Use Your Body as a Computer

Why just WEAR your computer, when you can BE your computer? Why tote a laptop around? You need a computer that pops up on your hand!

Microsoft’s video-game controller KINECT registers a user’s intentions from his gestures to give you what you want, when you want it–no more searching for wifi. For instance, Someone in a shopping mall could hold up his hand and see a map appear on it instantly. The image would be locked in place when he sticks out his thumb.

If someone holds his hands out like a book, information is displayed on each palm as if that palm were a page. Folding his hands turns the page. Arm movements will reveal the locations of particular exhibits or shops. And if someone wants to listen to music, the appropriate hand and arm movements will control which track is played and at what volume. It may even be possible to make phone calls this way.

KINECT will only work in areas where the technology to support it has been installed–but the same thing is true of cell phones. Soon, instead of seeing people who appear to be talking to themselves (but are really using a cell phone ear bud, our sidewalks will be filled with people making strange gestures at no one in particular.

Whitley wrote a wonderful novel about a man-machine, and now subscribers can get a beautiful hardcover copy for less than $5 (but only while supplies last!)

There are new and exciting things happening every day, and unknowncountry.com is the place to find them. Make sure we’re still here the next time your computer pops up in your hand: Subscribe today!