Meta’s EMG wristband is transferring past its AR glasses

Meta has been experimenting with EMG technology 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 look at how its neural band might be used to manage gadgets 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 circumstances 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 had been displaying off a really early demo of how Meta’s neural band within a automobile to manage 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 sporting 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 automobile, very like how I might use the band to zoom out and in of a picture whereas sporting the show glasses. The second demo, considerably bizarrely, was a sport of 2048. I used the identical swipe gestures to maneuver the tiles round.

Neither of these are the sorts of experiences you instantly consider if you think about “in-car leisure,” however Garmin, which works with various main automobile manufacturers on infotainment programs, appears to be fascinated by some extra sensible use circumstances too. The corporate informed me that it’ll discover utilizing the neural band to manage automobile capabilities 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 situations that have an effect on the usage of their arms.

Researchers will work with Meta to check gestures that would allow folks to manage good audio system, blinds, thermostats, locks and different family gadgets 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 circumstances, just like the College of Utah’s TetraSki program, which at the moment makes use of a joystick or mouth-based controller to assist members ski.

Replace, Tuesday, January 6, 2026, 3:40PM PT: Added a video from garmin’s demo.