Gadgets getting under your skin, or onto it at least.

How would you like to play Tetris? Yeah? How about you play it on your arm? Because that's exactly what researchers at Carnegie Mellon have allowed you to do.

The gadget is surprisingly simple, when you tap your arm, a little vibration is sent out all along your arm, and indeed, throughout the rest of your body. Researchers have developed an arm strap that picks up these vibrations and uses their various speeds and wavelengths (changed by bone density, muscles, etc) to pick up exactly where you tapped your arm, and then outputting that as a control signal.

For example, listening to your ipod? Don't like Hanna Montanna? Wish your sister would not put her crappy songs on there? Tap your index finger to change song. Or, if by some horrible happenstance you find yourself caught in her 'Party Mixtape Extravaganza', tap your pinky twice and your back to some nice, soothing Metallica. How's that for handy?
(I'm sorry, that was a horrible, horrible joke).

Now about playing Tetris, well the device also can be used in conjunction with a pico-projector (a tiny projector) that projects your game screen onto your arm, or alternatively, the controls of whatever your doing so you always hit the right button. Tap your middle finger to rotate that fiddly little block and watch it fall into place right on the palm of your hand.

While the gadget is still quite bulky, researchers suggest that it could end up the size of a watch, and could also incorporate all the gadgets of a phone including camera and microphone, with the screen and controls projected right onto your arm.


Source: Kotaku