A silicone module, or an add-on band, called Aria can bring gesture control to the Pebble Time and Android Wear devices.
Wearables, such as smartwatches, are becoming even more popular now with the entry of new players like the Apple Watch into the market. Smartwatches can help users keep track of their health, make and receive calls, get notifications, pair up with a smartphone and perform many other tasks. Smartwatches are currently controlled using buttons or voice and touch commands.
Aria, however, can change the way smartwatches are used, and customers may no longer have to rely on buttons, voice or touch commands. The add-on band can be clipped to the Pebble Time watch or Android Wear smartwatches and allow customers to control their wearables with simple gestures only.
"Aria is a hands-free remote that recognizes your finger movements from the wrist. You wear it, calibrate it and it will work," stated Aria.
The add-on module takes advantage of the latest sensors that are capable of detecting various finger flicking, tapping and other movements. A user can also customize gestures to perform a specific function with the help of a configuration app.
Aria can clip comfortably at the back of a watchband and remain almost invisible to others.
The technology behind Aria is very enticing—the only problem is that the add-on module does not exist yet. The developers are expected to launch this nifty product on Kickstarter in the next few weeks to raise funds.
Aria for the Pebble Time watch will cost $69 and can connect directly to the smartwatch without the need for a Bluetooth connection or battery.
However, Aria for Android Wear will be more expensive at $169 and will include a battery and Bluetooth connectivity. The Android Wear model of Aria will also include an SDK for developers. The SDK is also compatible with iOS apps, but it is very unlikely that the add-on module will be able to control the Apple Watch in the near term.
Check out a video of how Aria works with the Motorola Moto 360:
