As we’ve written about here many times before, wearable Health Tech devices pose a new set of challenges when it comes to user interface controls. The small (or even invisible) devices are not well suited for the traditional computer controls of keyboard, touch pad, or mouse. Developers are working on a variety of alternative solutions, including speech recognition, eye tracking, and even thought-controlled brain-machine interactions.
One popular avenue of exploration is the use of a gesture-based interface. One company working on technology to make this practical is Rithmio. This is a software-only company, developing algorithms designed to work with any wearable device that can track motion, from a fitness band to a smartwatch, or even your smartphone. The software is designed to learn repeated motions, and then filter the other noise from the signal to identify when that particular motion is being performed. Initially, the company targeted fitness applications, so that a wearable could more accurately track an individual’s exercise workout. The same software can identify large or small motions, however, so it could be used as a component of a gesture control interface.
The company is device agnostic, and its software is designed to be embedded in a processor chip, incorporated into a platform such as a smartphone operating system, or built into an application. Rithmio has an SDK available for developers who are interested in learning more about what it can do.
