Meet SkinTrack
Smartwatches are cool tech with new and new models being offered by big giants including Apple, Samsung, Garmin and more. But, a common issue faced by all these smartwatches is the small screen size. The functionality of a tiny touchscreen remains a complaint by the smartwatch owners. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have come up with a clever way to make the most of a smartwatch screen. They have found a solution that turn the user’s entire arm into the trackpad. Yes, you heard it right! Called as SkinTrack and developed by Human-Computer Interaction Institute’s Future Interfaces Group, it allows you to use your arm as an additional smartwatch interface.
How does it work?
The researchers have created two wearable pieces of hardware to communicate with each other to allow your skin to act as an additional screen. The SkinTrack involves a ring that emits high-frequency signals to treat your arm like a touch interface. The smartwatch includes four sensors: two in the band and two placed along the watch face. These are capable of tracking finger’s movement along the space of user’s arm. These sensors coordinate with a ring worn on the opposite hand. The ring generates an electric signal when you touch your arm on which smartwatch is worn. The electrodes track your finger movements and thus, your arm becomes a touchpad. Amazing!
What can it do?
There’s a ton of cool stuff that you can do using the whole arm as the touch interface. Apps can be dragged off the watch screen and placed on the arm. Hotkeys can also be accessed by drawing letter like “A” to access your address book. One can also play a game of Angry Birds on the wrist. Have a look at the video and the possibilities seem endless.
Issues being faced
Researchers are working on powering the ring and changing signal owing to sweat and constant motion. They are trying to figure out that. They also said that there will be no harm from the radio signal used. “As our approach is compact, non-invasive, low-cost, and low-powered, we envision the technology being integrated into future smartwatches, supporting rich touch interactions beyond the confines of the small touchscreen,” they wrote on YouTube.
Closing Words
SkinTrack is a beautiful concept to improve input on small wearable displays. When it comes out of the lab and into production, it could be a very welcoming feature in the arena of smartwatches.
What are your initial thoughts about SkinTrack? Let us know in the comments!
