New technology from Microsoft tracks the movement of fingers, allowing users to interact with extreme precision.
Microsoft's latest 3D interaction device is a little sensor worn on your wrist. There's no glove, but it tracks your fingers' movements with extreme precision, allowing you to interact through gestures, sign language, and other motions as delicate as a pinch.
This is pretty cool, and one can see how - once they get the sensor itself a bit smaller - Digits could be used in all kinds of applications, from gaming to mobile computing to controlling every day household items or allowing disabled people to better interact with technology.
Here's the demonstration video:
One could go on and on thinking about how this sort of device could be used - from swordfighting games like CLANG to allowing a full-fledged virtual keyboard anywhere, making typing on mobile phones much, much simpler.
The list goes on and on.
Once you combine Digits with Microsoft's 3D projection technology - tech that could transform entire rooms into 3D environments - you can see how virtual reality gaming could be just around the corner, especially when you start figuring in the various computer-goggles and glasses that are in the works.
More importantly, you can begin to scratch the surface of what this might mean for medical technology, education, and any number of other non-gaming uses.
Wearable computing is the big buzz phrase that Valve's Gabe Newell has been touting lately, and he's mentioned this sort of wrist band in past talks. I think he's on to something.
Though I will say this: however cool all this stuff sounds, when it comes to games sometimes it's not about approaching virtual reality or total realism or fancy gadgets. Sometimes it's just about building really good games, whatever type of controller you happen to use.
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