<p> A new technology can enable smartwatches to automatically recognise what objects users are touching like laptop, riding a motorcycle or creating new opportunities for context-aware apps.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Developed by Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Research, the technique called 'EM-Sense' takes advantage of the body's natural electrical conductivity to detect whether a person is touching an electrical or electromechanical device.<br /><br />It is based on the distinctive electromagnetic noise emitted by such devices and automatically identifies the object.<br /><br />"This could be a great feature for smartwatches, making them much smarter than before," said Gierad Laput, PhD student in Carnegie Mellon's Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII).<br /><br />A smartwatch equipped with EM-Sense would have a much more detailed understanding of what the user is doing than is possible with common mobile sensors, such as accelerometers or pulse monitors.<br /><br />The smartwatch, therefore, could automatically start a timer when the wearer begins using an electric toothbrush, unlock a keyboard without a password when users touch their laptops, or play the latest news when breakfast is being prepared.<br /><br />Linking a smartwatch with a smartphone or other mobile device would expand the possibilities even further.<br /><br />"We are now able to gain a greater contextual understanding of user activities by recognising what objects they are interacting with," added Alanson Sample, research scientist at Disney Research.<br /><br />EM-Sense is able to differentiate between scores of objects based on the ambient electromagnetic noise they emit.<br /><br />The human body serves as an antenna for EM-Sense.<br />From any body part an object touches, its distinctive electromagnetic emissions propagate through the body to an electrode worn at the wrist.<br /><br />Kitchen appliances, power tools, electronic scales and door handles with electrically triggered locks are among the items that can be detected and identified.<br />It's even possible to differentiate between different models of cell phones.<br /><br />The researchers discussed the technology at 'UIST 2015', the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in Charlotte, North Carolina.<br /></p>
<p> A new technology can enable smartwatches to automatically recognise what objects users are touching like laptop, riding a motorcycle or creating new opportunities for context-aware apps.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Developed by Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Research, the technique called 'EM-Sense' takes advantage of the body's natural electrical conductivity to detect whether a person is touching an electrical or electromechanical device.<br /><br />It is based on the distinctive electromagnetic noise emitted by such devices and automatically identifies the object.<br /><br />"This could be a great feature for smartwatches, making them much smarter than before," said Gierad Laput, PhD student in Carnegie Mellon's Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII).<br /><br />A smartwatch equipped with EM-Sense would have a much more detailed understanding of what the user is doing than is possible with common mobile sensors, such as accelerometers or pulse monitors.<br /><br />The smartwatch, therefore, could automatically start a timer when the wearer begins using an electric toothbrush, unlock a keyboard without a password when users touch their laptops, or play the latest news when breakfast is being prepared.<br /><br />Linking a smartwatch with a smartphone or other mobile device would expand the possibilities even further.<br /><br />"We are now able to gain a greater contextual understanding of user activities by recognising what objects they are interacting with," added Alanson Sample, research scientist at Disney Research.<br /><br />EM-Sense is able to differentiate between scores of objects based on the ambient electromagnetic noise they emit.<br /><br />The human body serves as an antenna for EM-Sense.<br />From any body part an object touches, its distinctive electromagnetic emissions propagate through the body to an electrode worn at the wrist.<br /><br />Kitchen appliances, power tools, electronic scales and door handles with electrically triggered locks are among the items that can be detected and identified.<br />It's even possible to differentiate between different models of cell phones.<br /><br />The researchers discussed the technology at 'UIST 2015', the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in Charlotte, North Carolina.<br /></p>