Meta’s experimental neural wristband could let you type simply by thinking

First showcased in 2021, the neural wristband may soon be ready for the market.

With this device, Zuckerberg envisions a future of real-time communication in private. (Express Image)

With this device, Zuckerberg envisions a future of real-time communication in private. (Meta, Express composite Image)

Companies are finding newer ways to engage with users with wearable tech. At a time when Apple’s Vision Pro is making headway in what the company calls “spatial computing,” Meta seems to be working on a wristband which has neural-machine interfacing. This is a device that tracks your hand and finger movements by detecting neural signals passing through the nerves in your arm.

It uses a non-invasive technique known as electromyography (EMG). Basically, a wristband controller will let you type by just thinking. This is not simply a fancy device to help you move a mouse or game controller. Meta seems to have a grand vision for this technology. However, more details are awaited about the company’s vision.

Interestingly, this is not a recent development. Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta showcased it as an experimental prototype in 2021. Zuckerberg, in his recent interview with the Morning Brew Daily podcast, said that he is working on bringing this technology to consumers. “We’ve been working on this for a while, it’s not a one-year project. But we’re quite a few years into it, and we’re close to having something, to having a product in the next few years,” he was heard saying during the interaction.

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This is in contrast to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which requires chips to be implanted into the brain. In his interview, Zuckerberg indicated that the human nervous system has several spare bandwidths which can use its signalling to send control inputs without making any significant physical motions.

Why is it important?

The neural wristband from Meta will likely revolutionise AR/VR as this experimental control will soon become a real product allowing users to type by simply thinking. All of this without any invasive brain implants. The device uses EMG to guide electrical signals from the brain to the fingers enabling finger tracking and control.

Reportedly, Zuckerberg envisions a future where users can communicate in real-time through a private and discrete interface by simply thinking or with minimal hand movements. This could potentially revolutionise human-computer interaction by offering a private and efficient input method for AR glasses and other devices.

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