Google

Google is working on a smart headphone wire that reacts to taps, squeezes, and more

This is the type of future tech I’m excited for.

by
Josiah Motley
May 20, 2020

Image: Google

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Google is working on a new smart textile that reacts to touches, squeezes, strokes, and more. It was first shown off in a blog post from the company and it uses something called “E-textile Microinteractions.”

Basically, E-textile Microinteractions uses “I/O Braid sensing architecture” to detect small movements in the cord in relation to touch sensing. This would allow users to twist the cord, tap it, squeeze it and other various motions to trigger something like music playback, rewind features, etc.

Also included in this concept from Google are small fiber optic strands that light up when performing actions, making the whole thing seem even more futuristic than it already did.

The video above shows various uses of the technology, but the most obvious use here is for wired headphones and being able to control various aspects without fumbling with an app or small controller on the cord.

The bigger implication for this type of tech is in the clothing industry where high-tech fabrics could be used for a variety of features, both smart and general usability. Companies are already looking to add more smarts to their products, including clothes, shoes, and more, so this could be an early look of what to expect in the future.

What do you think? What kind of uses could you see this technology being used for? Do you want to see Google go further with it? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.