Tag: wearable technology

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Kids/Babies Wearables

EyeForcer forces your kids to have better posture while using mobile devices

Kids are spending an awful lot of time sitting in front of smartphones and tablets playing games and surfing the Internet. But all that slouching they are doing can result in terrible posture that leads to medical problems down the road.

patent-claimedEyeForcer is a patent-pending wearable piece of eyewear with an accompanying app that monitors kids while they are using smartphones and tablets, and encourages them to have better posture. It penalizes bad posture by reducing the amount of time that kids using it can spend using mobile devices. EyeForcer ships in November at future pricing of about $65. But Kickstarter backers can get one for a pledge of about $93. Its makers are trying to raise $154,580 by July 6.

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Health and Wellness Wearables

QuietOn earplugs uses noise cancellation to tune out the world

Earplugs are handy devices to have when trying to catch some shut-eye while traveling — especially on a noisy airplane — or even while at home if somebody is making a racket in another room or snoring in the same bed. But not all earplugs are created equal. For starters, some are more comfortable than others and some block more noise than others.

patent-claimedQuietOn earplugs use the same kind of active noise cancellation technology found in many higher-end headphones, but does away with the wires. There’s also no buttons. The earplugs switch on automatically when removed from its small charging and carrying case. They work for up to 50 hours on one charge, so QuietOn can work for an entire flight regardless of the destination or most delays.

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Displays Wearables

Vufine takes a pass on Glass, shows any content in nerdy style

Although Google Glass (and its successor) have attracted the most attention in the growing wearable display market, it’s clearly not a product for every consumer due to factors including its high price.

Vufine is a much cheaper alternative to Google Glass that works in conjunction with any device capable of outputting a 720p HDMI signal. The clip-on microdisplay attaches to one side of a standard pair of eyeglasses via a magnetic docking station that allows it to be adjusted for the user’s comfort. Vufine can be plugged into mobile devices to act as either a second monitor to view movies and other video content or to display information including GPS directions, emails and text messages. Wearers can also use it as a viewfinder for cameras, or to see everything that their drones are seeing in flight. Vufine costs $149 and ships in November. Its maker has set a Kickstarter goal of raising $50,000 by July 22.

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Apparel Wearables

Tracky motion capture sportswear tracks whole body movements

Wearable fitness devices tend to be limited in what movements and physical activities they can track. Some exercise and fitness enthusiasts would no doubt be interested in smart sportswear that can accurately track all their movements and activities while they are working out.

Tracky motion capture sportswear from the Project Pole company in Bangalore, India, is designed to accomplish exactly that. It is made up of a compression T-shirt and compression pants that are armed with several sensors to record physical movements, along with heart rate, breathing rate and body temperature. The product contains as many as 11 motion sensors combined. Data collected includes biomechanical analysis and can be used for comparative study and performance evaluation. In addition to storing the data in the cloud, Tracky will inform users whether they are meeting set goals while exercising, and also provide tips on how to improve their fitness activities. The sensors transmit the data to a small hub unit that processes the data and then sends it to a mobile app for iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Windows support is also planned.

Tracky, like the similar Heddoko, holds promise for a very niche audience of fitness enthusiasts who won’t mind wearing a nearly full body suit while exercising. It’s also impossible to gauge how comfortable it will be from watching an online video—if it’s uncomfortable, there will likely be few takers.

Backers who provide $179 as part of an early bird special, or $199 as part of an Indiegogo special, can expect the product in September of this year. The latter price is 20 percent less than the expected retail price. Project Pole is hoping to raise $30,000 for the campaign by March 13.

Categories
Wearables

FitLinxx device keeps you fit with a thin strip of adhesive

One downside of many wearable fitness devices is that they are too bulky to be comfortable, especially while exercising. Smart watches, rings and other wearable smart jewelry solve that issue, but some people either find them unattractive or don’t want to replace watches and other jewelry they already own.

The AmpStrip from FitLinxx in Westborough, MA eliminates both of those issues. The thin, waterproof device is only 3.5 inches long, 1 inch wide, less than one quarter of an inch thick including its adhesive, and weighs less than 4 ounces. Despite being as discrete and comfortable as a Band-Aid when stuck to the user’s torso, it’s able to track heart rate and activity around the clock with accuracy, the company claims.

The device is compatible with Bluetooth LE mobile devices including smartphones and tablets, and the company’s goal is to make it work in conjunction with smart watches, too, including those from Apple and Samsung. Backers who provide $119 in financing to AmpStrip’s Indiegogo campaign will get an AmpStrip when it ships in June, along with a wireless charging station and 30 adhesives, good for 3-6 months depending on how often the user opts to replace them. FitLinxx is looking to raise $50,000 to make further innovations to the device, which marks its first foray into consumer products.

It is a crowded market, but AmpStrip’s design and comfort level should give it a leg up on rivals. Even the LEO flexible leg band appears to be more bulky than AmpStrip. But the FitLinxx product does come saddled with necessary refills. On top of the initial cost, users will have to fork up $30 each time they need another 3-6 month supply of adhesives.

Categories
Wearables

IRring is the one ring to rule them all, your devices that is

It would be great to just point a finger at the TV to turn it on or off. Especially if the TV remote can’t be tracked down.

IRring enables users to do just that. The wearable remote control ring can be used to control a TV, DVD player, Blu-ray player, cable box, lamp or almost any other appliance. The IR-enabled ring works with most models and infrared receivers, according to the New Mexico-based company E-Innovations’s Kickstarter campaign. The initial run of the ring will be made using a 3D printer. Backers who pledge $20 will get one ring when it ships in March. Regular pricing isn’t given at the Web site. The new company is hoping to raise $15,000 to finish the ring’s design, order minimum quantities of chips and other components, and start developing other wearable devices as part of a home automation line.

Even if the company’s universal compatibility claim proves true, IRring pales in comparison to several other rival smart rings, including the Nod. For one thing, its functionality is rather limited. It obviously lacks the functionality of most universal remotes. At this stage, IRing looks much cheaper than comparable products. This product will need to up its game in function and style in order to compete in the market.

Categories
Wearables

Tool2Find uses GPS to locate children, pets; more reliable than Bluetooth

The universal fear of not being able to find a child or pet has created a huge market for tracking devices like the new Tool2Find from the Netherlands.

Unlike many rival products, the small Tool2Find doesn’t depend on a Bluetooth connection, but rather much more accurate GPS technology. The device, which can be clipped onto one’s belt or other object, works in conjunction with an App2Find app for Android and iOS mobile devices. Backers who pay €165 (~$198) will get an App2Find with accessories including a clip and UBS charger and update cable. That’s 34% cheaper than the device’s regular price. Its maker is looking to raise €30,000 (~$36,000) on Indiegogo.

GPS is clearly a superior technology solution for such devices than Bluetooth. But the market is just too crowded with similar devices to project any great success for Tool2Find. It doesn’t help that the device is also relatively expensive. The similar Iota, for example, costs somewhat less.

Categories
Chargers/Batteries Smartwatches/Bands

SolarHug gives mobile phones an energy lift with the sun

Everybody with an energy-sucking smartphone knows how frustrating it is when the device goes dead mid-way through the day when they’re nowhere near a power source to charge it. That’s why wearable charging solutions are so appealing.

SolarHug can be used just like a USB flash drive. Just connect a smartphone, or other electronic device, to the bracelet and the phone will immediately start charging. In 50 minutes, the phone will be fully charged. One hour in the sun recharges about 5 percent of the bracelet’s battery. SolarHug is covered with a flexible solar panel that charges the battery inside, even if there is minimal light.

The device can also be used for 128 GB of data storage. Backers who pay £50 (~$78) as part of an early bird special (a 50% savings off its regular price) will get a SolarHug when it ships in April. London-based Grandpa Technology is trying to raise £70,000 (~$109,000) by mid January.

Similar wearable devices perform the same basic function, including the Carbon analog watch. The mostly aluminum SolarHug is not the nicest smart bracelet on the market, and its design could be a turnoff to some consumers. It also remains questionable how many consumers will spend more than $100 to wear a bracelet to charge their mobile device when much cheaper accessories can be bought that do the same thing.

Categories
Technology Wearables

SmoothEye goggles combat DWI; tell you when to call a cab

Driving while intoxicated remains one of the largest safety issues facing the United States today. Thousands of people die in DWI-related car accidents each year.

The new SmoothEye, from a New Jersey company of the same name, resembles typical safety goggles. But attached is an infrared diode and small black camera that tracks the user’s eye movements to accurately measure alertness and focus level. The device is programmed to conduct the same sort of field sobriety test that’s used by police to estimate alcohol intoxication. Consumers can also use the device to discover what distracts them and what helps them focus. Backers who make a pledge at the early bird price of $149 or more are expected to get the device in March. Its maker is looking to raise $30,000 in crowdfunding.

SmoothEye lacks the fashion sensibility of a wearable device like the Vive Smart Bracelet, which was developed by students at the University of Washington and featured at Microsoft’s Design Expo, that can also measure a user’s intoxication level. SmoothEye is just too bulky for the average consumer to travel with it to a bar or other location outside of the home where it would most come in handy. The fact that it, at least initially, must be attached to a Mac or Windows PC to be used only makes matters worse. It is not yet compatible with any mobile devices. Still, the notion of a device that may prevent DWI’s is certainly welcome on the market, however awkward it may be.

Categories
Connected Objects Technology Wearables

Multifunction dog tag boosts luck of finding lost pooch

Dog owners dread the idea of losing their pooch. So, the idea of a smart, wearable device is a no-brainer for many pet owners.

The new Lucky Tag, developed by Los Angeles-based Beaconpliance, is a dog wearable device that combines three main features into one. The on-collar tag can be used as a tracking device to find a missing dog, but also offers location-based service social functionality among nearby dog owners, along with pet healthcare functions. The tag uses beacon technology to help users find their dogs. Each device has a unique ID configured for each dog and constantly sends out a Bluetooth signal as far as 250 feet for Android and iOS smartphones nearby to detect and locate the ID.

The “Find My Dog’ feature helps users locate their missing pooches with the collaborative efforts of Lucky Tag devices nearby. Lucky Tag owners can also exchange contact info with each other, enhancing the device’s social functionality. The device, meanwhile, tracks and logs each dog’s activity level and ambient temperature, and syncs the data with the user’s smartphone. Early bird backers can get a Lucky Tag by pledging as little as $29 and are expected to get the device in February. Beaconpliance is looking to raise $40,000.

Lucky Tag supposedly consumes less power than similar devices like Pawda and Tagg that use GPS technology. But GPS devices cover a much larger area. As Beaconpliance concedes on its Kickstarter campaign, the biggest challenge with beacon technology is that it relies on the collaborative support and power of a mass community. That means unless many consumers buy the device for their dogs, a key part of its functionality will not work well. That is a major downside of the device. But the relatively low pricing may be enough of an incentive for some consumers to buy one.