The click-wheel was pretty cool. And having a small extension on your headphones to flip between iPod tracks worked out nicely.
But life isn’t complete until clenching your teeth controls the music you’re listening to.
According to Yahoo News, Japanese researchers have developed a head gear system that uses a combination of infrared sensors and a microcomputer that lets the user choose iPod tracks by clenching their teeth. Once in place, the computer can interpret actions such as clenching one’s teeth for a second as a track selection, differentiating it from chewing or talking and work from there.
The development team, which is based out of state-run Osaka University, has stated that it hopes to put the device to commercial use and believes it can eventually be adapted to run cell phones, wheelchairs and other products. The device would allow for a completely hands-free system as well as allow disabled users access to a wider range of technologies.
Other possible uses for the device could include a click interface, such as users clenching their teeth to switch move between pages on a PowerPoint document.
No details have been provided as to when the device could come to market.
Cool idea and it’d be interesting to see this in action. If you have any ideas or feedback, let us know in the comments or forums.
The click-wheel was pretty cool. And having a small extension on your headphones to flip between iPod tracks worked out nicely.
But life isn’t complete until clenching your teeth controls the music you’re listening to.
According to Yahoo News, Japanese researchers have developed a head gear system that uses a combination of infrared sensors and a microcomputer that lets the user choose iPod tracks by clenching their teeth. Once in place, the computer can interpret actions such as clenching one’s teeth for a second as a track selection, differentiating it from chewing or talking and work from there.
The development team, which is based out of state-run Osaka University, has stated that it hopes to put the device to commercial use and believes it can eventually be adapted to run cell phones, wheelchairs and other products. The device would allow for a completely hands-free system as well as allow disabled users access to a wider range of technologies.
Other possible uses for the device could include a click interface, such as users clenching their teeth to switch move between pages on a PowerPoint document.
No details have been provided as to when the device could come to market.
Cool idea and it’d be interesting to see this in action. If you have any ideas or feedback, let us know in the comments or forums.