Category: Wearables

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Wearables

Fin rings up a versatile approach to wearable gestures

The Premise. Technology has evolved by putting more power directly at the tips of our fingers, but there hasn’t been much breakthrough in the way we input information since the first iPhone and Kinect came out. Touchscreen devices and motion sensing appliances put control directly into our hands, but there hasn’t been a gadget that’s been able to unite these devices until now.

The Product. Fin allows you to take control of your entire digital world with a small ring that transforms your palm into a touchscreen of sorts. One edge of it flips up like a hairdo with tips. Small taps and finger swipes control the functions of Bluetooth devices such as smartphones, smart TVs, smart homes, and cars all through one sleek and handy (pun fully intended) device. Fin uses low amounts of power while also being both dustproof and waterproof, so it’s a practical way to make technology more ergonomic in the way that we interact with the world.

The Pitch. There’s a sentimental aspect connected to using our fingers for everything, and Fin’s video does a good job of capturing it, even campaigning for it as a fashion statement. Fin’s creatoors show how adaptable it can be by using the awakening the sense of touch to improve the quality of life, and end the video by urging the user to “wear the world.”

The Perks. The price seems a little steep for such a small device at $99 for the early bird price. The technology that it packs is worth it, but they won’t deliver it until September 2014. There are different packages for more Fins, but one is more than enough to get you started as the technology of it continues to develop and improve.

The Potential. Right now, there simply aren’t enough devices that the Fin can effectively control. It definitely has the potential to be a device that can control the way we interact with technology, but it will need more developer support. They also still haven’t completed their design and the nine-month waiting period before shipment gives cause for pause. If you want to get your digits dancing on the cusp of technology, it could be worth pledging.

Categories
Imaging Technology Wearables

Panvu 3D chases less dorky wearable to snap panoramic 3D photos, video

The Premise. At life’s most breathtaking and exhilarating moments, you want to be able to focus on the now, not worrying about opening up the camera on your phone or tinkering with the settings of your DSLR. You want to capture the moment with your own eyes, and have a picture worthy of the remnants of that memory.

The Product. The Panvu 3D glasses are lightweight and sporty while boasting three integrated 15 megapixel cameras. By taking dual images, it can create 3D panoramic photos that capture even more than what the eyes can see. The images taken with the glasses can be sent directly to your smart phone via Bluetooth where their app (available for both iOS and Android users) creates a 3D panorama at the with a single tap. It can also shoot video in HD 1080p at 30 fps, with 8GB of memory and a 60 minute battery life.

The Pitch. The pitch video is a sequence of transitions between slides explaining the features of the Panvu 3D glasses, and beautiful landscapes of people taking life by the horns. However, it’s unclear if these photos were actually taken with the glasses, and some of them even look like generic stock photos. But even if you do put on your “Suspension of Disbelief” glasses for those photos, it’s concerning that nowhere on the page or the video is there a person actually wearing the glasses. The glasses run the risk of looking bulky and perhaps even being uncomfortable. Their pitch doesn’t mention anything that would dismiss those concerns.

The Perks. The standard 8GB glasses can be bought with a pledge of $110. That includes the Panvu 3D Glasses, interchangeable anaglyphic 3D glasses, hard case, remote, soft tissue, and an 8GB memory card. For an extra $20, you can get a 16GB memory card instead, but the real deal is the $150 pledge that will land you the Panvu 3D Extended Edition glasses with nearly triple the battery life.

The Potential. Whether their goal is reached or not, all pledgers will receive their Panvu 3D glasses since this is an Indiegogo Flexible Fund campaign. That’s reassuring considering they’re asking for $100,000 over the course of one month.  The glasses themselves are an interesting competitor to something like the GoPro or Looxcie HD wearable imaging camera. They may be able to give a better point-of-view perspective since they are integrated with the natural field of vision with potentially less bulk. But as mentioned earlier, the quality of the experience, as well as those of the images, will be tough to convey without head-on experience.

 

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Wearables

Look out, Google Glass. Vigo is here to outdork you

The Premise. Nerd alert! Did you ever want to be able to track your level of energy and have it recorded into an app and then use that data to plan your day? Probably not. But if you’ve ever nodded off or yawned at an inappropriate time, it might be helpful to get some early feedback on your advancing state of drowsiness.

The Product. An “energy monitor” for the human body, Vigo goes in your ear and extends to your eye. If you wear two at the same time you might look like Geordi La Forge from Star Trek. The Vigo measures the amount of times you blink and your head position, inputs the information into an algorithm, and then alerts you when you are getting drowsy. It can notify you in a number of ways, including an LED, vibration or a “pump up” song.

The Pitch. The Vigo video takes you through the story of its creation at UPenn by a trio of students who wanted to get a better grip on their consciousness and the campaign page goes into some interesting detail about information literally contained in the blink of an eye. The Vigo, which resembles a Bluetooth headset that’s undergone a growth spurt, looks just as awkward as the Google Glass, and you can’t even use it to watch porn.

The Perks. Vigo may not offer much of the functionality of Google Glass, but it stands to cost a lot less. After selling out an early bird special on Vigo for $59, backers can pick them up for $79, a discount from the $119 they’re expected to ship for when they’re available next May. But of course the real perk is having an awkward distraction over your temple that will break your fall once your sleeping head falls into your plate.

The Potential. Surely, there are professions where having a good handle on your level of alertness is critical — truck drivers, for one. But that job offers exactly the kind of solitary work environment where the Vigo wouldn’t be more distracting than a droopy eye or head jerk. Skip the headgear and just make sure you get an energy shot in time.