Meta has unveiled an AI-powered wristband that allows users to control computers using only hand gestures.
On Wednesday, Meta published a study in the journal Nature detailing its research on surface electromyography (sEMG) technology, which detects electrical signals from muscles to control digital devices.
This innovation harnesses the electrical signals generated by alpha motor neurons, which activate muscles in response to commands from the brain or spinal cord.
The wristband uses 16 gold-plated electrodes to capture subtle electrical signals from muscle contractions at a 2 kHz sampling rate.
Meta reports that it has developed a universal decoding model using data from over 6,500 participants, making the device immediately usable for anyone who wears it.
Research shows gesture recognition accuracy above 90%, a major technological breakthrough.
Thomas Reardon, Vice President of Meta Reality Labs, explained that the system focuses on intention rather than actual movement and can detect signals even before a finger moves.
At the Meta Connect 2024 developer conference last September, CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated the wristband controlling smart glasses.
Meta’s approach differs from its competitors. Unlike Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which uses invasive brain implants, Meta’s wristband is non-invasive yet capable of processing high-bandwidth signals.
Reardon announced that Meta plans to incorporate this technology into products within the next few years.
Apple has been filing patents for a similar EMG-based smart band since 2021, signaling intensifying competition in this field.
Apple’s patents describe devices capable of detecting EMG signals generated by muscle contractions and by the movement of muscles and tendons in the forearm and wrist.
An industry insider commented that Meta’s technology, when combined with Orion AR glasses, could revolutionize the user experience by integrating voice, gaze tracking, and hand tracking with EMG technology. The insider added that this innovation is likely to have a positive impact on the AR ecosystem.
