Forget Touchscreens, The Future’s Going To Be Skinput

Imagine a world where you could click your fingers and you could instantly make a phone call home.

The concept is like something out of a movie yet researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Microsoft have developed a device that can turn your skin into a touch screen and use your arm as an input device.

Appropriately named Skinput (Skin Input), the device is set to detect different sound wavelengths generated when an arm or a hand is tapped, allowing the wearer to complete a function like sending a text message or making a phone call.

To use Skinput, a sophisticated armband is attached to the upper arm, around the bicep area, that will listen for any sound waves moving up or down the arm. A pico projector is then attached to the wearers shoulder, turning the arm into a body display, completing the device. The sound waves can be associated with a function displayed by the projector, opening the possibility of interacting with a mobile device or personal computer via radio technologies like Bluetooth.

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Skinput has an accuracy of 95% when detecting taps on a users arm and can be used when the body is in motion.

The technology could be used to take gaming to a new level, allow the disabled or visually impaired to interact with devices just by tapping their forearm, the possibilities of this device could be endless.

[Source – CNET]