MS demos muscle-controlled games

By Robert Purchese Published 4 January, 2010

Forearm band realises air guitar.

Boffins at Microsoft have worked out a way to control games using the muscle movements in your forearm.

These are read by a thin armband concealed under a jumper or shirt that is always on, allowing seamless interaction with games consoles, iPods and, er, car boots.

Demoed on Microsoft's Research site (spotted by Engadget), the device reads EMG (electromyographic) signals from muscles and maps them to familiar movements - pressing a finger to a thumb - to replicate routine functions or commands.

One lab-rat strummed away happily to Guitar Hero without any plastic peripheral, twanging air while using fingers pressed against thumb to work the fret. We also saw a jogger using hand gestures rather than buttons to change songs, and a man clench the handle of a baby carrier to open a car boot.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • telboy007 #1 2 years ago

    Wanking simulator can't be too far away, yippee!

    Edit: On a less childish note, is this to work with/without Natal?
    Edited by 1 at 04/01/10 @ 16:26

  • Murton #2 2 years ago

    seamless interaction with games consoles, iPods and, er, car boots.

    While I have always been slightly annoyed by the fact that the term "iPod" has become synonymous with the term MP3 player despite their not being the first or the best MP3s on the market I'm sure MS will be upset to see Apple products getting name-dropped in relation to their patents.

    On the subject of this technology though, there's nothing wrong with the way we do things now, with real buttons and everything, not saying the technology isn't interesting but I question how useful it will be in the real world.

  • Dark_Stranger #3 2 years ago

    are you sure that the video isnt a Dharma Initiative video narrated by Dr. Pierre Chang.

    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=EYJf5rZQgb0
    Edited by 1 at 04/01/10 @ 16:27

  • KayJay #4 2 years ago

    Very clever, interesting & exciting.

  • RexRunti #5 2 years ago

    On the subject of this technology though, there's nothing wrong with the way we do things now, with real buttons and everything, not saying the technology isn't interesting but I question how useful it will be in the real world.

    Unless your missing a hand/thumb/forefinger. There are currently very few (if any) controllers that can be used by people with non perfect limbs.

  • FogHeart #6 2 years ago

    I've complained that Natal isn't capable of picking up small finger or hand movements, so pulling triggers or pressing buttons isn't possible. I guess this product is intended to complement Natal in this way. OK - but I wonder how quickly you can put it on/take it off though, or transfer it to another player. If it's just a matter of fitting it like a sleeve with no calibration needed, that's quite a technological feat. Like all the new means of control that's coming up, we just have to wait and see it used by gamers before we can make any kind of conclusion.

  • penhalion #7 2 years ago

    The point of the device is to allow for additional methods of data input. The uses given in the video are merely examples and not representative of what can or can't be done with muscle controls. You can have a sensor band aound your foot for instance and then merely push your foot down or raise it to accelerate a car or apply the brakes. Jogging on the spot to run in a fitness sim etc. etc. Remotely control a rover on mars using gestures.

    Just because this is microsoft doesn't in any way suggest that this tech is targetted at gaming.

    Edit: Yes I know the EG title suggests this is for gaming but, the actual microsoft research video suggest no such thing. It's simply a nonsense article title with the use implied (wrongly I might add) by the EG staff writer.
    Edited by 1 at 04/01/10 @ 16:48

  • JediMasterMalik #8 2 years ago

    Just a modification of biofeedback which has been used for ages, but a good idea none the less.

    Certainly has the potential to be used for physical rehab, if nothing but to make the process a bit more interesting. Wii got there first for that though, Microsoft.

  • Jesterrr #9 2 years ago

    @ Murton how many games do you think are restricted by the input peripherals the platform dictates? I'm certain that many great games got canned or down-scaled because they required the user have a toy gun, guitar, light-saber, umbrella, socket wrench or racing pigeon. I can't think of much that's more versatile than ones own ability to make gestures to simulate these things. I suspect that's where M$ are going with this.

  • bobmar360 #10 2 years ago

    They won't worry about Apple products being mentioned, they provide support for iPod connection on the xbox already and have done for ages

  • Zomoniac #11 2 years ago

    Is that Johnny Chung Lee narrating? He's not listed as being on the team, but I'm certain that's him. Nobody else does such a good Kermit impression.

  • Murton #12 2 years ago

    Jesterr: if you read my post again you'll notice that I didn't mention gaming but rather interfaces in general. While I can see this being great for people who can't use conventional controls for whatever reason I just don't see it replacing regular interfaces in the majority of the population.

    Interesting tech though and it's still early days, I'm sure as MS develops this further we'll see more and more suggestions for how it can be used.

  • jonsaan #13 2 years ago

    Oh God. The gaming world is sailing off into the distance for me..

  • 3william56 #14 2 years ago

    Whilst gaming for disabled folks is laudable, I can't imagine MS sees a profitable market there.
    Penhalion - when Natal can apparently sense a waggled foot already, what use is this? Pulling a steering wheel and accellerator pedal, or guitar out of the cubboard is a heck of a lot more convenient than strapping on EEG straps all over, so it loses both ways.

    I suspect this is general research and proof of concept stuff, not anything intended for us any time soon. At best, a twitch / gesture system built into clothes for phones and ipods. Because otherwise, MS's apparent drive to controller-less gaming would be a worry. Buttons and sticks FTW.

  • TonyCocaCola #15 2 years ago

    @RexRunti

    Iv never thought about it like that before, good comment.