

Microsoft's Digits hand-gesture sensor bracelet detailed - nekojima
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19884218

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nekojima
I'm somewhat surprised there wasn't a mention of how valuable this would be
for deaf users. For instance, they might be able to use it to synthesize voice
through hand commands to talk more easily with non-deaf people (those who
don't know sign-language).

If the device is made viable for gaming and mobile phone usage, there is the
potential for many other users to benefit as well with other applications of
the device.

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fjorder
In order to be useful, hand gestures are not something that should be tied to
a specific input device as they have been up until now. The goal should be for
a vocabulary of gestures to work consistently across all devices. e.g. You
should be able to adjust volume by turning an imaginary knob whether you're
working with a tablet and using this wrist-sensor, sitting at a desk with a
web-cam, or sitting on your couch in front of a Kinect sensor.

Microsoft is positioning itself to be the author of leading OS's running in
all of these environments, so they should build in gesture support that uses
any form of gesture capture available and possibly even pools all devices
available in a given instant to improve fidelity. e.g. These wrist devices are
unlikely to be perfect, nor are Kinect devices, but both of them working
together should be able to improve overall fidelity.

If Microsoft does this well enough, it may one day seem strange to think of a
computer that cannot "see" you. Perhaps that's a bit creepy...

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thomasfl
Bracelet senors must be better than glove senors for musicians. Got to think
of it, it must be better for everybody else.

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freehunter
I could see it being useful for guitar players who need to be able to feel the
strings, but at the same time I doubt the sensor would be able to see your
fingers. At least when I play, my wrist is directly behind the fretboard. This
sensor wouldn't see my fingers at all. It could see my pick hand though.

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sonnekki
Acrylic neck and fretboard with a really thin truss rod? It would probably
feel terrible, and the IR light might be distorted anyway.

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Sym3tri
[http://cdn2.holytaco.com/wp-
content/uploads/2011/09/powerglo...](http://cdn2.holytaco.com/wp-
content/uploads/2011/09/powerglove.jpg)

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lam
Quick poll: How much would you pay for such a device? $40? $60? $80? $100?

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nwmcsween
hmm why not measure either tendon pressure or electrical impulses, of course
it would need to be calibrated but it could be something the size of a watch
instead of this.

