Northwestern University engineers are investigating new ways to tell what the hands are doing — including peering beneath the skin to watch muscles and tendons move. The new methods don’t use high-tech cameras, medical scans or advanced imaging techniques. Instead, they use a common smartwatch.
In one project, engineers designed a new smartwatch system to glean activities from the arm and hands. In another, electrodes built into the back of a watch can track more subtle hand movements and gestures, such as a thumbs up or clenched fist.