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Acoustics: It’s a science that deals with the production, control, transmission, reception, and effects of sound.  That’s the dictionary’s definition.  People can hear the difference between the acoustics of a small jazz club versus that of a 60 thousand seat stadium.

And you know that old connundrum - if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? (Well, technically, no, because the dictionary says sound has to be heard to exist… but I’m not going to get too far into that philosophical argument)  What I’m getting at is that sound is the result of vibrations - rippling waves.  Those vibrations can made by any object.  A tuning fork, a massage chair, or even your own body.  If you tap your arm, you may not notice it, but you produce acoustic signals through your body as your flesh ripples and your bones vibrate.

Now, Microsoft is working on harnessing those vibrations to make your arm the newest touch screen.  We’re always looking for the most convenient way to transport and use our electronics.  Computers, mp3 players, you name it.

Well, this development - which is still in the works - is called “Skinput”.  It straps onto your upper arm and projects a touch screen on your forearm and hand.  And, using those body acoustics that I talked about earlier, it uses software to distinct between whether you’re snapping your fingers or tapping into your palm.  So, let’s say you want to use this software to sync up your mp3 player while you’re out for a jog.  You will be able to see the title of the song you want projected onto your arm, and you’ll be able to simply tap onto it with your finger, and the system will know what song you want to hear.

I know, this does sound a little weird.  But it does sound very cool.  Just imagine - you go out for a run, and put on your mp3 player.,and you could change songs simply by snapping your fingers.  I really hope this technology gets out of the lab and into stores in the relatively near future.