MYO Armband to Bring Gesture and Muscle-Recognition Control to Macs - GeekWebGuides
Skip to Content

MYO Armband to Bring Gesture and Muscle-Recognition Control to Macs

Thalmic Labs has announced a $149 armband called MYO that detects motion and muscle movements to allow control of a Mac, PC, or other device using gestures (via The Next Web).

myo
The demo video shows someone scrolling by waving two fingers in the air (mimicking the standard OS X trackpad gesture), snapping fingers to start iTunes playing, rotating a fist to increase the volume, holding up a hand in a 'stop' motion to pause a video, gesturing backwards to rewind a video and snapping fingers to play the video. The demo also illustrates a variety of other uses for the device, from delivering a presentation to controlling a remotely-operated vehicle.


Unlike Microsoft Kinect, no camera is required, but the armband approach means it will work only with gestures made with one hand rather than detecting whole-body movements.

Very cool and impressive. I hope this finds its way into our future soon - Steve Wozniak

MYO, which connects via Bluetooth, claims to work out of the box with Mac and Windows machines with APIs promised for iOS and Android developers.

The MYO is available to pre-order with limited quantities available for a late 2013 launch.

Popular Stories

M5 MacBook Pro

RIP, MacBook Ultra

Monday October 19, 2026 9:37 am PDT by
Apple today sent out invites for an experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, and the "Pro and tell" tagline on the invitation likely means that the rumored MacBook models with touch-enabled OLED displays will stick with MacBook Pro branding instead of the once-rumored "MacBook Ultra" name. The long-rumored "iPhone Ultra" ended up being named iPhone Duo, so speculation that Apple...
iPhone Duo Trio

Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo

Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:12 am PDT by
With just three days to go until the iPhone Duo is released, Apple is getting ready for the launch. Behind the scenes, the App Store now has screenshots of Apple's built-in apps running on the Duo. We've seen some apps in marketing materials, but images of the ones we haven't seen give us an idea of what it will be like using the iPhone Duo day to day. Many apps are shown in landscape...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Announcing New Products Next Week: 'Pro and Tell'

Monday October 19, 2026 9:05 am PDT by
Apple's Greg Joswiak today hinted at new product announcements coming next week, sharing a social media post that says "Can't wait to pro and tell next week." Rumors suggest Apple is planning to debut the new MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen display, an M6 entry-level MacBook Pro, an M6 iMac, an iPad mini with an OLED display. Can't wait to pro and tell next week....

Top Rated Comments

178 months ago
It's awesome, but I'm curious as to how it interprets intended motions vs. accidental input. The clip of the snowboarder is particularly humorous. The arms are flailing around but at some point it recognizes that a little flip of the wrist means "change track."

This is not an insurmountable technological hurdle, but I'd be curious to hear how the developers address it. It could be a deal breaker if every time I scratch my butt it shares my current status to Twitter.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
178 months ago
Warning: Viewing redtube with this device might cause your computer to explode.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ctdonath Avatar
178 months ago
Sheer raging awesomeness.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
powers74 Avatar
178 months ago
This tech would be great in prosthesis.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
achtung! Avatar
178 months ago
minority report, here we go! :P
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MonkeySee.... Avatar
178 months ago
That's some Jedi **** right there. :cool:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
Tesla App Gains iPad and iPhone Duo Support
2 hours ago
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
Apple Reportedly Boosts iPhone Duo Orders by 44%
3 hours ago
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
Fortnite Returning to Australian App Store After Court Ruling
3 hours ago
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
Apple Ordered to Open iPhone to Rival App Stores in Australia
3 hours ago
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
Apple Suppliers Face Hurdles Cutting Circuit Board Emissions
4 hours ago
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
Things Updated for iPhone Duo With Adaptive Layout
4 hours ago
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
Simplicity and Siri AI Are HomeView's Killer Features, Apple Says
5 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
iPhone Duo Reviewers Really Miss Face ID
10 hours ago
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
Does the iPhone Duo Run Hot? Here's What Reviews Found
11 hours ago
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
12 hours ago
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
12 hours ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
13 hours ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
14 hours ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
15 hours ago
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
15 hours ago
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
15 hours ago
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
16 hours ago
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
17 hours ago
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
18 hours ago
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
19 hours ago
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
19 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
19 hours ago
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
20 hours ago
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
1 day ago
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
1 day ago
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
1 day ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
1 day ago
UK Proposes New Ways to Help Apple Pay Rivals
UK Proposes New Ways to Help Apple Pay Rivals
1 day ago
WhatsApp Developing In-App Browser for All Chat Links on iPhone
WhatsApp Developing In-App Browser for All Chat Links on iPhone
1 day ago
Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games
Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games
1 day ago