Cambridge Consultants puts the squeeze on interface control

The sensor system translates the three dimensional deformation of a squeezed object into a software readable form. By enabling sensitive control by finger movements and whole hand grip means Suma based devices can capture far more of the degrees of freedom of the hand than conventional controller technologies, without the need for cumbersome gloves or sensors. According to the developer, Suma based device resemble a traditional gaming controller, but with the casework replaced by a 'Suma skin'. This incorporates a proprietary sensor network, but with an incremental parts cost of less than $1. "Our hands are extraordinary instruments for control and communication," said Duncan Smith, head of consumer product development at Cambridge Consultants. "About a quarter of the motor cortex of the human brain is devoted to the muscles of the hand, yet current input devices for computers and games do not fully exploit these capabilities. Although gesture based control is a huge step, even this does not convey the subtlety and flexibility of what our hands can do. By capturing that complexity, Suma enables product developers in a range of industries to greatly enhance the experience of their users, adding multidimensional interaction to both existing and new applications." Cambridge Consultants is demonstrating a prototype gaming controller based on Suma technology at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.