Meta's Neural Band Takes Center Stage at CES with Expanded Use Cases
In a significant shift towards diversifying its use of the EMG technology that powers its neural band, Meta has unveiled an array of innovative applications for the wrist-based controller at CES 2026. The tech giant has been quietly experimenting with EMG technology since 2025 and made its commercial debut in its Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, where users can control devices using subtle muscle movements.
This year, however, Meta is taking a more aggressive approach to showcasing the potential of its neural band outside of its smart glasses lineup. In collaboration with Garmin and other research partners, Meta has been working on some intriguing use cases that could revolutionize the way we interact with our surroundings.
The latest demo showcased at CES 2026 featured Meta's neural band controlling the built-in infotainment system in a car, allowing drivers to navigate and access various features using only hand gestures. The experience was remarkably seamless, with users able to pinch, swipe, and manipulate on-screen models with surprising accuracy.
While the game of 2048 might seem like an unusual application, it highlights the neural band's potential for intuitive control in everyday situations. Garmin is also exploring more practical use cases, such as controlling vehicle functions like rolling down windows or unlocking doors.
Moreover, Meta has announced a research collaboration with the University of Utah to explore how its EMG tech can be used to help people with conditions like ALS and muscular dystrophy, which affect hand movement. Researchers will work with Meta to test gestures that could enable individuals to control smart speakers, blinds, thermostats, locks, and other household devices using the neural band.
The potential applications of Meta's neural band are vast and varied, and as the company continues to push the boundaries of what is possible with EMG technology, it will be exciting to see how these innovations shape our future interactions with technology.
In a significant shift towards diversifying its use of the EMG technology that powers its neural band, Meta has unveiled an array of innovative applications for the wrist-based controller at CES 2026. The tech giant has been quietly experimenting with EMG technology since 2025 and made its commercial debut in its Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses, where users can control devices using subtle muscle movements.
This year, however, Meta is taking a more aggressive approach to showcasing the potential of its neural band outside of its smart glasses lineup. In collaboration with Garmin and other research partners, Meta has been working on some intriguing use cases that could revolutionize the way we interact with our surroundings.
The latest demo showcased at CES 2026 featured Meta's neural band controlling the built-in infotainment system in a car, allowing drivers to navigate and access various features using only hand gestures. The experience was remarkably seamless, with users able to pinch, swipe, and manipulate on-screen models with surprising accuracy.
While the game of 2048 might seem like an unusual application, it highlights the neural band's potential for intuitive control in everyday situations. Garmin is also exploring more practical use cases, such as controlling vehicle functions like rolling down windows or unlocking doors.
Moreover, Meta has announced a research collaboration with the University of Utah to explore how its EMG tech can be used to help people with conditions like ALS and muscular dystrophy, which affect hand movement. Researchers will work with Meta to test gestures that could enable individuals to control smart speakers, blinds, thermostats, locks, and other household devices using the neural band.
The potential applications of Meta's neural band are vast and varied, and as the company continues to push the boundaries of what is possible with EMG technology, it will be exciting to see how these innovations shape our future interactions with technology.
i was just thinking about how annoying it can be to have to pull out your phone every time you wanna change the song while driving lol glad that meta is working on ways to make it more user-friendly like, literally controlling car infotainment systems with hand gestures ... sounds like sci-fi but idk maybe in 20 yrs this will be a norm ? 
. I mean, imagine being able to navigate your car's infotainment system without having to touch the screen – it's like a dream come true for people with disabilities 
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. It shows how technology can be used to make life easier and more accessible for everyone 
. I'm really excited to see where this tech takes us in the future 
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just imagine being able to control your car without taking your hands off the wheel 
it's like something out of a sci-fi movie but i'm not mad about it 
having devices that can read our brain signals and do stuff for us is definitely gonna change the game 
and it's awesome that they're exploring ways to help people with conditions like als and muscular dystrophy... that's some serious game changing stuff right there! 
... and the idea that people with conditions can control stuff again is just amazing 
it's like tech is finally catching up with the human body 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to control their car's infotainment system with just a pinch or swipe of the wrist? It's like something out of sci-fi! And the fact that they're exploring ways to help people with disabilities use it too? That's amazing 
. I'm all about pushing the boundaries of tech and making it more accessible for everyone. Can't wait to see what other cool stuff comes out of this partnership with Garmin 
the potential for the neural band goes way beyond gaming, we're talking about revolutionizing accessibility here 
and i'm hyped! controlling car infotainment systems with hand gestures is like something out of a sci-fi movie 
I can already imagine myself wearing one of those neural bands in school and being able to control my laptop or tablet with ease. Like, no more struggling to click on the right thing or trying to navigate through menus... it's gonna be a game-changer! And the fact that they're working with Garmin to explore practical use cases is awesome - I can totally see myself using one of those in music class to control the sound system 
. Can you imagine people with conditions like ALS or muscular dystrophy taking back control of their lives using a neural band? 
That's the kind of innovation we need more of! The future of tech just got a whole lot cooler 
amazing. The potential applications are endless and I'm all about embracing innovation 
. Let's see where this tech takes us in the next few years and maybe we'll have hands-free controls on our smart homes 
) is mind-blowing. Imagine navigating your car or playing games without even touching the screen 
. And I love how they're exploring helping people with conditions like ALS and muscular dystrophy - that's pure magic 
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: Meta's Neural Band has been around since 2025, but only recently started gaining traction. In 2026, they unveiled a whopping 4 new use cases (car infotainment system, 2048 game, controlling windows, and more!) 
The stats on this are insane: in the US alone, over 3.2 million ppl have a disability that affects hand movement 
With Meta's Neural Band, we're talkin' seamless control over devices w/ just gestures 
