Undoubtedly, one of my favorite scenes in a movie, on a purely child-like fun level, is in The Minority Report when Tom Cruise’s character John Anderton manipulates a massive glass computer-type screen with his hands, pinching and gesturing to shift around data. Of all the imaginary and realized modern technologies, this gesture-computer thing would be the one for which I wish. Maybe, it is a very real possibility that such a technology will exist in my lifetime for the average consumer.
Myo, from Thalmic Labs, is an armband that allows you to control everything from a portable drone to your iPad all by maneuvering your arm and hand in certain ways. Using the electrical activity in your muscles, Myo responds and manipulates iTunes, playing, pausing, and stopping as you thrust your hand up, or piloting a remote-controlled helicopter by waving your arm back and forth. In the workplace and classroom, Myo can enhance your presentations, freeing you from everything but the attention of your students or colleagues.
Designed simply, Myo is a black, sectioned armband with the Thalmic Labs log at the center of the device that fits over your arm without much extra bulk. With its API open for developers, Myo will probably be more powerful by the day, and my dream of waving my arm around, pushing digital bits back and forth will be ever closer.
share with friends