Google-backed “airwriter” lets the user write in mid-air

A glove that lets people write in mid-air could spell the end of the keyboard and pen. Its creator claims it could even be woven into clothing so people can type anywhere.

The “airwriter” works by monitoring the position of the user’s hand and recognising the patterns of the letters.

With funding from Google, the glove is touted as an accessory for Google Glass, which could be available by year’s end for less than $1500.

Its inventors say it could be used to enter text messages and write emails.

“The airwriting glove is used to write letters into air, as if using an invisible board or pad,” says doctoral student Christoph Amma, who developed the system at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany.

“The interaction is embedded seamlessly in everyday life,” she says.

Why not take inspiration from the airwriter and create something similar?