller”, it can also function alongside a network of small sensors that are attached to the body, where they will all communicate sans wires over central hub.
It will normally take patents years to approve, so this would most likely mean Microsoft will take a fair number of years before such a vision can be realized. It does open up a whole new world of possibilities though, where using a computer gets more and more accessible to the masses, not to mention easier instead of keying in commands at a prompt.