Perhaps Microsoft Will Redefine Gesture Control in Future Products

It appears that hand gestures will soon be a thing of the past since Microsoft is taking things at the next level. Back in February, Apple officially launched the VisionPro headset powered by VisionOS. Although VisionOS offers remarkable in-air hand controls, tongue gestures—a completely new kind of input—are suggested in Microsoft’s patent.

The new patent by Microsoft indicates that in future the computers and apps could be used via the tongue. According to Patently Apple, this approach might work with typing on a virtual keyboard. The patent recognizes the shortcomings of the available hands-free techniques, such as voice recognition and eye tracking. The potential solution appears to be profiting from the user’s ability to speak with precision.

According to details, the tongue movements will be picked up by an inertial sensor that will be eventually interpreted by the system. It might benefit from Machine Learning as well since it can be trained to identify specific tongue gestures. A user engaging with a virtual keyboard is depicted in one example. Gaze tracking would recognize and highlight the intended letter by having the subject scan letters with their eyes. That letter would then be entered with a particular tongue gesture, such as a touch on the upper teeth. Backspacing can also be accomplished using another movement, such as a tap on the left cheek.

Currently, the technology only appears in the patent. However, it demonstrates the amount of money spent by tech giants like Microsoft on R&D. Although it sounds weird but what the future holds will be uncovered with time.