Thalmic Labs announced Tuesday that it is working with several smart glass producers to make its Myo armband work with the wearable technology.
Myo uses arm and hand gestures to control digital devices, as opposed to spoken words or buttons and pads, according to Tech Times.
Developers that will work with the Canada-based startup on the move include Google Glass, Epson Moverio and Recon Jet. Wearers of the latter two smart glasses could benefit from the integration of Myo since they don't support voice input.
"Smartglasses remove barriers to accessing the information and communications needed to effectively and efficiently perform the job at hand," said Stephen Lake, CEO and co-founder of Thalmic Labs. "Now, the Myo armband frees up your hands to unlock the full value of smartglasses. The Myo armband uses subtle hand gestures to instantly interact with applications on smartglasses, without needing to remove gloves or pull out a secondary controller."
Thalmic Labs said the smart glass producers will work with Augmedix, APX Labs, Bridget and Recon Instruments to develop creative applications for smart glasses, TechRepublic reported.
Augmedix allows physicians to use Google Glass for accessing information about patients, and the addition of Myo will let physicians use their hands to move through patient information faster. APX Labs' software for Epson Moverio and Google Glass is targeted towards business customers in the U.S. military and energy companies.
Bridgit's Closeout software suite is designed to track and communicate problems on construction sites, TechRepublic reported. Recon Instrument's Recon Jet smartglasses are designed for fans of skiing, cycling, and other extreme sports, and the inclusion of Myo will let athletes control their devices hands-free.
Thalmic Labs shared its excitement for the partnerships and its interest in different kinds of wearable technology, Tech Times reported.
"We're big fans of wearable tech of all shapes, sizes, and uses," the startup said. "These new displays have created a need for new interfaces - and that need is an opportunity we've seize upon when developing the Myo armband. The wrist and arm are the hot spots for wearables right now, but look out - literally - smartglasses and heads up displays are going to be huge!"
