Microsoft R&D project Digits unveiled, gesture-sensing for hands
Posted: 10.10.2012 13:04 by Simon Priest Comments: 1 Corporate
giant Microsoft's mad scientists are at it again. A Microsoft
Research team in Cambridge, UK is working on a project known as
Digits which is gesture-sensing as it monitors fingers (digits).
LEDs are mounted on a plastic wrist strap which face the palm
and use infrared light to accurately model the user's fingers,
and thereby track their movement to discern what gestures
they're making.  It would allow any gesture to be communicated
in real-time to any device and not be as 'limited' as Kinect's
approach to motion input. They seek to replace mouse and
keyboard.  A model of the user's hand is built that's "accurate
to within one hundredth of a centimetre," reports New Scientist.
The project came from wanting a more accurate than Kinect
motion-sensing that wouldn't be tied down to anyone device. "We
had to use technologies that are small and use less power," said
Digits project leader