Much like the controllers for Facebook's Oculus virtual reality headsets , the new smart bracelets could offer a user interface for much more everyday functions. In fact, Facebook says it has been implementing several prototypes that could provide this experience in different situations.
One is the “Bellowband,” which the company says is “ a soft, lightweight wristband named for eight pneumatic bellows placed around the wrist. Air within the bellows can be controlled to generate pressure and vibration in complex patterns in space and time. This early research prototype helps us determine the types of haptic feedback that merit further exploration.”
Another prototype called “Tasbi” uses six vibrotactile actuators and a novel wrist compression mechanism.
With Bellowband and Tasbi, Facebook has tested a range of virtual interactions, learning whether people can detect differences in the stiffness of virtual buttons and even whether they can sense different textures when moving virtual objects.
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The use of biometric data
Of course, in addition to being surprising, the use of these digital bracelets will also involve the use of a large amount of data and biometric information from users, which is why Facebook points out that it has a “neuroethics program” in charge of examining the implications and privacy, security and protection of augmented reality and neural interface technology.
“ We believe people don’t need to choose between the virtual world and the real world. With smart wristband-based input, adaptive interfaces powered by context-aware AI, and haptic feedback, we can communicate with our devices in a wide range of ways, enabling us to connect more deeply and improve our lives,” Facebook said in its statement.
What is certain is that the future is catching up with us and technology that once belonged only to science fiction is slowly becoming reality.