Microsoft has revealed a wrist-mounted bracelet that can be used to control games, smartphones, TVs, and eventually an army of killer robots, via infra-red sensors that create an accurate 3D model of the user’s hand. Dubbed Digits, the technology uses infra-red sensors to build a “fully articulated hand skeleton”, which can then be represented in-game as your very own digital limb. When using it on smartphones, tablets or a TV, it’s more of an invisible, phantom limb, but it will obey your commands nonetheless.
According to David Kim, project leader at Microsoft Research in Cambridge – researchers at Newcastle University and the University of Crete were also involved in Digits’ creation – “The sensor doesn’t rely on external infrastructure, which means users are not bound to a fixed space. They can interact while moving from room to room or running down the street.” So if you’ve ever dreamed of playing a game while running to catch a bus, you’re in luck. You won’t be able to see the game – unless Digits teams up with Oculus Rift – but it’s a start.
Unlike Kinect, Digits doesn’t appear to be restricted to the Xbox, so we’ll likely get to play around with it on PC.
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