Thalmic Labs goes open source with its MYO Armband

Thalmic Labs is opening up its MYO Armband to developers eager to hack the device according to whatever uses they can dream up, via its newly announced Thalmic Labs Developer Program.

The device, developed in the University of Waterloo’s VeloCity Garage in the Communitech Hub, is a wristband that senses muscle activity and communicates with devices connected via a Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy signal, allowing a user to start or pause a video, play a videogame, remote control a helicopter or drone, etc.

“The uses for MYO are virtually endless,” said Stephen Lake, CEO and co-founder of Thalmic Labs. “By opening this program up to developers and enabling them to build on top of MYO technology, we will ensure that MYO has a deep suite of software applications by the time the product reaches consumer hands.”

Developers will gain access to early documentation and APIs, with a select group receiving pre-production models of the hotly anticipated device this summer. Thalmic Labs began pre-selling the MYO Armband at $149 each, for shipping later this year. The pre-sales for the device have surpassed $3.7 million from customers in 138 countries.

After raising $14.5 million in Series A financing in June and further cementing the MYO Armband’s viral status through an #ifihadMYO contest, which is giving away 5 MYO Armbands to contestants who suggest the most innovative ideas, the opening up of MYO to developers seems the next stage in what is already shaping up to be a classic contribution to Canadian technology.

Developers who have pre-ordered a MYO will be prioritized during the application process to receive a pre-production development model of the device.

Would-be hackers who want an early look at the MYO can apply to the Developer Program here.

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