Microsoft Patents EMG Motion Control Scheme

Even though Project Natal hasn't even been released yet, Microsoft is already shifting gears towards another video game control scheme that will promote motion sensor controls in future games. According to tech blog TechFlash, Microsoft has submitted two applications to the US Patent and Trademark Office regarding motion control schemes that will detect impulses from players' muscle movements.

 

The two patent applications recently proposed by Microsoft deal with electromyography (EMG), which is basically the study of a person's electrical impulses within the muscles. The first patent application is described as a "wearable electromyography-based controllers for human-computer interface" that could be "implemented as an armband, a wristwatch, eyeglasses, an article of clothing worn by the user (such as a shirt, gloves, shoes, pants, headband, etc." The second patent deals with the forearm's movements alone. Both were filed at March 2009 and June 2008, respectively.

 

Microsoft has actually released a video of the EMG motion control technology in action. It shows experiments that include jogging exercises, reading electrical impulses in the fingertips, and also demonstrating a person playing (Air) Guitar Hero II. This technology is also being supported by the University of Toronto and the University of Washington.

 

David Gabriel, NoobFeed