We're on the verge of turning into cyborgs at this point, thanks to a team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University who have created a new watch strap and ring technology called SkinTrack that will make your arm a touchpad when you're using your smartwatch. No, really.
How on Earth does it work? The ring lets your finger send electrical signals to your arm when you're wearing the watch, and the watch strap contains electrodes that can detect where your finger is moving with 99 percent accuracy. It works even if you're touching a sleeve rather than making direct contact with your skin. Check out this video for a quick demonstration:
The researchers envision the technology being integrated into smartwatches to make them easier to control.
"A major problem with smartwatches and other digital jewelry is that their screens are so tiny," said Gierad Laput, a Ph.D. student involved in the research.
Laput elaborated in an email to Complex: "With SkinTrack, we complement existing touch screens and expand their expressivity by using the area around the device for input. SkinTrack makes 'skin-to-screen' interactions possible. Our technique also detects near-skin hover, which adds another layer of functionality."
Clearly, long gone are the days when we could definitively say where we end and our gadgets begin. The line between man and machine just keeps getting thinner. The future is now, y'all.
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