Daijiworld Media Network - San Diego

San Diego, Nov 22: Engineers at UC San Diego have unveiled a next-generation wearable system that allows users to control machines and robots with simple arm gestures, even while running or riding in unstable environments.

Published in Nature Sensors, the device is a soft electronic patch worn on the forearm, integrating flexible motion and muscle sensors, a Bluetooth microcontroller, and a stretchable battery into a compact armband. Using an AI-powered chip, the system removes motion noise in real time, reliably interpreting gestures even in chaotic, high-motion conditions.

A custom deep-learning model was trained on varied movements—including running, shaking, and simulated ocean waves—so gestures are accurately translated into commands for connected machines, such as moving robotic arms instantly.

The technology has wide-ranging applications: patients in rehabilitation or with limited mobility can operate robotic aids, industrial workers and first responders can control tools hands-free in hazardous settings, and divers can command underwater robots despite waves. Everyday gadgets may also soon support dependable gesture control, bringing intuitive human–machine interaction closer to reality.