Smart rings’ ultra-precise movement tracking takes wearable technology to the next level

By Horia Maior, Max L Wilson, Steve Benford, University of Nottingham

There is a lot of hype about smart rings right now – Samsung is due to release a Galaxy ring, and there is unsubstantiated speculation that Apple is considering a ring too. But why would you want a smart ring in the first place?

The short answer is that they are likely to fulfil the same health and activity tracking as a watch, leaving your wrist free for a more fashionable or traditional timepiece.

But they can also track the your body’s movements much more precisely than other wearable technology, and record detailed information about the movement of your hands. This could allow you to control and interact with other technology in new ways – but also raise even more concerns about privacy.

The Oura ring has been available since 2015 and one of us, Max, has been wearing one for more than five years. He does this to track sleep and activity data during times when he does not want to wear a watch (including sleeping). These rings track changes in your body temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability (the time intervals between heart beats), blood oxygen levels, and physical activity. A smart watch can also do much of this.

It is expected that the Galaxy Ring will do the same (at least that is what one of their announcements focuses on), and be added to its health and fitness range.

Meanwhile, Apple’s patent application indicates that its version may do more than monitor health. It may help control other devices, and vibrate to give users notifications.

Benefits all round?

Fingers are better than wrists at making specific gestures. With many more finger gesture options than arm positions, and finger gestures being the primary mode of interaction for VR (virtual reality) headsets, one probable future for smart rings is to control other devices. This would allow for the more precise detection of actions like pinching and pointing.

Read Full Story https://theconversation.com/smart-rings-ultra-precise-movement-tracking-takes-wearable-technology-to-the-next-level-225604