Meta's EMG wristband is transferring past its AR glasses

Meta has been experimenting with EMG expertise for years. In 2025, the corporate commercialized it for the primary time in its Meta Ray-Ban Show glasses, which customers management through a devoted neural band that is ready to interpret refined muscle actions within the wrist.

Now, at CES 2026, the corporate is providing its first take a look at how its neural band could possibly be used to regulate units exterior of its good glasses lineup. Meta has teamed up with Garmin, in addition to a handful of analysis companions, to discover some intriguing use instances for its wrist-based controller.

The social media firm has beforehand labored with Garmin on fitness integrations for its glasses. However at CES, the businesses have been displaying off a really early demo of how Meta’s neural band inside a automotive to regulate the built-in infotainment system.

The expertise is a part of Garmin’s “Unified Cabin” idea, which explores a bunch of AI-centric in-car experiences. The demo I attempted was pretty restricted: whereas carrying a neural band, I used to be in a position to navigate two apps on a touchscreen show in Garmin’s cockpit setup. In a single, I used pinch and swipe gestures to govern an onscreen mannequin of a automotive, very similar to how I might use the band to zoom out and in of a picture whereas carrying the show glasses. The second demo, considerably bizarrely, was a recreation of 2048. I used the identical swipe gestures to maneuver the tiles round.

Neither of these are the sorts of experiences you instantly consider once you think about “in-car leisure,” however Garmin, which works with quite a lot of main automotive manufacturers on infotainment programs, appears to be interested by some extra sensible use instances too. The corporate advised me that it’ll discover utilizing the neural band to regulate automobile features like rolling down home windows or unlocking doorways.

Elsewhere, Meta additionally introduced a analysis collaboration with the College of Utah that may discover how its EMG tech can be utilized to assist individuals who have ALS, muscular dystrophy and different circumstances that have an effect on the usage of their arms.

Researchers will work with Meta to check gestures that would allow folks to regulate good audio system, blinds, thermostats, locks and different family units utilizing the neural band.  “Meta Neural Band is delicate sufficient to detect refined muscle exercise within the wrist — even for individuals who can’t transfer their arms,” the corporate explains in a weblog put up. Researchers can even take a look at utilizing the band for mobility use instances, just like the College of Utah’s TetraSki program, which at present makes use of a joystick or mouth-based controller to assist contributors ski.