It seems that wearable technology will indeed be the next
frontier when it comes to consumer electronics as manufacturers scramble to get
a piece of the pie when it comes to creating gadgets that cling to people’s
bodies.
Although the concept of wearable technology has been with us
since the dawn of the digital age, it’s only now that we’re seeing projects
that might have the potential of actually making the concept come true. In
fact, some of them such as the Pebble smartwatch have actually gone into
production and are now being shipped worldwide.
Google on the other hand is already in motion in creating
its Glass heads up display. The Glass project which was first mentioned around April
last year and has continued to bask in the spotlight since then through various
Google-sponsored events and conferences including Google I/O and a few very
secretive Glass Foundry events.
Google has also unveiled a working prototype of a talking
shoe at this year’s SXSW (South by Southwest) in Austin, Texas. The Talking
shoe is composed of a pressure sensor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope that
connects via Bluetooth to a phone or smart device and gives sarcastic comments
or praises based on the wearer’s habits.
Sony also seems to have plans to create a HUD similar to
Google Glass. A few days ago, the Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation
filed a patent in the United States for a Head mounted display that features
dual displays and movable screens.
Another product that’s getting a lot of attention these days
are smartwatches. Thanks to the unprecedented success of Pebble’s kickstarter
campaign, a lot of major brands are now considering the smartwatch as a viable product
which they can earn profit from.
A smartwatch is a computerized wristwatch whose
functionality is extended beyond time keeping. During its earlier days, most
smartwatches can perform basic tasks including calculations, translations or
playing games. However, with leaps in mobile technology development, a lot of
the smartwatches we’re seeing today are basically extensions of other devices
and are capable of running apps, media playback, act as mass storage devices or
used as GPS devices to name a few.
Big names in the tech industry who have been rumored to be
working on a smartwatch include Apple, Samsung, Google and LG.
To sum it all up, it seems that the time where fashion meets
electronics is already upon us. Obviously, the technology to build such devices
has progressed enough that the days where such objects are just a piece of a
dream or imagination worthy of a science fiction movie. And based on the
reaction of the general population and manufacturers, it appears that wearable
technology is here to stay.
So how does wearable technology sound to you? Do share with
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