wearables
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NASA and IHMC building X1 exoskeleton to give us a lift, keep us fit in space and on Earth
It's hard to deny the appeal of a space-bound robot like NASA's Robonaut 2, fears of subversion notwithstanding. The space agency and Florida's Institute for Human and Machine Cognition know it, and they want to put that technology into an exoskeleton with a nobler purpose than performing chores on space stations. The in-development X1 (not yet pictured) adapts the Robonaut's skills to a body-hugging frame with 10 points of movement that might give humans an assist when they need it the most. In space, the X1 could automate and add challenge to exercise for astronauts in low gravity, or provide the extra muscle for that fabled day we return to manned surface exploration. NASA envisions its exoskeleton having more grounded uses as well, such as rehabilitation for leg injuries or walking for those who never had the chance. Although we're not expecting a rapid turnaround knowing NASA's lengthy schedules, we might see the X1 in use sooner than most such products in the wake of a purposefully quick development cycle -- and, no doubt, a few interested customers here on Earth.
Ben Heck builds Arduino-based automatic sunglasses, beats David Caruso to the punch (video)
CSI: Miami might be out of production, but that doesn't mean we'll be deprived of casual eyewear flipping. Not if Ben Heck has a say in the matter, at least. His latest DIY project automatically swings a pair of clip-on sunglasses into view whenever it's too sunny outside: a photocell attached to an AT Tiny microcontroller checks the light levels and, through an Arduino-based AVR MKII language, tells a rotor to spin the glasses into place. No one will be labeled a fashionista with the requisite battery pack strapped to their heads, but the construction doesn't require CNC milling and won't destroy a favorite frame. We're only disappointed that the sunglasses won't play The Who on command... yet.
SensoGlove revamp brings automatic pressure check, stops us from strangling our golf swing
Hand rookie golfers a driver and they'll frequently make the classic mistake of gripping the club as though their lives depend on it. A seasoned veteran knows that a little give and take might be needed, which is why Sensosolutions just updated its long-serving SensoGlove to better encourage a balanced hold. The new automatic sensitivity toggle will offer a recommended grip through the LCD based on how tightly the club has been held in the past; throttle the 9 iron often and you'll be asked to loosen up. Longer battery life is also in the cards versus the older model, although we're reaching out to determine how many more holes the glove will handle in one charge. No matter how you slice (or hook) it, the newer SensoGlove is shipping for $89 in versions for both hands and multiple sizes.
Oculus Rift developer kits go up for regular pre-order, catch VR procrastinators
Anyone who's been wanting to make a game for the Oculus Rift headset, but hemmed and hawed during the Kickstarter run, now has a second chance. Oculus has kicked off its own pre-order campaign that offers the VR developer kit at the same $300 that it cost for the more proactive among us, or $345 for those beyond US borders. As an added incentive, the first 1,000 who pull the trigger still get a copy of Doom 3: BFG Edition to show what the Oculus Rift can do. Twiddling your thumbs will have cost at least a month -- these new kits won't ship until January -- but the pre-order still means a head start over competing developers that haven't yet seen the virtual light.
LG Chem develops very flexible cable batteries, may leave mobile devices tied up in knots
The world is no stranger to flexible batteries, but they've almost always had to be made in thin sheets -- that doesn't amount to a long running time if you're powering anything more than a watch. LG Chem has developed a flexible lithium-ion battery that's not just better-suited to our bigger gadgets but could out-do previous bendable energy packs. Researchers found that coating copper wires with nickel-tin and coiling them briefly around a rod results in a hollow anode that behaves like a very strong spring; mating that anode with a lithium-ion cell leads to a battery that works even when it's twisted up in knots. Join multiple packs together, and devices could have lithium-ion batteries that fit many shapes without compromising on their maximum deliverable power. Some hurdles remain to creating a production-grade battery, such as a tendency for the pack to shed a small amount of capacity whenever it's put under enough stress. LG Chem is fully set on turning these cable batteries into shippable technology, however, and could ultimately produce mobile devices and wearables that really do bend to their owners' every whim.
Citizen Eco-Drive Proximity watch notifies iPhone owners without betraying their nerd status
It's hard to deny that Bluetooth watches usually lack the social graces you need when dressing to impress. Citizen doesn't want to leave you a binary choice between technology and poshness, however. The company's upcoming Eco-Drive Proximity watch has all the respectability of an analog steel timepiece, but it quietly syncs to an iPhone 4S (or newer) through Bluetooth 4.0. Miss a call, get a message or approach a meeting, and the seconds hand will point to a word on the dial indicating what needs attention -- there's no broadcasting your geek credentials to everyone in the room. The iPhone syncs its time with the watch if you're so inclined, and a search mode will ping the handset if it's lost under the couch. Expect to pay $550, or about as much as many mid-tier quartz watches, when the Proximity goes on sale in the fall. It's certainly not a trivial price next to other Bluetooth watches, but the public acceptance factor may be more than worth the premium.
Apple seeks patent for hearing aids that deliver speech at an even keel
Although they're called hearing aids, they can sometimes be as much of a hindrance as a help. Catch an unfamiliar accent and the attention might be on just parsing the words, let alone moving the conversation forward. Apple is applying for a patent on a technique that would take the guesswork out of listening by smoothing out all the quirks. The proposed idea would convert speech to text and back, using the switch to remove any unusual pronunciation or too-quick talking before it reaches the listener's ear. Not surprisingly for a company that makes phones and tablets, the hearing aid wouldn't always have to do the heavy lifting, either: iOS devices could handle some of the on-the-fly conversion, and pre-recorded speech could receive advance treatment to speed up the process. We don't know if Apple plans to use its learning in any kind of shipping product, although it's undoubtedly been interested in the category before -- and its ambitions of having iPhone-optimized hearing aids could well get a lift from technology that promises real understanding, not just a boost in volume.
TechBASIC 2.3 links iOS to world of sensors through Bluetooth, no pesky computers in the way (video)
If a Bluetooth sensor doesn't already have iOS support, pairing it up will often involve a patient wait for an official app or some not-quite-official tweaking, at best -- Apple won't allow just any old unauthenticated device through the gates. Byte Works' TechBASIC 2.3 update takes those barriers down. The mobile app lets those of us with a new iPad or iPhone 4S create programs that talk to, and read from, a wide range of Bluetooth LE devices without having to write any Objective C code on a Mac. Only a TI key fob has a fully ready example program, but large swaths of devices will communicate with help from intrepid programmers -- whether they're heart rate monitors, home theater gear or seemingly anything in between. Existing TechBASIC owners can add the Bluetooth LE support through a free update; it's a relatively pricey $15 to buy the app if you're new to Byte Works' world, although it may be worthwhile to give any unused sensors a new reason for being.
Georgia Tech develops self-charging battery that marches to the owner's beat
One of the last times we saw the concept of a self-recharging battery, it was part of a high-minded Nokia patent whose ideas still haven't seen the light of day. Researchers at Georgia Tech are more inclined to put theory into practice. Starting from a regular lithium-ion coin battery, the team has replaced the usual divider between electrodes with a polyvinylidene difluoride film whose piezoelectric nature produces a charging action inside that gap through just a little pressure, with no outside voltage required to make the magic happen. The developers have even thumbed their noses at skeptics by very literally walking the walk -- slipping the test battery under a shoe sole gives it a proper dose of energy with every footstep. At this stage, the challenge mostly involves ramping up the maximum power through upgrades such as more squeezable piezoelectrics. Georgia Tech hasn't progressed so far as to have production plans in mind; it's nonetheless close enough that we could see future forms of wearable computing that rarely need an electrical pick-me-up.
Adidas Social Media Barricade shoe concept moves tweets to the track (video)
Adidas is known for making connected shoes -- but never quite as linked-up as a Nash Money concept making its appearance late into the London Olympics. The Social Media Barricade weaves the guts of a phone and a basic two-line LCD into a running shoe, letting the footwear take Twitter updates very literally on the run through a public account. Even the signature Adidas stripes change their hue through remote control. Before anyone gets visions of athletes checking congratulatory tweets after the 100-meter sprint, just remember that it's an idea rather than a production blueprint: although Adidas is quick to call the Social Media Barricade the "future of athlete connectivity," the only athletes putting eyes on a pair right now are those swinging by the Olympics' media lounge for interviews. Knowing this, we can still imagine some future shoes padding runners' egos at the finish line during the 2016 Rio games.
NCSU creates stretchable conductors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inch
As often as we've seen flexible electronics, there haven't been many examples that could stretch -- a definite problem for wearables as well as any gadget that could afford to take a pull or squeeze. North Carolina State University's Yong Zhu and Feng Xu may have covered this gap through a form of silver nanowire conductor that keeps the energy flowing, even if the wire is stretched as much as 50 percent beyond its original length. By coating the nanowires with a polymer that traps the silver when solid, the researchers create an elastic material that can crumple and let the nanowire take the strain without interruption. Although the stretchy conductor's nature as a research project could put any practical use years into the future, Zhu notes that it can take loads of abuse, making it a perfect fit for rugged mobile devices. It should also allow for robots with a gentler touch and a more natural look... although we'll admit we're skittish about the creepy androids likely to follow.
Motorola discounts the MOTOACTV $100, hopes you're still in bikini slim-down mode
Still in the middle of your seasonal weight loss regimen? Well, if you're in the market for a new fitness wearable, Motorola has dropped the price on its MOTOACTV to $149.99 for the 8GB model, $199.99 for the 16GB version and $299.99 for the Multi-Sport Edition. Need a quick refresher? You can expect to keep track of your running, biking, golfing and other sporty exploits alongside GPS, MP3 playback, heart rate monitor and Bluetooth. You'll also be able to brag about those progress updates with your Facebook and Twitter mates alongside the $100 price cut. Ready to commit? Hit that source link below to do just that.
Nike+ FuelBand iOS app updated to run along your Path, sync in the background
If you decided to snag the latest Nike+ wristband earlier this year, you're about to get some added functionality thanks to an iOS application update. First, the outfit has added Path integration to the mobile software. Users can now keep track of the sights they've visited while out for a jog or bike ride and share said moments / achievements with their mates. When the day comes to a close, those points-of-interest along the trail will appear on the app's progress graph. You'll also encounter background syncing by holding down the FuelBand's button alongside the ability to check battery status, offline data access and setting the time with your iPhone or iPod touch. For a quick look at what you can expect to see with the refresh, sprint to the gallery below.
Google unveils $1,500 Project Glass Explorer Edition, takes pre-orders for 2013 only at Google I/O
We've been wondering when non-Googlers could get their hands on Project Glass in earnest, and now we know: the company is opening up pre-orders for Glass Explorer Edition, a developer version of its heads-up display glasses. How much it's changed from the prototypes isn't yet known, but Google has said that it's been steadily working on refining the hardware along with the software. Sadly, the first crack at the wearable technology isn't coming to the broader masses just yet. Orders are only available to Google I/O attendees, and they cost a pretty hefty $1,500 for their release sometime next year. Check out our full coverage of Google I/O 2012's opening keynote at our event hub!
PLX's XWave Sport gives brainwave interfaces a casual look, triggers '80s flashbacks
Brainwave-guided interfaces are common. Most of the time, though, they're not what we'd call subtle. PLX Devices hopes to have that licked through the XWave Sport, a brain interface that disguises all its sensors through a fuzzy, exercise-friendly headband. Underneath the incredibly 1980s-retro (but washable!) look, you'll get about six hours per charge of tracking for concentration, relaxation and other noggin-related data that can transmit over Bluetooth to apps for Android, iOS or old-fashioned PCs. An SDK is available now, but pre-orders for the $100 XWave Sport won't ship until September 20th. That should give us enough time to perfect our Flashdance reenactments.
Sony patent filing for glasses would share data face to face, carry more than a hint of Project Glass
Google might not realize it, but Project Glass isn't alone in the patent race these days. Sony has quietly applied for a patent on a familiar-looking smart glasses system whose advantage over Mountain View would be an emphasis on things in twos. Eyepieces are the most obvious, but Sony is also keen on sharing data between two friends: transmitters on a pair of glasses would send personal info through a likely very uncomfortable glance at someone else with the same eyewear. If your friends are more than a little weirded out from sharing by staring, the proposed glasses could still pick up information from visual tags on posters, products and virtually anything else. There's even the obligatory connection to a watch for sharing data with the rest of the world. Whether or not the patent leads to Sony head-mounted technology more advanced than a personal 3D TV is still up in the air, especially with Google currently hogging the spotlight... not that existing, more conservative designs have ever stopped Sony from rolling out wild concepts before.
Copper-nickel nanowires from Duke University could make ubiquitous printable circuits
Nanowires, although they're building steam, still have to overcome the not-so-small problem of cost -- they often have to use indium tin oxide that's not just expensive, but fragile. Duke University has developed copper-nanowire films that could remedy this in style. The choice of material is both a hundred times less expensive to make than indium and is much more durable. It's flexible, too: if layered on as a coating, the nanowires would make for considerably more viable wearable electronics that won't snap under heavy stress. The catch, as you might suspect, stems from the copper itself, which doesn't conduct as much electricity as indium. The nickel will keep your copper electronics from oxidizing faster than the Statue of Liberty, however. Any practical use could be years away, but further successes from Duke could quickly see printable electronics hit the mainstream power and power our dreams of flexible displays.
Custom-made Aperture Science gas mask will make sure you're still alive, won't open portals
Valve's Portal series has been used as the pretext for many achievements outside of puzzle gaming, including getting hitched. Keeping you from shuffling off this mortal coil, however, is still new. Two Horns United has given a gas mask a decidedly nerdy visual upgrade that resembles the game's iconic Aperture Science Portable Quantum Tunneling Device, right down to the light-up energy chambers. Best of all, unlike some homebrew projects, you'll have a (probably limited) chance at buying one yourself after June. Coworkers might look at you oddly as you strap a portal gun to your face during a safety drill, but you'll have the quiet satisfaction of knowing you're truly ready for a neurotoxin attack, not to mention taking the title of a Jonathan Coulton song very literally.
Google patent application could give Project Glass one true ring controller to rule them all
Let's face it: right now, the head nods and other rudimentary controls of Google's Project Glass are mostly useful for looking good, sharing photos and not much else. A US patent application submitted last September and just now published, however, raises the possibility of more sophisticated control coming from your hands. A ring, a bracelet or a even a fake fingernail with an infrared-reflective layer would serve as a gesture control marker for a receiver on heads-up display glasses. Having this extra control would give the glasses-mounted computing room to grow by learning gestures, and it could even depend on multiple ornaments for more sophisticated commands -- at least, if you don't mind looking like a very nerdy Liberace. We can imagine the headaches a hand-based method might cause for very enthusiastic talkers, among other possible hiccups, so don't be surprised if Project Glass goes without any kind of ring input. That said, we suspect that Sauron would approve.
FCC wants to set aside wireless spectrum for medical body area devices, our hearts are literally aflutter
The FCC has been making a big push towards freeing up the airwaves for medical uses, and it just took one of its biggest steps on that front by proposing to clear space for wireless body area networks. Agency officials want to let devices operate in the 2.36GHz to 2.4GHz space so that patients can stay at home or at least move freely, instead of being fenced in at the hospital or tethered to a bed by wires. Devices would still need the FDA's green light, but they could both let patients go home sooner as well as open the door wider for preventative care. Voting on the proposal takes place May 24, which leaves our tech-minded hearts beating faster -- and if the proposal takes effect, we'll know just how much faster.
