In the rapidly evolving landscape of wearable technology, Finnish startup Doublepoint has made significant strides with its recent product launch at CES 2025: the WowMouse app. This innovative application is designed for the Apple Watch and allows users to utilize hand gestures to control various devices seamlessly. Utilizing the watch’s sensors—such as the accelerometer and compass—WowMouse reimagines how we engage with our gadgets, aiming to simplify interactions that previously required more effort and time.
WowMouse employs a robust framework that goes beyond the functionalities introduced in Apple’s double-tap feature back in 2023. With this feature, the Apple Watch becomes somewhat of an advanced trackpad, recognizing micro-movements of the wrist. Doublepoint claims to enhance this functionality by providing a more accurate response through sophisticated machine learning techniques. Their deep neural network is trained on a large, custom dataset that incorporates various hand gestures and finger movements. Such an approach accounts for individual differences in how users interact with the technology, ensuring that the app understands and accurately interprets the user’s intent, paving the way for more intuitive control mechanisms.
During a demonstration, Doublepoint’s Chief Technology Officer, Jamin Hu, showcased how easily the app integrates into one’s daily routine. Users can control smart home devices such as lamps by merely pointing at them and using simple gestures to turn them on or off. This is remarkably more convenient compared to previously conventional ways that required interaction through smartphones or physical switches. For instance, instead of navigating through a smartphone interface to activate several smart lights in the home, WowMouse enables the user to manage everything with mere hand movements. While some initial setup is necessary to teach the app the locations of various devices, the potential for seamless interaction is quite evident, drastically improving convenience and enhancing the smart home experience.
While many tech giants are exploring voice control for smart glasses and other devices, the reliance on additional handheld components complicates user experience. Doublepoint has smartly capitalized on existing technologies by utilizing functionalities present in popular smartwatches like those from Apple and Google. By doing so, they avoid some of the significant drawbacks associated with other emerging products which still require users to handle more devices.
The application of WowMouse also opens the door for integration with other devices beyond just smart home features. As the company suggests, future versions could extend capabilities to televisions and computers, competing with existing remote control technologies in a more direct manner. However, challenges remain regarding connectivity and the limitations set by using applications within the proprietary ecosystems of major companies.
While WowMouse has attracted thousands of users since its debut on the Google Play Store and subsequent launch on the Apple App Store, the startup recognizes the hurdles it must overcome. Innovation often thrives within a framework of major tech ecosystems, but operating under these constraints can be stifling for companies aiming to expand their technology’s reach. For example, switching control from one device to another with WowMouse necessitates disconnecting and reconnecting the app each time, which may discourage users seeking more integrated solutions.
Despite these challenges, Doublepoint has raised $6.5 million in funding, indicating solid investor confidence in its technology and business model. The company is looking to secure further funding in 2025 and hopes to license its technology to other smartwatch manufacturers, thereby facilitating broader adoption and generating additional revenue channels.
Doublepoint’s WowMouse app signifies a compelling shift in how we could interact with technology in the near future. By harnessing existing smartwatch capabilities, the app simplifies the control of multiple devices through intuitive hand gestures. As it continues to develop, the impact of WowMouse on personal technology could be profound, depending on how effectively it navigates the challenges of proprietary ecosystems and further expands its operational capabilities. The advancement of gesture-based controls may not only redefine usability standards but also set the stage for future innovations in the realm of smart technology.