Deus Ex has come up with a solution to one of the biggest drawbacks of wrist-adorned gadgetry: having to use both hands.
As if handheld computers and wrist-adorned gadgets weren’t enough in today’s tech-savvy world, a new smartwatch accessory wants to make controlling a wearable device as simple as moving a finger. In what would appear to be some sort of Harry Potter wizardry at work, Aria employs a layer of sensors to enable users to perform on-screen functions without ever having to physically touch the gadget.
More times than not, people’s hands are constantly full of things whether it’s a caregiver with a child, a housewife preparing dinner or an engineer hard at work. In any case, what if accessing a step count, checking a recipe, or playing a song was as easy one tap of the index finger? Capable of exactly that, a wearer slaps Aria around their wrist, calibrates it and then uses it to scroll through menus, launch apps and answer calls.
Aria is compatible with a wide range of watches including Pebble Time, Samsung Gear Live, Sony Smartwatch 3, LG G Watch R and Urbane, Motorola Moto 360, Asus ZenWatch, as well as any other Android Wear device. What’s more, users can customize their gesture controls for various functions, like scrolling down a menu with a ring finger or flicking a thumb to read an email.
The brainchild of London-based startup Deus Ex, the hands-free remote is comprised of a water-resistant silicone material that attaches to the underside of the watch and is held snug against the person’s wrist. This allows it to sense and analyze distinct tendon movements.
For its Kickstarter launch, Deus Ex has made Aria available in two different models: a clip for Android Wear and a smartstrap for Pebble TIme, both of which feature varying connectivity options. The clip is Bluetooth Low Energy compatible, meaning that it should sync with countless electronics ranging from drones to action cameras. Meanwhile, the smartstrap communicates via a serial interface. Plus, the startup has revealed that it will be releasing an SDK for developers who want to explore their creativity and design apps of their own.
“Our focus is giving the best support and the best tools to the developer community. There are still thousands of applications and use cases for Aria that we want to empower you, the developer, to discover and exploit them all,” the team writes.
Interested? Head over to Aria’s official Kickstarter page, where Deus Ex is currently seeking $100,000. Shipment is expected to get underway in June 2016.
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