Hourglass adds a modular attachment to smart glasses and XR/VR headsets that converts subtle head, temple muscle, and nose movements into multi‑directional input commands. This hands‑free control layer lets professionals such as surgeons and assembly‑line technicians interact with digital content—clicking, dragging, zooming, and rotating—without breaking sterility or removing protective gear.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Professionals in high‑risk or hands‑busy environments such as surgical suites and manufacturing floors cannot efficiently operate smart glasses, XR, or VR headsets because existing controls rely on hand interaction, voice commands, or invasive interfaces, which are impractical or unsafe.
Solution
Hourglass provides hands‑free control interfaces that attach to smart glasses and XR/VR headsets, converting subtle head and nose movements into reliable multi‑directional inputs. Its temporalis tracking interprets slight muscle motions near the temples, while the nose‑piece detects intentional bumps to generate clicks, drags, zooms, and rotations. By leveraging natural, low‑effort gestures, the system enables users to interact with digital content without removing gloves, breaking sterility, or diverting attention from critical tasks. The technology integrates with existing wearable platforms and can be used with gloves, wristbands, or other contact points, delivering an intuitive, touch‑less control layer for professional workflows.
Target Audience
Primary customers are professionals who require hands‑free operation of wearable displays, including surgeons, assembly‑line technicians, field service engineers, and other workers in sterile or protective‑gear settings.
Features
- Temporalis tracking that translates minute temple‑area muscle movements into cursor navigation and selection commands
- Nose‑piece controller that registers left, right, and bridge bumps to produce click, double‑click, and drag actions without direct hand contact
- Compatibility with smart glasses, XR, and VR headsets from multiple manufacturers via a modular attachment system
- Works with gloves, wrist straps, or forearm surfaces, allowing control in sterile or protective‑gear environments
- Low‑latency input processing to support real‑time interactions such as zooming, rotating, and dragging in professional applications