Wearable
Tech
Google recently showed off its
Google Glass headset at this year's South by Southwest technology festival in
Austin, Tex., providing entrepreneurs and journalists with the opportunity to
test the company's much-discussed augmented-reality glasses for the first time.
While devices such as Glass are cool and futuristic-looking in a conference
setting, their reception in the real world isn't necessarily positive. Google
founder Sergey Brin was photographed sporting a pair on the New York subway in
January, but other public displays of Glass haven't been met as warmly, so much
so that a Seattle bar has banned patrons from wearing Glass under penalty of
"ass kickings." Here, a look at 8 specimens of wearable technology.
LIGHT-UP DRESS
Samsung teamed up with the London College of Fashion in 2009 for a competition in innovative digital clothing design. The winner, 20-year-old Georgina Davies, developed a Bluetooth-wired cocktail dress that lights up with each incoming call. In 2010, designer Amanda Parkes developed the Twinkle Dress embroidered with LEDs and microphones that yielded colorful responses to ambient sounds. These one-off items are not available in stores.
Samsung teamed up with the London College of Fashion in 2009 for a competition in innovative digital clothing design. The winner, 20-year-old Georgina Davies, developed a Bluetooth-wired cocktail dress that lights up with each incoming call. In 2010, designer Amanda Parkes developed the Twinkle Dress embroidered with LEDs and microphones that yielded colorful responses to ambient sounds. These one-off items are not available in stores.
MEMOTO
An around-the-neck pendant camera, unveiled at SXSW, that snaps photos at 30-second intervals. “It’s not only the stuff you thought you would want to remember,” Memoto founder Martin Kallstrom told the New York Times.“Ordinary moments can turn out to be special. But the only way to see that is to capture everything.” The 8 GB device costs $279 and comes with a year of free online photo storage.
An around-the-neck pendant camera, unveiled at SXSW, that snaps photos at 30-second intervals. “It’s not only the stuff you thought you would want to remember,” Memoto founder Martin Kallstrom told the New York Times.“Ordinary moments can turn out to be special. But the only way to see that is to capture everything.” The 8 GB device costs $279 and comes with a year of free online photo storage.
Smart Sneakers
We're still a ways off yet from having power-lacing shoes like Marty McFly's in Back to the Future Part II, but smart shoes are right around the corner. Nike's LEBRON X+ shoes interface directly with a special Nike+ Basketball app that allows users to measure their performance on the court. Apple's 2012 patent for "smart garments" has sketches for similarly tech-laden footwear, and Google showed off a prototype of talking shoes at this year's SXSW festival.
We're still a ways off yet from having power-lacing shoes like Marty McFly's in Back to the Future Part II, but smart shoes are right around the corner. Nike's LEBRON X+ shoes interface directly with a special Nike+ Basketball app that allows users to measure their performance on the court. Apple's 2012 patent for "smart garments" has sketches for similarly tech-laden footwear, and Google showed off a prototype of talking shoes at this year's SXSW festival.
Google Glass
Google unveiled the company's augmented-reality headset in April 2012. While Glass isn't the first head-mounted display, the product drew significant attention from journalists over its sleek design. Outside of media and technology circles, however, it's been criticized as weird and obtrusive. Google will likely release Glass to consumers in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Google unveiled the company's augmented-reality headset in April 2012. While Glass isn't the first head-mounted display, the product drew significant attention from journalists over its sleek design. Outside of media and technology circles, however, it's been criticized as weird and obtrusive. Google will likely release Glass to consumers in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Jawbone Up
Wristband
The plastic Up by Jawbone, best known for making Bluetooth earpieces, purports to offer a "holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle" by tracking your physical activity and delivering data and insights. Designed to monitor everything from your meals to your mood, the unobtrusive Up also allows users to share their results with friends.
Wristband
The plastic Up by Jawbone, best known for making Bluetooth earpieces, purports to offer a "holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle" by tracking your physical activity and delivering data and insights. Designed to monitor everything from your meals to your mood, the unobtrusive Up also allows users to share their results with friends.
Pebble Watch
Known as the best-funded Kickstarter project in history, Pebble Technology's lightweight smartwatch reaped around $10,266,844 from 68,928 donors. The device synchronizes wirelessly with smartphones, and can display text, music, or email updates on a white epaper display. Its simple, minimalist design has attracted legions of fans. Mass production started in January 2013.
Known as the best-funded Kickstarter project in history, Pebble Technology's lightweight smartwatch reaped around $10,266,844 from 68,928 donors. The device synchronizes wirelessly with smartphones, and can display text, music, or email updates on a white epaper display. Its simple, minimalist design has attracted legions of fans. Mass production started in January 2013.
KEYBOARD PANTS
Design firm Nieuwel Heren's Beauty and the Geek trousers come equipped with a wireless mouse, keyboard, and speakers and can be easily tethered to a monitor via Bluetooth. Despite the innovative combination of fashion and functionality, PC World’s Elizabeth Fish notes that "the keyboard's placement might make you look a little odd while typing on it." There are no immediate plans to bring the product to retail, though Heren told WebProNews in 2012 that the estimated price would be $400.
Design firm Nieuwel Heren's Beauty and the Geek trousers come equipped with a wireless mouse, keyboard, and speakers and can be easily tethered to a monitor via Bluetooth. Despite the innovative combination of fashion and functionality, PC World’s Elizabeth Fish notes that "the keyboard's placement might make you look a little odd while typing on it." There are no immediate plans to bring the product to retail, though Heren told WebProNews in 2012 that the estimated price would be $400.
SENSOR SUIT
STMicroelectronics unveiled a smart-suit prototype with motion sensors at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, geared to helping people with injuries recover faster and enhancing the performance of athletes. The suit is filled with multisensor nodes that capture details about how the body is moving. It's meant for researchers, and isn't available for retail.
STMicroelectronics unveiled a smart-suit prototype with motion sensors at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, geared to helping people with injuries recover faster and enhancing the performance of athletes. The suit is filled with multisensor nodes that capture details about how the body is moving. It's meant for researchers, and isn't available for retail.
Jared
Keller | Bloomberg Businessweek ETCD130329
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