On-Body Sensing: From Gesture-Based Input to Activity-Driven Interaction
From: IEEE Computer Magazine - 10/2010 - page 92-96

Unobtrusive body-worn sensors can continuously interpret user activity and
react proactively in sports, personal health, and many other application
areas. 

Recently, systems have emerged that utilize a broad range of sensors to
facilitate gesture and motion-based interaction. Examples range from
multitouch surfaces to tilt control to complex, motion-based game
controllers. As these technologies become mainstream, research is already
focusing on the next step: activity-driven, implicit interaction.
Next-generation on-body sensing systems interpret complex human movements,
rather than only gestures, and extend interaction from intermittent,
conscious control to the permanent, automatic monitoring of user activities. 

Using inertial measurement units (IMU) on each limb, it is possible to
reconstruct exact motion trajectories of body parts. Because body motions
determine most human activities, IMUs enable the recognition of complex
movements as well as biomechanical applications such as rehabilitation or
personal training. 

Behavioral and cognitive disorders including dementia, autism, and
Parkinson’s disease are also a promising application field for body sensing
and activity recognition. 

Source:
http://www.computer.org/portal/web/csdl/doi/10.1109/MC.2010.294

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