Day by day, new technologies are coming up. We have witnessed the journey from a multi-tap keypad to a high-tech capacitive touchscreen in just a matter of years. Now, it seems that we are going to see a new next-gen tech powering our wearables in the coming years. Recently, Apple has been awarded a patent dubbed “Detecting Through-Body Inputs At A Wearable Audio Device” that explains different ways a user can provide inputs to the earbuds. The Cupertino-based tech giant is reportedly working on some new and cool ways to control media functions for wireless earphones.
According to a recent report from Patently Apple, the US Patent and Trademark Office has officially granted Apple a patent relating to new methods for controlling AirPods Pro. It explains that the new “through body” sensor system would allow a user to touch their face in a way that would provide input to the AirPods Pro. We expect this next-gen control system in upcoming AirPods TWS earbuds, but there’s no surety to it.
Apple Next-gen AirPods Through-Body Controls
As per the patent, Apple is working on bringing new and innovative ways to control media functions for wireless earphones by using various body movements. These include body movements such as touching your face or facial gestures such as clicking your teeth or tongue. It means that there will possibly be no touch-sensitive areas or physical control buttons on the earbuds.
Equipped with this tech, users will be able to change tracks, control volume, play/pause music, or do more with just a few pre-defined body gestures. For example, by just clicking your teeth, you might be able to change a track, play, or pause it in your AirPods. Though the concerned department has already granted the patent for this new tech, but seeing this a reality does not sound easy.
Note that this is just a beginning, and there would be many challenges in implementing this. What if the wearables equipped with this tech take inputs when you’re not actually giving them? Say you’re talking with your friend or ‘just’ click your teeth or tongue for some usual gesture and your wireless earphones take it as an input. But, Apple is working on it, and when implemented fully, it’ll revolutionalize the course of modern wearables.
