From smart watches to smart rings, the endless wave of wearable gadgets continues to wash ashore some pretty intriguing ideas. Fin, a thumb ring designed to enable hand gesture control of smart devices, aims to not only offer improved connectivity, but to alter the way we interact with our favorite gadgets.
Fin wraps around your thumb and packs built-in sensors that allow it to track its movement in relation to your palm. In addition, it can also distinguish between each segment of your fingers and convert your palm into a numerical keypad. Gestures are then translated into commands for various devices that are transmitted via Bluetooth 4.0.
The potential applications of the device are many and varied. Examples provided by the company include adjusting the volume or changing channels on a Smart TV by swiping your thumb in a particular direction, acting as a game controller, or controlling your smartphone while driving.
With iOS, Android and Windows phone compatibility, the company is releasing an SDK (Software Development Kit) in the hopes of providing a foundation for developers to explore their own ideas for how Fin could be used.
The ring sports an LED indicator and runs on a lithium-iron battery that can be recharged through a Micro-USB port, with each charge providing a month of use, according to the company. It also claims the ring is dust proof and waterproof, with a rating of IP67.
The company has developed a second prototype and has turned to Indiegogo to crowdfund the remainder of its testing, finalize the design and get Fin into commercial production. Pledges of US$130 are available, which include the final version of Fin with an official T-shirt. The ring will come in white, orange, black, blue and green, with shipping estimated for September, if all goes well.
You can hear more about the thinking behind Fin in the video below.
Source: Fin