Gesture Detection Ring

Advances in wearable technology leverage the power of miniaturization, communication and information, enabling users to control their mobile electronic devices in new ways. One recent example is a prototype ring-type device that allows you to operate a computer without physically touching it.

The device is designed to be worn on the index finger and contains multiple motion sensors – including an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a magnetometer – the signals from which are input to a microprocessor to map the movements of the hand. Low energy Bluetooth communications technology transfers the information to a smartphone- or tablet-based app where the gestures are translated into letters, numbers, or menu selections with recognition accuracy of up to 95 percent. The battery-operated device also contains a near-field communications (NFC) tag reader.

The technology has important applications for both receiving and sending information in areas where operators need the use of their hands at all times, such as industrial maintenance, assembly operations and emergency medicine, particularly when used in conjunction with a head-mounted camera or other wearable device.