Meta's EMG wristband is moving beyond its AR glasses

Meta has been experimenting pinch EMG technology for years. In 2025, nan institution commercialized it for nan first clip successful its Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, which users power via a dedicated neural set that is capable to construe subtle musculus movements successful nan wrist.

Now, astatine CES 2026, nan institution is offering its first look astatine really its neural set could beryllium utilized to power devices extracurricular of its smart glasses lineup. Meta has teamed up pinch Garmin, arsenic good arsenic a fistful of investigation partners, to research immoderate intriguing usage cases for its wrist-based controller.

The societal media institution has antecedently worked pinch Garmin connected fitness integrations for its glasses. But astatine CES, nan companies were showing disconnected a very early demo of really Meta's neural set wrong of a car to power nan built-in infotainment system.

The acquisition is portion of Garmin's "Unified Cabin" concept, which explores a bunch of AI-centric in-car experiences. The demo I tried was reasonably limited: while wearing a neural band, I was capable to navigate 2 apps connected a touchscreen show successful Garmin's cockpit setup. In one, I utilized pinch and swipe gestures to manipulate an onscreen exemplary of a car, overmuch for illustration really I would usage nan set to zoom successful and retired of an image while wearing nan show glasses. The 2nd demo, somewhat bizarrely, was a crippled of 2048. I utilized nan aforesaid swipe gestures to move nan tiles around.

Neither of those are nan kinds of experiences you instantly deliberation of erstwhile you ideate "in-car entertainment," but Garmin, which useful pinch a number of awesome car brands connected infotainment systems, seems to beryllium reasoning astir immoderate much applicable usage cases too. The institution told maine that it will research utilizing nan neural set to power conveyance functions for illustration rolling down windows aliases unlocking doors.

Elsewhere, Meta besides announced a investigation collaboration pinch nan University of Utah that will research really its EMG tech tin beryllium utilized to thief group who person ALS, muscular dystrophy and different conditions that impact nan usage of their hands.

Researchers will activity pinch Meta to trial gestures that could alteration group to power smart speakers, blinds, thermostats, locks and different family devices utilizing nan neural band.  "Meta Neural Band is delicate capable to observe subtle musculus activity successful nan wrist — moreover for group who can’t move their hands," nan institution explains successful a blog post. Researchers will besides look astatine utilizing nan set for mobility usage cases, for illustration nan University of Utah's TetraSki program, which presently uses a joystick aliases mouth-based controller to thief participants ski.