Microsoft Digits tracks your hand in real-time

Microsoft Research in Cambridge, UK has unveiled its wrist-mounted Digits sensor, which will allow users to control PCs, consoles, and televisions. The project also had help from researchers at Newcastle University and the University of Crete. Microsoft told Edge Online that the sensor bracelet includes infrared to detect and model that user's hand in real-time.

"The Digits sensor doesn't rely on external infrastructure which means users are not bound to a fixed space," project leader David Kim told Edge. "They can interact while moving from room to room or running down the street."

"Ultimately we would like to reduce Digits to the size of a watch that can be worn all the time. We want users to be able to interact spontaneously with their electronic devices using simple gestures and not even have to reach for their devices."

Digits was built using off-the-shelf products, with a possible retail model providing greater accuracy. Currently, Digits has problems with certain gestures like crossed fingers, but it can recognize others like twisting dials with pinched fingers and typing on a virtual number pad. Perhaps one day Digits can solve some of the problems present in Microsoft's Kinect sensor?