Skintrack Makes Your Skin a Touch Interface

A research team at the Future Interfaces Group(www.figlab.com) , a Carnegie Mellon University(www.cmu.edu)  research lab, has released a  possible solution to some of the problems you face wearing smatchwatches, especially the small touch interface given to complete tasks that might require a little more space, by turning your skin into additional screen real estate.

The system works by using a signal-emitting ring worn on the finger of your opposite (non-watch) hand and a sensing band attached to the smartwatch. When the finger on the ring hand touches the skin, it sends a high-frequency signal that spans the width (and length) of your arm.  From there, the sensor just calculates the distances between itself and the finger with the ring.

The system also has the ability of continuous tracking, by providing the capacity to add gesture-based control, as well as the ability to sign your name to a document and even create hot key commands. Trace an “E” on your skin, for example, and it could possibly open your email inbox.

Furthermore, you are no longer just limited to the touchscreen of your watch to control apps. SkinTrack allows you to drag apps off the watch and on to your arm, thus creating a sort of de facto shortcut menu up and down your arm. Touch a specific spot, say the bend in the elbow, and you will open the app you have previously placed there.