Feed: Gumball Tech | Gadget reviews, Tech News, App Reviews, and - AggScore: 48.3

Google Glasses Already Obsolete! Bring on iOptik Contact Lenses!

Every gadget lover from here to Hong Kong was titillated by the announcement of Google’s Project Glass or as most of us call it: Google Glasses. The idea of a pair of glasses that would give you augmented reality updates and bring the internet into the real world is a mind boggling concept. These glasses will either usher in a new era of wearable technology or signal the beginning of the end and just become another vehicle for advertisers to bombard us with advertisements. Love them or hate them, Google’s Glasses may already be obsolete! See why inside!

One of the problems with current generation of high tech optical displays is that they are very limited on how the eye focuses on them. The eye can only focus on one thing at a time, and placing a digital screen in front of it means it needs to go out of focus on the world around it to focus on what is placed very close in front of it. Traditional near-eye display developers have circumvented this issue by designing fancy devices make the image appear far away. However this is quite limited and requires bulky optics.

It is unclear how Google’s Glasses plan on avoiding this issue. However, one company may have found what could be called the very first Google Glasses Accessory! Innovega is developing a new approach to near-eye optics using contact lenses. This product is called iOptik and it involves a single contact lens.

“The ability to focus the near-eye image is achieved by embedding optical elements inside the iOptik™ contact lens. These micro-components are so small that they do not interfere with the wearer’s normal vision.

The iOptik™ contact lens enhances vision and enables consumers to better visualize their digital world. It allows light from the display to pass through the center of the pupil, and light from the surrounding environment to pass through the outer portion of the pupil. Each of these sets of light rays produces an image on the retina simultaneously with the other set. They are superimposed to form a single integrated image.”

In short, these contacts will allow the user to perceive digital data and real world data at the same time and in focus. Plus, since many of us wear contacts just to see the normal world, these contact lenses even come in your prescription too! The best part about this project is the fact that it can and is being made right now! Here’s a video of these babies in action:

It’s a pretty exciting concept to have a digital display that is all but indistinguishable from the real world around you. Although we’re not too sure about having to put on a set of contact lenses AND a wear a pair of glasses at the same time. It just seems… cumbersome.

Now if only they could get the contacts themselves to be the viewscreen… then we’d be talking! Oh wait… we can!

Pebble iPhone Watch: Making Wrist Watches Cool Again

Apple, Valve and Google aren’t the only ones dipping their little piggies in the wearable technology pond. Though wearable tech and smart clothing is still in its infancy, and most major investing companies are still leery of backing this particular horse, it doesn’t mean there’s not a demand! Thanks to crowd funding site Kickstarter, even the most crazy wearable tech dreams can come true if you can find something that connects directly with your customers. Raising over $4.5 million dollars in just days, the Pebble smart watch has proved that there’s some serious $$$ to be made for those adventurous and creative enough to make wearable technology a reality!

The Pebble smart watch syncs via bluetooth to your iPhone or Android phone (apparently a lot of people like those things). It has an e-paper display similar to what the Kindle has so you can read outside, a built in accelerometer, vibrating alert, and it’s waterproof to boot! Plus it will be able to install and run it’s own suite of apps that can even connect to the internet! The SDK will be open to other developers as well for free who are interested in enhancing it’s functionality.

The Pebble watch will be able to control your iPhone, receive alerts and text messages, work like a bike computer or pedometer to track your runs and cycling, and do a bunch of other nifty things. All in all, it’s a pretty cool little device that has a ton of different uses so you don’t have to pull that super heavy and cumbersome iPhone out of your pocket all the time… The Pebble watch will retail for $150, but you can back it on Kickstarter and preorder it for $115!

Valve Caught Dipping It’s Toes In Wearable Computing

We’ve previously covered Valve’s interest in wearable tech but more recent information has come to light with a job posting seeking a hardware engineer. The position would be responsible for researching and possibly developing new game controllers to enhance the existing gaming experience. Valve is quick to state that they are not looking to develop me-too mice and keyboards, but instead, want to focus on new and innovative gaming experiences.

Up until this point, the rumors on the internet mostly dealt with the theory that Valve would be making a “steam box”, a sort of open-source platform capable of running steam, and the games on steam, in some predictable way. It would essentially be a PC-as-a-console concept. This minimum-spec computer would be the target of games in production, much in the same way that the Xbox 360 and PS3 are fixed resource computers targeted by current video game developers. This standardization would be much more agile, as PCs are infinitely more upgradable than consoles. What this would mean to gaming at large is smoothing out the generational gaps in game fidelity and technology. As the current crop of consoles have been holding back PC gaming for some time now, this idea is an exciting proposition. It is also likely not true.

As if the rumormill didn’t have enough to go on, comes a possible third clue in Valve’s recent news headlines: Tim Cook, Apple’s current CEO, was seen on Valve’s campus. Internet sites quickly blasted out rumors that Apple and Valve would be teaming up to compete against Google’s recently unveiled “Project Glass”. While a long-shot, it certainly is a possibility. What is more likely, in other site’s opinions, is the possible integration of Steam in Apple’s new line of smart HDTVs. Valve and Apple have a cordial history, although nothing to date has materialized.

Will it be some futuristic “termination vision” or a mundane mouse? Only time will tell, and with Valve time, it’s certainly going to be later rather than sooner.

Google Goggles Gets A Name: Project Glass

Google released a video on April 4th that quickly went viral, showcasing early prototypes of their rumored “Google Goggles”. The glasses, dubbed “Project Glass”, look nothing like the oft reported Oakley Thumps, but are instead a glass-less bar with nose supports, a tiny screen, a forward facing camera, and a small strip to house the electronics. Shown in either black or white, the Glasses are sleek, stylish, and straight out of a futuristic sci-fi movie.

The video showcases many different functions and was intended to show the possibilities of integrating all of Google’s various services together. Some highlights of the video are:

• Setting Appointments
• Checking the Weather
• Instant Messaging
• Voice to Text
• Location Based Notifications
• Routes via Google Maps
• Voice Recording
• Reminders
• Location Sharing
• Location Check In
• Pictures w/ Integrated Google+ Sharing
• Music Player
• Video Chat w/ View Sharing

Google’s recent privacy policy unification now makes a lot of sense. Larry Page, Google’s CEO, also tied all employee’s bonuses to the success of their social networking offerings. With Google+ looking to be the foundation of their service this too, makes a lot of sense. Google feels that their ability to stay relevant is tied directly with the success of their social offering.

One rather large thing to keep in mind is the video was not showing a production ready Project Glass, but was merely a tech demo for all the features Google wants to include. Even the user interface was simply computer graphics overlayed on the screen. Still, the tech demo give a sneak peak into the future, and that future looks sweet indeed!

Smart Baby Onesie- Wearable Baby Monitor

Who says you shouldn’t exposure your infant to low level EM fields and radiation as soon as possible? Introducing the worlds first Smart Baby Onesie called Exmobaby! It may have been inevitable, but let’s face it- it’s pretty cool! You can wash it, recharge it, wirelessly transmit data with it… heck you might even be able to turn your baby into walking talking flash drive! Gone are the days of the “old-fashioned” wireless baby monitors that merely transmit audio of your baby as it sleeps, squirms, and squeals. Now you can measure it’s ECG, temperature, movement, and have it updated constantly to your mobile phone! Wonderful invention or ultimate hover-parenting tool for turning your baby into a Tamogatchi?
This next generation baby monitor is designed to monitor your baby’s every movement, heart beat, and temperature fluctuation and transmit it wirelessly to your cell phone, computer, or tablet. The software can also record physical states and attach a motivation like hunger, tired, cranky, and ironic (for all the hipsters having babies these days). So you no longer have to guess at what your baby is trying to tell you with its mouth. Now you can just look at your phone to find out. “No no child, be quiet, Mommy’s trying to see what her phone says you need.”

Designed to keep mothers connected to their children while they are at work by providing active monitoring and soon to be released on Think Geek (ok… maybe not). It has some actual uses beyond uber-geek parenting though, since it constantly monitors the infant it will help with children who require active cardie-pulminary monitoring and who have conditions that require constant attention. Also it is being marketed to parents who are worried about sleep apnea, choking, and other dangers that relate to the dreaded SIDS.

They may be tugging at the heart strings of first time parents and appealing to our inner geek, but this new device is a step forward in wearable technology and medical monitoring devices and could actually make a big difference for some parents and especially for infants with serious medical conditions. I wonder what kinds of in-app-purchases their software will come with? What will the virtual currency be called? BabyBucks gets our vote!

Erich Zainzinger Interviewed At SF Fashion And Tech

Erich Zainzinger is one of the front-runners and thought leaders in the wearable technology industry. Running a popular wearable tech blog talk2myshirt.com and also founding a fashion consultancy firm Elextiles, he is one of the top people to keep an eye on as wearable technology becomes more and more common. The folks over at SF Fashion And Tech managed to pin him down for a 2 part interview where they discuss everything from manufacturing wearable technology and smart clothing, challenges and opportunities in the field, working with clients in the wearable tech industry, to his thoughts on the DIY Maker community. It’s a must read interview for all you wearable tech fans out there! Check it out here.

Take A Deep Breath To Rela… Charge Your iOS Device?

Joao Paulo Lammoglia’s AIRE mask is a product concept which would enable a users breath to charge a connected iOS device through internal wind turbines. Why not take advantage of a byproduct of living and convert that power into usable electricity? The design, one of many such interesting ideas on the designers webpage, is nothing more than a computer model with accompanying text, but the idea is an interesting mix of high-tech materials and pragmatic design. It was the winner of a RedDot design award in 2011 for the “best of the best”. It is not known if there are plans to manufacture the device.

Smart Textiles and Wearable Technology Market has Potential, Still Some Challenges Left To Overcome

In the latest issue of Performance Apparel Markets from Textile Intelligence, a UK based business information company, they talked about the market for smart textiles and wearable tech and how it is set for rapid growth and has the potential to change the way people dress, communicate, manage health, and even entertain themselves. Additionally they could provide a much needed boost to the textile industries in developed lands (silicone valley may become cotton valley, or better yet graphine valley…). However, there are still some significant hurdles to overcome if this market is to take off. Read on to see the potential this market has, and the challenges still ahead.
The report states that demand for smart clothing and wearable technology is going to be fueled by the current fascination the public has for high tech devices, particularly among the younger and more connected generation who have an affinity for high end electronic devices like iPods, tablets, and smart phones.

It is the smart phones in particular that will lead to more smart textiles being used in daily life, particularly those designed for sensing and monitoring. Thanks in part to the increasingly common BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technology, which is estimated to be present in 70% of mobile phones and the vast majority of new laptops and tablets. Smart sensors integrated into clothing and wearable technologies will be able to connect to the internet using BLE tech and perform many kinds of functions.

One major area that wearable technology will be heading is physiological monitoring systems to check and monitor health and vital signs like heart rate, body temperature, breathing, and activity levels. Utilizing these sensors and an internet connection vital signs will be able to be monitored, issues diagnosed, and potential problems prevented. As health care continues to increase, and the population in developed countries continues to age, these medical wearable technology devices will be in high demand.

However, the report doesn’t paint an entirely rosy picture of the future, outlining a number of major hurdles that must be overcome first. User friendliness and accessibility are going to need to be addressed if smart textiles are going to become adopted by the majority of the population, especially for those over 60. Currently the systems are either too complicated or too fragile for general use. Another issue that will prevent widespread adoption of smart textiles and wearable technology is the problem of power supplies. This is why energy harvesting is going to become a major industry in the coming years. Current generation batteries have issues with size, short life spans, and laundering problems. However, advances are being made to improve the integration of batteries into textiles such as flexible lithium ion batteries and batteries that can be woven into certain garments.

Currently the smart textile market is a tiny niche, the report says, confined to specialist applications like protective apparel and military wear. For it to reach the mainstream market, these hurdles are going to need to be surmounted. Thankfully major companies like Apple, Sony, and Google are spurring innovation with their renewed interest in wearable tech, so we can expect to see some exciting developments in the near future.

New Google Job Postings Point Towards Augmented Reality Glasses

Google posted two new positions which list augmented-reality mapping as one of their responsibilities (here and here). New job postings are normally not news worthy, but this is amid whispers of Google ramping up to release augmented reality glasses by the years end. The job descriptions certainly give a bit more weight to the google glasses rumor.

Google is said to be researching futuristic glasses which will communicate with their “cloud” services to provide real-time data based on where the user is located. A front facing camera would take in the scenery and using Google’s extensive mapping data, be able to figure out precisely where the user is located, and what direction the user is facing. A screen, either a small opaque LCD, or possibly some sort of transparent LCD technology would relay live data about nearby people and locations. The rumors point towards the former screen option, at least for the initial iteration of glasses, as there are still hurdles with the transparent option.

It is not known precisely what form factor the glasses will take but the oft-shown picture of Oakley Thumps is being used to depict a possible design for “Google’s Goggles”. The glasses would use their own connection to the internet rather than an Android device, although an Android device would be able to communicate with the glasses to provide additional functionality beyond what the glasses are capable of. The final result would be a brand new layer of information, the fabled “augmented reality” layer often the focus of Sci-Fi books and movies, that would merge cyber-space with meat-space. Imagine a world where you could already be familiar with someone’s name and interests prior to saying “hi”, or knowing where the closest burger worthy of your money is. It’s an exciting thought indeed!

Google is known for pushing the boundaries of technology, usually with little regard as to its commercial viability (Google Wave anyone?). While the promise of a better tomorrow is exciting, it’s tough to imagine anyone but the most bleeding edge technophiles who are willing to put up with the trade-offs needed to bring the future into the present. Such trade-offs like bulky, expensive glasses, yet another monthly data plan bill, one more source of distractions, and the stares of strangers wondering if they are being monitored by a shadowy government agency. Only time will tell.

FLORA: An Arduino-Compatible Wearable Tech Platform

On January 20th 2012 Adafruit Industries, makers of a plethora of educational electronic kits and parts, announced a brand new arduino-compatible wearable technology platform called FLORA. We’ve already covered the showing-its-age Lilypad earlier in the month and FLORA was designed to incorporate many user-suggested changes and issues with the Lilypad. Hit the jump for the full write up on the FLORA…The FLORA comes with a built-in USB plug so no break-out modules are required to connect the device to a computer for transmitting programs and data. The included USB is HID (Human Interface Device) compliant and Adafruit will be coming out with apps to let the FLORA connect directly to iOS and Android cellphones and devices. Plenty of modules are planned for the platform including Bluetooth, GPS, 3 axis accelerometers, compass modules, flex sensors, piezos, IR LEDs, push buttons, embroidered + capacitive keypads, and even OLED!

The power circuit is greatly improved from the earlier Lilypad. The device won’t burn out if the power plug is plugged in backwards, or plugged into a 9V battery. As a matter of fact, the FLORA is compatible with a multitude of battery technologies and with an on-board power regulator and USB fuse, the device is protected from most beginner mistakes. Even the power switch gets a makeover with an inline 2 amp FET to protect it from switch failures due to higher amp loads.

Much like the Arduino there are sewable (with stainless steel conductive thread) pads to allow for the integration of electronic circuits into clothing simply and easily. The FLORA interleaves power and ground pads with the programmable pads making connecting modules, such as a chain of colorful LEDs much more simple to do with conductive thread.

The platform is in its testing phase so the specifications are certainly subject to change, as are the planned modules. There is currently a waiting list to hear when the device is available for public use and purchase, so be sure to sign up! The best part is that Adafruit is committing a team to produce tutorials, support, and projects for 2012 making it a great time to jump head first into DIY wearable tech!

nPower PEG- Charge your device with motion!

The nPower PEG (which stands for Personal Energy Generator) is a personal electricity generator that you place inside of a backpack, briefcase, or purse that harvests your kinetic energy as you move to recharge your mobile electronic devices. Every step you take turns into electricity which is stored and can be used to generate your own clean electricity. When it comes to generating electricity on the go, solar charging has always been the only viable solution, but solar charging is finicky at best and downright impossible at worst. After our article on energy harvesting we are always on the lookout for new ways we can keep our smart clothing and wearable technology charged! It looks like the folks over at nPower may have just the thing!

It’s 100 miles into the Appalacian Trail and your GPS dies on you. Haven’t we all been there? Now, instead of going all Man vs. Wild on the situation, you can just plug the GPS into your handy nPower PEG and recharge it in a matter of minutes. The internal 1000mah battery is constantly charged with every step you take and has more than enough juice to power small electronic devices on the go.

Just how much kinetic juice do you generate when you are walking? Well that varies widely by user, activity, and how bouncy you tend to be… however here’s a few examples:

• 1 minute of walking provides approximately 1 minute of listening time on an iPod Nano
• 11 minutes of walking provides approximately 1 minute of talk time on a 2G phone call (iPhone 3G)
• 26 minutes of walking provides approximately 1 minute of talk time on a 3G phone call (iPhone 3G)

With tons of useful applications for athletes, runners, bicyclists, first responders, and even the military, the nPower PEG is a cool gadget. While it’s not exactly “wearable” they are coming out with multiple solutions for attaching it to your body, arms, and legs to increase its effectiveness while doing different kinds of sports.

It’s an awesome solution to keeping your tech charged while you are off the grid. It’s compatible with most every major electronic device on the market, and it lets you turn your kinetic energy into green electricity.  That’s a win in our book! Personally, I just can’t wait to say “Is that an nPower PEG in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

You can reserve your nPower PEG for $159.99 at www.nPowerPEG.com.

AirMouse- A Wearable Wireless Mouse That Prevents RSI

Taking the mouse to the next level of evolution, Dr. Mark Bajramovic, president of Deanmark has developed a wearable mouse that is part glove and part wearable technology. It’s an evolution that is long overdo in our opinion seeing as how the mouse hasn’t changed in form much since it was introduced in the 80s. We all know about repetitive stress injuries like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that cause intense pain and problems for those who sit at a desk most of the day. This new piece of wearable tech may be just what the doctor ordered when it comes to reducing those symptoms and even preventing them.

Set to be released within the next year for around $129, the AirMouse is an ergonomic solution to a problem that has been plaguing people since the first mouse was introduced. This innovative product turns the palm of your hand into the sensor and your index and middle fingers into the mouse buttons.

The inventors at Deanmark claim that it actually increases your speed and accuracy by aligning itself with the ligaments of your hand and wrist, allowing you to mouse better, faster, and longer. On top of that, the wearable mouse was designed to align itself with the ligaments of your hand and wrist, helping reduce pain associated with RSIs. The pieces are all interchangeable, the batteries last at least a week, and you can even select the color you want the glove to be made out of.

While it’s not a revolutionary device, it is an evolutionary device that is immediately deployable and useable in most all existing computing environments without any learning curve whatsoever. Pretty cool if you ask us! Learn more about the AirMouse at www.theairmouse.com

BBC Reports On Next Generation of Wearable Technology

Wearable technology is being put in the spotlight more and more. From the medical “smart shirt” on the latest episode of Royal Pains to this news report from BBC about the next gen of wearable tech. There’s a lot of cool new things being developed in various labs and design studios right now from GPS compasses in your sleeve, light-up clothing that responds to movement, shirts that virtually grope you, and microsoft phones that let you freak out the kiddies and get all sorts of suspicious glares from parents by activating them through the fabric of your pants (yea… we didn’t say they were all “good” ideas did we?) Check out the short video after the jump!

Wearable technology is already sweet, but it sounds oh so much sweeter when being reported on by someone with a British accent.

Nike+ Training and Nike Hyperdunk+ Smart Shoes- Game On!

Since “gamify” was the buzz word for 2011, it’s about time that we started seeing more companies “gamifying” workouts. Up till now, the Striiv fitness tracker has stood alone as the sole device to combine gaming and exercise. Now Nike is stepping up their game and bringing not one but two different smart shoes onto the courts and into the gyms. These shoes are laden with all sorts of sensors and wireless tech. After watching their commercials, let me just say… I want one now!

Fitness trackers have been great and all, but let’s face it- at their core they are fancy pedometers. Some can measure when you walk, run, and climb stairs, but that’s about as far as most fitness trackers go these days. That’s all about to end with the new Nike+ Training shoes and the Hyperdunk+ shoes. Loaded to the… tongue… with pressure sensors, these smart shoes will track a whole lot more than how many steps you’ve taken. Utilizing up to 5 or more pressure sensors they will track the intensity of your workouts, how high you jump, how fast you are, how many reps you’re doing, and tell you in numbers just how hard your bringing it.

The data is transmitted wirelessly to a Nike+ interactive app on a mobile device of your choosing. From there you get to play games with your friends and compete with them in leaderboards and trying to get more NikeFuel points. The gaming component isn’t exactly very clear yet, but what we can see from the videos is enough to get our mouths watering. You also get drill packs, daily workouts, and challenges from the worlds greatest athletes and pros, guiding your every step. Literally.

Nike+ Training Shoes:

Nike Hyperdunk+ Basketball Shoes:

One of the coolest features of the Nike Hyperdunk+ Basketball shoes is that players can record their games and then superimpose their live data on the video later somehow. This is a pretty dang awesome little feature, and a great way to integrate all that information the smart shoes will be collecting. Oh, and of course they will probably all sync with the Nike+ FuelBand as well.

These hot little pieces of wearable technology will be available June 29, 2012.

Arduino + 3D Printing = Better Health! (or Wearable Mobile Medical Monitoring Technology)

We couldn’t decide which title we liked best… so we included them both. There was an exciting news bit on medcitynews the other day talking about new applications of the Arduino (an open source microcontroller system) and 3d printers in fields like medical monitoring technology. Seeing this combined 2 of our most favorite things (Arduino and 3d Printers) we just had to report on it! Wearable technology isn’t all about step counters and LED suits dontcha know!

3D printers are perhaps one of the coolest new trends in recent years, and when combined with the up and coming Arduino system, you had better believe we’ll be seeing some very cool DIY wearable gadgets coming down the line soon. How about a bracelet that monitors the level of pollution in the air, a necklace that measures your vitals, earrings that constantly monitor your temperature and more! All of this is more than possible with current generation tech, and actually pretty darn easy to make if you are handy with a 3d printer and a soldering iron (ok… so it’s not like Pop Tarts easy… but it’s close).

Imagine your every day clothing being able to measure and monitor information about you and communicate it wherever you want without you even having to think about it. Your shirt could know that you were getting sick before you even did! A pair of contacts could tell diabetics their glucose levels! Says MedCityNews:

It’s a safe bet that mobile monitoring devices like those built on the Arduino platform will find their way into more and more patients’ hands in the coming years.

But that presents clinicians with a challenge that the health system will have to grapple with, Stokes said: Many of these devices that are likely to be adopted by consumers will fall outside the purview of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so should that data be included in a patient’s medical record?

That’s not a question that needs an answer now, but it’s something clinicians and health IT leaders need to start thinking about.

Cheap DIY wearable mobile monitoring medical devices are just one of the many exciting new applications popping up in the wearable tech industry thanks the the growing ubiquitousness of 3d printers and Arduino. We can’t wait to see what other exciting innovations will be coming down the pipeline soon!