Category

Wearable Technology

Eyewear, Wearable Technology

New Smart Glasses Monitor Your Fatigue

Jins Meme Smart Glasses

Decided that Google Glass was just a bit too over the top for you but you want some technology in your glasses, Japanese company Jins might have the solution. These Meme smart glasses are designed to monitor your fatigue and then alert you when you should take a break.  Using a combination of eye and motion sensors, the glasses can tell when your eyelids are getting heavy.  The glasses then communicate via bluetooth to an app on your phone, which notifies you that you are close to nodding off.  Additionally the glasses have some basic activity tracking functionality including a step counter and calorie tracker.  The company plans to open the device up for 3rd party apps.

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Clothing, Sports, Wearable Technology

OMsignal Launches Shirt With Integrated Biometric Sensor

OMsignal shirt and sensor

OMsignal has started taking preorders for its compression shirt with integrated biometric sensors.  Taking a departure from the standard “strapped-across-your-chest” athletic heart rate monitor, these sensors are built directly into the shirt.  The shirt is able to monitor your heart rate and breathing and then transfer that information to a small power/data module that attaches to the shirt.  This module stores your vitals and if you are near your “i”-device they are also sent in realtime via bluetooth (Android support is planned, likely waiting for better Bluetooth LE integration).  

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Wearable Technology

Save Your Skin With A Wearable UV Tracker

Netatmo June Bracelet

As much of the Northern Hemisphere is racing towards summer, it is important to remember that the best fashion accessory that exists is beautiful, healthy skin.  While our bodies need sunlight we all know it is best to stay out of direct sunlight when we can and wear sunscreen.  Sometimes though you want to throw caution to the wind and be in the sun, but how do we know when enough is enough.  This summer there will be several companies releasing wearable devices that track UV exposure and alert you when you have had too much.  By far the most attractive of these devices is the beautiful Netatmo June.  Looking more like a piece of jewelry than a piece of technology, June should be available this summer in platinum, gold, and gunmetal for around $100.  

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Google Glass Press Image
Wearable Technology

Be Warned: “Glass Night Out” Is This Saturday

Google Glass Press Image

The Google Glass community has coordinated a series of meet-ups across the U.S. saturday evening.  Try not be alarmed if you see a swarm of people wearing the device walk into your bar.  The aim of these gatherings is to help the public feel more comfortable around Glass users and to dispel myths people might have about Glass, how it works, and the privacy of those nearby.  Between these events and the guides Google published over the past few months, Google clearly feels there is a lot of work to be done to make non-users feel comfortable.  In February, Google released etiquette guidelines for users to help them not be labeled “glass-holes.”  In March Google released a document to try to dispel some of the myths regarding the device.  

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Watches, Wearable Technology

LG Expected To Launch Watch At May 27th Event

LG May 27 Event Invite

Today LG announced an event on May 27th.  While it is widely expected that the new LG G3 phone will launch at this event, it is also rumored that LG’s G Watch will also be unveiled.  LG had previously stated that the G Watch would launch during Q2 2014, so the timing makes sense.  While there are still a lot of unknowns about the watch, we do know a little bit about the square shaped device from a teaser website.  The watch will run Android Wear and will be dust and water resistant.  Expect more information on May 27th.

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Wearable Technology

Nike Largely Pulling Out Of Wearable Tech Market

NikePlus Fuelband SE

Nike has announced it is scaling back it’s wearable technology efforts.  Moving forward the company is looking to partner with hardware manufacturers and will focus mainly on software.  While the Nike+ Fuelband line has been very successfully, with over 30 users, they are hoping this new approach with allow even more people to make use of the technology behind Fuelband.  The news came as a surprise to most but there were signs of trouble brewing in Beaverton. 

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Wearable Technology

Mobile World Congress Sees Wearable Tech Going Mainstream

Mobile World Congress

The biggest news coming out of Barcelona at this year’s Mobile World Conference was not a mobile phone, but instead wearable tech, specifically watches.  With Samsung having already tested the waters, albeit unsuccessfully, and Apple rumored to release a watch-like device later this year, a slew of companies arrived in Barcelona ready to show off their vision of smart, wearable devices.  From sport bands, to glasses, to watches, wearable seems to of officially had it’s coming out party! 

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