Thumb Twiddling Machine Helps Your Fingers Do the Twiddling

Video and interactive artist Eran Amir created this silly contraption which does one thing and one thing only – it helps you twiddle your thumbs. Clearly, he did this because if you are truly so bored that you are twiddling your thumbs, you probably won’t have the patience to flex your own muscles to make it happen either.

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Built from a couple of motors and a simple wood frame, the user places their fat fingers into the thumbrings, switches it on, and the rest is self-explanatory:

I wonder what would happen if you tried to twiddle your index fingers with it.

Akimbo Kinect hack offers precise control with minimal effort (video)

Akimbo Kinect hack offers precise control with minimal effort (video)

We’ve seen Microsoft’s Kinect used in countless ways, but 3Gear Systems means to better these predecessors with the beta release of its SDK, which turns all the subtleties of hand movement into actions. In addition to using two Kinect cameras for accuracy, the software compares hand poses against a pre-rendered database so gesture commands are executed with little lag. It offers complete control of a virtual 3D environment from the comfort of your natural desk position, so you won’t have to worry about flail fatigue after long stints. A free public beta is available now until November 30th, at which point bigger companies will require a license, while individuals and small enterprises will continue to get complimentary access. We know what you’re thinking — it’s just another Kinect hack — but we suggest you reserve judgment til you’ve seen the demo below, showing examples of how the API could be used for CAD, medical, and of course, gaming applications.

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Akimbo Kinect hack offers precise control with minimal effort (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Touch Bionics releases new prosthetic fingers, flips the old ones the bird

Touch Bionics releases new prosthetic fingers, flip the old ones the bird

The only upgrades available for our puny human hands are gaming controller calluses, but if you’re sporting an i-LIMB digits hand prosthesis, you can now grab a set of improved fingers. Touch Bionics’ “smaller, lighter and more anatomically accurate” appendages are now available worldwide, as well as a new wrist-band unit which houses all the necessary computing power and juice for their function. Best of all, these developments allow more people to adopt the tech than the previous generation, including those with more petite hands or finger amputations closer to the knuckle. We don’t know how much it’ll cost for a fresh set, but we’ll let health agencies and insurance companies deal with that part. With these upgrades and RSL Steeper’s latest offering, it won’t be long before our flesh-based variants are meager in comparison.

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Touch Bionics releases new prosthetic fingers, flips the old ones the bird originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Sep 2012 03:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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