Turn Everyday Objects Into Touch-Sensitive Controllers

Microsoft is developing a sensor system that could turn your house into a giant controller that lets you play video games and control appliances.

The technology uses the electromagnetic fields from household wiring, appliances and nearby power lines to detect your motion. A wearable sensor uses your body as an EMF antenna and is sensitive enough to detect gestures such as laying your hand on the wall or touching the surface of an appliance. Detection is only half of the equation. Once you hand touches the wall, the sensor can send a signal to turn off a nearby light, launch an application on your computer or fire off a shot in Call of Duty. According to Microsoft Researcher Desney Tan, the technology may be open sourced so even amateurs could use it to turn every surface into a touch controller. [New Scientist]