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HALO collar promises to reduce concussions in contact sport
When it comes to high impact sports, sprains and strains are almost inevitable. The NFL has been equipping players with durable, shock-absorbent helmets for years to guard against traumatic injuries, but quick head movements often leave athletes susceptible to other kinds of damage like concussion. Enter HALO, a new form of wearable tech which could help to bridge that gap.
Major League Baseball approves wearable tech for in-game use
Major League Baseball season started this week, and the league's rules committee will allow wearables to hit the diamond for the first time. During games, MLB players can wear a Motus Baseball Sleeve to keep tabs on elbow stress and the Zephyr Bioharness heart and breathing monitor. For now, those are the only two approved devices for in-game use. Yes, this means gadgets like Jawbone, Fitbit or other more consumer-friendly devices are still prohibited.
ICYMI: Obstacle-avoiding UAV, smartwatch whys and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-421365{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-421365, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-421365{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-421365").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A new wearable screen that runs Android while strapped to your wrist is out, but we can't help but make fun of it. MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab created a UAV that can fly through a forest safely with an obstacle avoidance algorithm. And a prototype gun for objects lets users whip together large-scaled 3D designs using run-of-the-mill packing tape.
Apple has been hiring former fashion executives, but why?
Yesterday's hiring of former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts by Apple is just latest example of what is becoming a trend for new Apple hires: A lot of them have a background in fashion. As The Mac Observer points out, Ahrendts' appointment to senior VP of Retail and Online Stores was preceded by a pair of former Nike designers and an executive from French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent. In short, Apple is looking downright fabulous. But why would former fashion industry insiders be useful to Apple? It's simple: wearable tech. We've been hearing rumblings of an iWatch for some time -- though at the moment the competition seems to be doing more harm to the would-be smartwatch market than good -- and if Apple plans to release one in the future, it's going to have to be mighty sexy. Of course, there are other areas you could wear a gadget besides your wrist -- Google Glass being a fine example of this -- though if the new fashion-forward hiring trend is indeed intended to help influence new Apple products as they take shape, it's likely that we're nowhere near actually seeing them in the flesh... or on the flesh. [Image credit: Miss Karen] [via The Mac Observer]
Distro Issue 107: How Edward Thorp gambled his way into wearable-tech history
Edward Thorp was banned from casinos in Vegas for counting cards. He even published a book on his system for winning at the blackjack table using the mathematical theory of probability. While working at MIT, he built what many consider the first wearable device for -- you guessed it -- beating roulette. In a fresh issue of our weekly, Donald Melanson profiles Thorp's gaming of the system and how he ended up the unlikely father of wearable computing. Eyes-On has a look at Sennheiser's cans, Hands-on grabs up both of the new iPhones and IRL takes a gaming focus. Jump down to your digital library of choice to snag your copy and settle in for a gadget-centric history lesson. Distro Issue 107 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro in the Windows Store Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Poll: Wearable tech not wildly popular with Americans
Google's testing the Glass; Apple's rumored to be developing an iWatch. Even Dell, which seems to be falling off of the consumer electronics map, is reportedly looking at wearable tech. And Sony just released the SmartWatch 2, the watch-like device with a color TFT display seen at right. However, these wearable computers might meet a tepid response in the market according to a recent telephone poll of Americans 18 or older conducted by IT staffing company Modis. The survey found that only 34 percent of those making US$100,000 or more annually were interested in purchasing or wearing a smart watch or smart glasses. Oddly, for those who make much less -- $35,000 a year -- the percentage jumped to 47 percent. Furthermore, 45 percent of those with less education -- a high school diploma or less -- were excited by wearable tech, while only 37 percent of college grads expressed the same desire. Apple watchers might find it interesting that more respondents -- 42 percent of all those polled -- expressed interest in a smart watch, while a slightly smaller group (39 percent) thought smart glasses were the way to go. Modis Senior Vice President Matthew Ripaldi noted that most Americans have not had an opportunity to try either smart glasses or watches, and that such technology needs to be tested and seen by people so that they can create an informed impression of these devices.
Distro Issue 70 arrives with a look at wearable computing and the history behind Google Glass
The first wearable "augmentations" span from the 11th and 12th centuries all the way up to Google's side project that has built a ton of momentum this year. In the cover story of this week's issue of our e-magazine, we take a look at Google Glass and the timeline of wearable computing that's led us to this point. Eyes-On keeps up the theme while taking a gander at Garmin's Fenix and we offer up an in-depth review of the second coming of Jawbone's UP. If that's not enough, the brains behind the Pebble smartwatch, Eric Migicovsky, submits his responses to the Q&A. Unfortunately, this issue isn't wearable itself, but all of the usual download links are ready to meet your swipes and clicks just down below. Distro Issue 70 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
Disney's REVEL could turn the whole world into a tactile touchscreen (video)
Disney Research think it can go one better on Tactile and Haptic touch displays by using electrical fields to add sensation to nearly anything you can touch. Using Reverse Electrovibration, REVEL works by strapping an electrostatic signal generator to your body, so when you come into contact with an object on the same electrical plane, that low-level field can be altered to create friction. It's hoped that the technology could revolutionize touchscreens, add a whole new level of feeling to augmented reality and help blind people feel their way around. There's a video after the break, but be warned, it's light on the sort of cartoony hijinks you'd normally expect from the House of Mouse.
Nokia Morph patent application raises hope well beyond expectation
Remember Nokia Morph? It's the Finnish manufacturer's long-standing project to build a transparent, flexible phone that you can contort to your hearts content. Now the company's submitting a second missive to the Patent and Trademark office in the hope of claiming dibs on the IP contained therein. While it's very broadly written (and doesn't commit to anything), it's interesting to note that the phone would switch between the leaf-shaped candybar (we played with it at MWC) and a wristband you can wear on the go. The patent also talks about a "remote processing unit," in a nearby device or in the cloud, so, if the company can ever turn the dream into reality, the real action will be handled elsewhere. Then again, it's equally as likely to never appear in our lifetimes, you just never can tell with patents.
