The Apple Watch can do more than just tell you the time. Here are a few lesser-known features, whether you're looking to mute notifications or quickly adjust haptic feedback.
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Here it is, the official video recap of the 16th WT | Wearable Technologies Conference 2015 USA in San Francisco on July 9-10. Thanks to all our speakers, sponsors, exhibitiors and attendees for making it a great event filled with imagination, innovation, and important insight into the future developement of the wearable tech industry.
If you still can’t get enough of WT | Wearable Technologies – we are still touring the globe in 2015. You can meet us in Toronto on September 10th, in Hong Kong on October 12th, at MEDICA in Dusseldorf on November 16-19, and our European flagship in Munich on January 26-27, 2016. The next WT | Wearable Technologies Conference 2016 USA in San Francisco will take place on July 12-13, 2016.
We look forward to seeing you soon at our upcoming event(s).
Beacon technology and Bluetooth Low Energy can be combined into a network of devices for improved living and functionality. The goal for engineers is to create a seamless intelligent system of wireless sensors, wearable technology, and everyday appliances to smooth human computer interactions. This includes maintaining a home where all our electronic appliances are working together to save you energy, and improve your daily interactions. Check the following eight devices to connect your life to the Internet of Things.
Ever thought about cloning yourself? Branto makes it so you don’t have to! This sleek design is a simple security and control device for the home or office. With 360° vision, night vision, cellular internet, motion sensors, self-powered abilities, a microphone, and free communication -you can control and monitor your home without even being there. Branto is extremely practical; you might as well call it ‘Mini Me.’ You can use it for live video calls, a security system for your valued space, or for playing good quality sound music. Check out the video below for more ideas on how to use Branto. Also, check out their Indie Gogo campaign if you are interested in purchasing.
Have an admiration for LG applicances? Maybe now is the time you should with the LG Smart Thinq. LG has designed HomeChat, which allows you to control your house-hold LG appliances with your LG smart phone, smartwatch or TV. This includes your refrigerator, oven, washing machine, thermometer, TV, plus more. In congruency with Nest, their app, you can also diagnosis a malfunction issue with your appliance. Providing a faster and more efficient troubleshooting process for consumers and distributors to get their appliances back and running smoothly.
Reemo allows you to control your world- digitally. They have designed a wristable with gesture recognition to control house hold appliances all while looking rad. This is the beginning on integrating the Smart House into societal infrastructure. Now the lazy couch potato and the mother juggling four children can both turn the lights off in a room with the flick of the wrist. As well, they can control the blinds, electric fire place, surround sound system, TV, radio, and much more. The band is waterproof and rechargeable. Reemo is the wearable for consumers who want to conduct their house-hold appliances with the illusion of wizard powers.
Nymi is a wristable for those who want to remember less passwords or security codes. This is ideal for people who forget small bits of information or are tired of proving that you are you. The band works by identifying the wearer by their distinct heartrate and blood vessel pattern. The band can secure your banking, home security, automatic car locking, and more.
Why don’t we have digital keys for traditional doors, or hotel rooms? That is the question Leapin has answered with Digital Keys! All you need is a smartphone or SMS device. You send a time-sensitive pin to anyone you whom needs to open your door. Then, they hold their phone up to Leapin hardware, that is attached to your lock, and Wa-La the door is unlocked! The lock works with the power of magnets; allowing the user to be hands-free. Leapin ensures that the security encryption is unhackable, therefore you should not worry about strangers stealing your key-code to enter your home.
For those that are always on the go, and forget about simple things like turning your thermometer off, PassivSystems created a smart device for you! PassivLiving allows you to control your house temperature no matter where you are. With the touch of a smart phone you can turn the heat off before you even leave the airport. Or you can turn it on while lying sick in bed. Now for sale at €279.
Baseband Technologies presents Snapshot Receiver. It is designed to take a new approach to GPS positioning. It is ideal of obtaining single-shot position solutions similar to WiFi and Cell-ID positioning. Their GPS chip can be applied to wearables, wildlife tracking, digital cameras, and personal locator beacon. They even have an Arduino Snapshot Receiver Eval Kit of those who want to create their own, personal open-source device.
Going the distance in OEM technology is LogiTag. They have created a state-of-the-art RFID technology for IoT devices. Their target market groups are hospitals, retail, security, enterprise, museums, oil, and gas. Their tech can relay real-time data on tracking, monitoring, and managing inventory, assets, and people. Their wearable devices can be used for infants, patient flow, and employee management. They also have a helpful ‘Smart Cabinet’ for hospitals. Their goal is to keep hospital cabinets organized, with medicine tracked and maintained securely. Below is a video promoting their Smart Cabinet.
Wearables are the glue to creating a practical infrastructure of intelligently connected electronics. This eliminates the need to always be carrying your smart phone, and staring at a screen. Within the next ten to twenty years, we should expect to see wearables closing a gap between humans and our everyday electronics. This is the time to experiment with the best methods of interaction between people, wearables, and home or office appliances; let’s see where the master minds take us.
Samsung may introduce its first round smartwatch soon. The device may sport a rotating bezel, a crown-shaped power button, and 3G connectivity. Here's everything we think we know about it so far.
The post Samsung Gear A watch: Rotating bezel confirmed along with a possible render appeared first on Digital Trends.
The Pebble Time Steel was just unveiled on stage at MWC by CEO, Eric Migicovsky. It's another version of the recently launched Pebble Time and is available for pre-order at Kickstarter now.
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The Dot Braille smartwatch uses sets of bumps that rise and fall on demand to translate text messages, directions and more into Braille messages on the fly.
The post This Braille smartwatch could unlock the digital world for the visually impaired appeared first on Digital Trends.
Rumors are gathering that Motorola has a second generation version of the Moto 360 smartwatch, which could have a revised design and come with new accessories. Here's everything we think we know about it so far.
The post Moto 360 2015 News: A Motorola smartwatch stops by the FCC appeared first on Digital Trends.
Has it ever happen to you that you went to the store and forgot your wallet? Yes, it is one of those days when everything goes wrong. Don´t worry, we have a solution for you! There is a new wave of wearables that have a payment function. Yaay, no more wallets!
UP4 from Jawbone is a fitness tracker that also enables payment. It is great for joggers who don´t like to take a lot of things with them. Unfortunately the payment function only works with American Express holders.
Yes, besides many forward innovations, Apple Watch allows you to purchase materials. The good thing is you need no app or iPhone. All you have to do is to double-click the side button and hold the face of your Apple Watch up to the contactless reader. A beep confirms that your payment has been successfully completed. Just in case you lose your Apple Watch, your credit card account is protected with a passcode. This function works with many different bank holders; to name the biggest ones: Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
bPay offers a variety of products for payment all under £25. You can choose a fob keychain, a small hardware device with built-in authentication mechanisms, which you can attach as a key chain or a sticker. They also sell a wristable. Their app works under both platforms, Android and OS. The app itself allows you to track your spending, so you always know how much money you you’ve got left on your account.
A few months ago, a cool partnership was announced between Xiamo and Alibaba Group Holding. Together they have been developing a payment system using wearable technology. It has been said that Alipay Wallet mobile app will be linked to Xiaomi’s Band smart fitness bracelet. This partnership is first for China´s major tech firms, so we will keep you posted and let you know on new news.
Another new partnership is Kairos Watches and Wirecard. They want to integrate NFC payment to their products. The team believes that the future of payments is wearable so gathering forces with a German payment technology provider was a no brainer.
LoopPay is a mobile payment system which looks like a card case that holds a little, battery-powered plastic puck inside. It is embedded with a magnetic loop which allows you to mimic a regular credit-card swipe when placed up against any regular credit-card terminal. To load credit cards into your LoopPay accessory, you use an included Square-type card swiper. The bad thing about it is that all of your credit card information is stored on your phone. Once the cards are loaded in, you can hold LoopPay up to any swipe terminal, press a button (or select a payment method in the app), and a payment goes through.
PureWrist is a silicone bracelet that contains an embedded NFC payment chip. You can use it all over the world; specifically where MasterCard Debit contactless payments are accepted. The bracelet contains a prepaid reloadable debit card and the company emphasizes this is not a credit card and no credit card is needed. The company donates from 20% of their Indiegogo campaign’s net profit to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
WT also is concerned about long-time standing companies that are making the switch to wearable payments.
Disneyworld, for example, wants to give families who are staying in their hotel the experience which is as care free as possible. They developed MagicBands. These wristbands allow you to open door in hotel room, gives you fast pass so you no longer have to wait in line and the opportunity to purchase food and merchandise in Disneyworld theme park. Again we think this could be a great family trip without a wallet.
Season ticket holders of the British rugby club Saracens can now enjoy a similar experience as Disney fans. These rugby fans received a wristband, produced by Gemalto, were they can purchase food and drink at the club’s Allianz Park stadium in London. In addition they can also make payments outside the venue and travel on the city’s public transport network.
2015 trends reveal that wallets will be replaced by NFC payments in the near future. On one hand it is a new exciting chapter in the wearable world and although companies are investing a lot of money into making their services as safe as possible we can´t help but wonder if consumers will feel safe using them on a day to day basis.
Motorola has unveiled new audio accessories in the Moto Pulse, a foldable pair of headphones; and the Moto Surround, fitness-focused earbuds. Both are available from Motorola's website.
The post Motorola unveils the Moto Pulse and Moto Surround appeared first on Digital Trends.
How powerful is the Apple Watch? Powerful enough to boot up Mac OS 7.5.5, an operating system originally developed for desktop computers. A programmer recently got the '90s era OS running on Apple's wearable device.
The post A programmer got Mac OS 7.5.5 running on an Apple Watch appeared first on Digital Trends.
Motorola sent out invites to a July 28 event, at which it's expected to show off the Moto G, Moto X, and possibly a Motorola Droid or two. The new Moto 360 could also make an appearance. We'll be there live on the 28th.
The post New Moto hardware is coming on July 28, here’s where to watch the event appeared first on Digital Trends.
Rumors are gathering that Motorola has a second generation version of the Moto 360 smartwatch, which could have a revised design and come with new accessories. Here's everything we think we know about it so far.
The post Moto 360 2015 News: An updated wireless charging dock stops by the FCC appeared first on Digital Trends.
Samsung may introduce its first round smartwatch soon. The device may sport a rotating bezel, a crown-shaped power button, and 3G connectivity. Here's everything we think we know about it so far.
The post Samsung Gear A watch: Company reportedly undecided over August 13 launch appeared first on Digital Trends.
Apple is taking sales of its smartwatch beyond the Apple Store for the first time, with Best Buy set to offer the device from August 7. Initially, 100 Best Buy stores will sell the watch, with an additional 200 added in time for the holiday season.
The post Apple planning to score more Watch sales with Best Buy launch on August 7 appeared first on Digital Trends.
Step aside, Doom -- running Half-Life is the new test of a device's mettle. Modder Dave Bennett has managed to get Valve's seminal first-person shooter running on an Android-powered LG G smartwatch.
The post You can play Half-Life on your Android smartwatch, but should you? appeared first on Digital Trends.
Office wearables are for tracking productivity in employees. Seems like a good idea if you’re a CEO and want to know how much time is wasted per year per employee or if you’re a work-a-holic and have been praying for an increase in salary. However tracking your employees habits can be a bit stressful for your employees. Imagine having your every moment tracked and analyzed while on the job, in the bathroom, on lunch break, etc. Recently some companies have asked their employees to wear fitness trackers to determine who will receive a reward for healthy lifestyle (aka cheaper health insurance). Yes, a fitness tracker can motivate fitness; however some people just don’t care. However, wearables can benefit the work place in more ways than one. The diversity of jobs available is enormous. This article explains a vast array of practical wearables that now seem necessary for increased productivity, job happiness, and heath awareness.
WearKinetic has designed a wristable for those working in distribution. The wristable tracks when workers are lifting boxes or heavy materials in a correct or incorrect manor. If they are lifting incorrectly, the wristable will vibrate to bring awareness to the wearer. Combined with the wristable is a software program designed for managers to provide healthy solutions for their workforce. With the user-friendly software, managers are able to see safety analytics of individual workers.
Testing, testing, testing before heading out on a two week pilot! http://pic.twitter.com/NybfniJGEH
— Kinetic (@WearKinetic) 16. Mai 2015
DAQRI provides labor workers with a smart augmented reality helmet. The Smart Helmet is designed for construction, factory, and industrial workers. The smart helmet integrates live data from machine gauges; whether or not that machine is connected to the grid. Their user-interface only provides information when it is needed – minimizing distractions. DAQRI brain is IntelliTrack software. It has developed into the treasure chest of information for the smart helmet. IntelliTrack allows DAQRI to know what you are looking at, without ever seeing it before; thus, making the DAQRI Smart Helmet is ideal for workers completing a task for the first time.
Youbiquo moto is knowledge you wear. A good tagline for a company that created augmented reality glasses for the enterprise market, i.e. maintenance workers, support technicians, and operations professionals. The glasses can listen to instructions, read documents, call for support, share task via video conference, and inquire company repositories. With the smart glasses, you can develop custom applications with their libraries on UB-SDK software kit.
XOEYE works to empower the industrial age. Their smart glasses are perfect for spotting opportunities to improve productivity. XOEYE features HD audio, camera, sensors, and operating system XOLinux. This device is accurate because of Vision, the glasses compatible software. Vision is user-friends. It works by combining all data from each laborer to provide managers with the appropriate statics of their workforce. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZZNiWxqCTEre Upright recently spoke at our WT | San Francisco Conference 2015. At the event they shared their back posture correction wearable e-sticker. The device is simple to use, while promoting wellness. The user simply sticks Upright on their lower back while sitting at work, home, or doing simple activities. Upright will vibrate whenever the user slouches; bringing awareness to poor posture. Evidence of proper posture is seen after a few weeks of wearing Upright for a few minutes each day.
Our very own CEO keynoting @WearableTech conference now! http://pic.twitter.com/QCUcMPsL3K — UpRight (@UpRightPose) 9. Juli 2015
Another San Francisco exhibitor is Team Turquoise. Their product, Doppel, is a wristable designed to enhance performance. It can naturally make you feel more alter or relaxed. Doppel has special rhythmic pulsing that harnesses our innate response to rhythm. They say it’s similar to listening to music, but without audio.
The #doppel stand is looking good @WearableTech #WTUS15 http://pic.twitter.com/VYwFi8gq7u
— Team Turquoise (@TTurquoise) 9. Juli 2015
Italian Tailored Technology has prototyped a blazer jacket tailored with ghost devices. The wearer can charge an electronic device, record sounds, capture photos, and NFC while obtaining renewable energy via solar power. The jacket is recently under crowd funding through Kickstarter. Soon it will be for sale, and all the fancy business men and women of the world can interact with wearables just like 007.
Savox’ Thor was released just over four months ago. Savox has designed a helmet for soldiers which incorporate all the appropriate tactical gear. They claim that it is light weight, while improving soldier’s performance. Thor is enabled with programmable features and capabilities when connected to intercom solutions. Thor features flexible adjustable mounting systems, NVG goggles, and hearing protection cups.
Fuel 3D hand-held product Scanify can assist modern artist or engineers by scanning 3D objects. It technology is simple. Just point and shoot. Then upload the image to a 3D rendering software. From here the user can manipulate, or print.
Mind Stream’s Thumb Track is the world’s smallest wearable ring for controlling your computer mouse. The simple design only requires a Bluetooth dongle to be plugged into your computer, and then it’s just click and go. You can use Thumb Track for being more interactive during work presentations or for reliving your elbows from resting on your desk. The idea is to incorporate another method in using your computer’s mouse.
Similarly, Mycestro is another wearable mouse that you can use in any position. The design is a little larger than Thumb Track, but Mycestro offers press-able buttons. Some users prefer this because of the actual click of the mouse. Mycestro is also available in different colors.
The future of all enterprise is a work space where the wearables are connected to the buildings IoT, which is connected to the cities IoT infrastructure. No matter if the technology you wear is specific for completing a task or promotes health awareness, wearables will be introduced to work place. At the moment, some people think this may be a bad thing because it is distracting or unnecessary. Yet, these excuses sound similar to what bankers said at the beginning on online banking. Some technical evolutions are meant to occur. Wearable engineers must think practically and the work space is a good place to start.
LG Display is about to start work on a new factory that's dedicated to producing flexible and foldable screens, that it expects to be the next hot feature on our phones, in our living rooms, and in our cars.
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Smart boxing gear has been comparatively slow to take off. It's available to the pros, but hasn't really trickled down to the amateur rings and gyms. Broadcasters used the tech at high profile matches, and new gear by MM8 and StrikeTec will be available soon.
The post Get smarter about boxing with this smart boxing gear used by broadcast networks appeared first on Digital Trends.
With virtual reality grabbing all the headlines lately, and YouTube recently rolling out support for 360-degree videos, it was only a matter of time before the Google-owned company found a way of introducing the technology to advertisers.
The post Google brings immersive, 360-degree video ads to YouTube appeared first on Digital Trends.
All eyes are on Google as it gets ready to release the second version of its Glass eyewear, and rumors suggest that the new device is going to have a focus on business use, and not be available to general consumers at all.
The post Google Glass 2.0 news: Enterprise Edition may have a foldable hinge and ruggedized body appeared first on Digital Trends.
Nokia hasn't done a whole lot in consumer tech since selling off its mobile phone business to Microsoft in 2013. However, that could be about to change, with a report suggesting the Finnish company is set to unveil a VR product at a special event next week.
The post Nokia looks set to unveil VR product at special event next week, report claims appeared first on Digital Trends.
The OnePlus Two superphone is expected to launch later this year, and may have a higher price tag to match it's high-end specifications. Other rumors also mention a OnePlus One Lite smartphone, and the possibility of a OnePlus Watch too.
The post OnePlus 2 rumors: This is our first good look at what may be the OnePlus 2 appeared first on Digital Trends.
Apple continues to rake in the moolah, as the company revealed it generated $49.6 billion in revenue and $10.7 billion in profit, both of which are third quarter records. However, questions still linger when it comes to iPad sales, as well as Apple Watch sales.
The post Apple reports eye-popping growth, though questions surround iPad and Apple Watch appeared first on Digital Trends.
Sixteen-year-old Daniil Frants won an award for his team's Live-Time Closed-Captioning System, a headset that behaves like Google Glass, except it allows deaf people to see closed-captioning of spoken conversations.
The post This gadget adds closed-captioning for deaf people’s face-to-face conversations appeared first on Digital Trends.
ZTE has announced the Axon Watch, a smartwatch that doesn't run Android Wear, but instead uses a special version of the OS created by China's Tencent called TOS+. It has also teased the forthcoming availability of an Axon Mini smartphone.
The post This is ZTE’s Axon Watch smartwatch, and it doesn’t run Android Wear appeared first on Digital Trends.
Recently WT | Wearable Technologies sponsored a Wearable Data Hackathon in Munich, Germany. The main topics of consideration were; how do software engineers use wearable data efficiently, and how do we protect it from cybercrime? In 2011, a researcher provided evidence to how dangerous cyber hacks to wearable health care can be. They were able to manipulate an insulin pump to deliver a lethal amount of insulin into the user’s body. So after nearly four years of advancement, where is the wearable industry in securing data from cybercrime?
Boston Consulting Group has predicted that by 2020 consumer’s personal data to be valued at €1 trillion. Yet, what types of wearable data are useful to hackers? Obviously they go beyond the basic individual information of name, gender, weight, height, home location, marital status, and personal ID numbers. The diverse amount of sensors allows one to collect data on another’s blood pressure, cholesterol, weight loss goals, current location, body temperature, speed, and muscle response time. As isolated numbers this data is no more than nonsense. However, when incorporated into AI or affective computing algorithms the methods of terrorizing a person’s mental and physical health can be frightening.
This is a topic of ethics. Should consumers learn how to manage their data? Should companies give transparent options about who the consumer can share their data with? I think yes! These are two simple solutions to protecting data; it all begins with awareness. However, simply encouraging consumers to read the terms and conditions before agreeing to use a product, doesn’t mean that they will do it. Nonetheless, the increasing value of reading this fine print is inevitable. Even after Snowden’s warning about NSA’s secret mass-data collection, society doesn’t seem to care that their data is being manipulated for research and statistics. If you are not breaking the law, then what do you have to hide?
Another simple solution is in the hands of user-interface designers. If companies provided user-friendly methods within the app for asking for informing the customer all the ways their data could be used, then people will begin to trust technology. Even so, companies should happily accept when some of their consumers will not consent to sending their data to 3rd parties. Service providers need to define a clear boundary between user’s data collection and the user’s control over the data. Users want to be in control of their lives, time, money and data; therefore supplying them with easy to manage graphics is necessary.
Companies have asked their employees to use fitness trackers to collect statistical analysis about their employees’ average health – for reasons concerning risk insurance assessment. Collecting health data from an entire company’s employees creates a gold rush for data hackers. These companies should provide security measurements to ensure their employees’ physical, and mental data is secure. As well, politicians should put laws in place about what is ethical and unethical research with individual physiological data. Ideally, politicians can be able to do this without imposing a high budget.
Data security is even more important when considering the effects on healthcare wearables. A simple solution begins with a strong, diverse passphrase. Yes, I said it correctly: passphrase. This means instead of a one to two word ‘password’ people should use a phrase with many symbols and numbers. This will easily decrease the amount of security breaches from easy-to-hack passwords. Users should also be consistently updating their smartphone applications to include the newest protection developments.
Wearables can experience physical attacks through eavesdropping and proxy attacks with wireless communication, just like mobile phones. A solution for this would be to establish an encrypted link in sensors. However, this code can be too-long in regards to processing time for current sensors on the market.
Another recommendation for data solutions are provided by the European Parliament on Regards to the Procession of Personal Data. Frist any new application in the field of wearables of IoT should pass the Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs) based on the Privacy and Data Protection Impact Assessment Framework for RFID Applications. Second is deleting raw data once it is processed for aggregated data. Third is to apply the principles of Privacy by Design and Privacy by Default to the product in the earliest stages. Lastly, informing a user immediately once the device recognizes something fishy is happening.
Gemalto is a long partner of WT | Wearable Technologies and an expert with regards to digital security. They recently spoke at out 16th WT | Conference in San Francisco, and will speak again at the WT | Hong Kong conference October 12, 2015. Gemalto works specifically with financial services, governments, mobile companies, transportation, identity and access, and lastly the internet of things. They have prototypes in place for a wristable credit card called Optelio.
Before I end this article I would like to stress that there is a difference between a committing a crime and committing cybercrime; likewise committing terrorism and cyber terrorism. Even so, these acts are against the norms of society. People working in the wearable field need to consider the societal consequences of hacking raw physiological data, and set protection solutions in place before release a product to market. The current laws on digital protection should be updated and vigorously regulated within tech industries. Having trained people in place along every corner of security and digital protection is a key factor in maintaining a guarded market. Perhaps security algorithms are the link to ending the everlasting war of good and evil knowledge.
The Apple Watch is Apple's latest, and perhaps most controversial, piece of mobile hardware yet. Here's everything you need to know about how and where to buy one.
The post How to buy an Apple Watch: Sales in Russia, New Zealand, and Turkey from July 31 appeared first on Digital Trends.
The OnePlus Two superphone is expected to launch later this year, and may have a higher price tag to match it's high-end specifications. Other rumors also mention a OnePlus One Lite smartphone, and the possibility of a OnePlus Watch too.
The post OnePlus 2 rumors: See OnePlus 2 camera tests compared to the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 appeared first on Digital Trends.
E-ink can revolutionize design as we know it. Liber8 Technology took e-ink and started with a bangle, the Tago Arc, that the wearer can change to fit their mood. Users can upload pictures to the community, where they can end up as bracelet designs.
The post The Tago Arc is the like a hundred bracelets in one appeared first on Digital Trends.
Motorola quietly rolled out an update to its Moto Hint Bluetooth earpiece that includes improved battery life and audio. The updated Moto Hint is now available through Best Buy for $130, $20 less than what the original Moto Hint was offered for last year.
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Shell U.K. has launched its pay-at-the-pump PayPal service, which allows customers to purchase gasoline without entering the store. Called Fill Up & Go, the service is a part of the Shell Motorist app and works with Android and Apple devices.
The post In the UK, you can fill up with your phone with Shell’s pay-at-pump PayPal service appeared first on Digital Trends.
Smartwatch maker Pebble is planning something for February 24, and has placed a countdown timer on its website to make sure we're suitably excited about it. There's a chance it'll reveal a new challenger to the Apple Watch.
The post About Time! You can now buy the new color Pebble Time online at Best Buy and Target appeared first on Digital Trends.
The OnePlus Two superphone is expected to launch later this year, and may have a higher price tag to match it's high-end specifications. Other rumors also mention a OnePlus One Lite smartphone, and the possibility of a OnePlus Watch too.
The post OnePlus 2 rumors: Benchmarks hint at cooler, but throttled Snapdragon 810 chip appeared first on Digital Trends.
On the outside, the Helix might appear to be a regular cuff bracelet. However, don't let appearances fool you. The bracelet hides a pair of Bluetooth earbuds. It is now available through Kickstarter, if you're interested in picking one up for yourself.
The post Never lose your earbuds again: This cuff keeps them tangle-free on your wrist appeared first on Digital Trends.
Can wrist-worn, Bluetooth-enabled action figures and an animated tablet or smartphone app combine to teach your kids valuable life lessons without boring them to death? We tried Herokins to find out.
The post Take your kids on an epic quest and learn along the way with the Herokins wearable appeared first on Digital Trends.
Having trouble with the battery life on your Android Wear smartwatch? Are you finding that you can't even make it through the day? Or maybe you just want to push it to two days. Either way, this guide will help you maximize your battery life.
The post 7 ways to increase the battery life on your Android Wear smartwatch appeared first on Digital Trends.
Xiaomi may be best known for its cool smartphones, but its latest product is a pair of smart sneakers produced with Chinese sports brand Li Ning. The Bluetooth sensor in the heel connects with Xiaomi's Mi Fit app.
The post These Xiaomi developed smart sneakers cost less than $65 appeared first on Digital Trends.
Essentially identical to the Misfit Flash, minus the wristband, the Link (available in four colors) is simply a squeezable clicker that is a universal remote and a fitness tracker.
The post Misfit Flash Link is a $20 activity tracker and smart button appeared first on Digital Trends.
Initially scheduled for release sometime this summer, HTC decided it would delay the launch of the Grip, the first product born from the company's partnership with Under Armour. The Grip will now be released later this year, alongside HTC's other fitness and health products.
The post HTC’s Grip fitness wearable gets shelved as the company rethinks its strategy appeared first on Digital Trends.
ReWalk Robotics, which produces wearable exoskeletons for people who've lost the use of their legs, has just pulled the curtain back on version 6.0 of its robotically-assisted walking system -- and it's smaller, lighter, and faster than ever before.
The post The ReWalk 6.0 robotic exoskeleton aims to make wheelchairs a thing of the past appeared first on Digital Trends.
Moov has unveiled the self-titled Moov Now, a fitness tracker that uses artificial intelligence to help improve your workouts.
The post The Moov Now uses machine smarts to help improve your workouts appeared first on Digital Trends.
Motorola sent out invites to a July 28 event, at which it's expected to show off the Moto G, Moto X, and possibly a Motorola Droid or two. The new Moto 360 could also make an appearance. We'll be there live on the 28th.
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Exposure to blue light emitted by a smartphone screen right before bed ruins your sleep patterns. One solution that doesn't involve putting down your phone before bed, is to wear these special Jins Screen glasses, that won't make you look ridiculous.
The post These nifty glasses block blue light from your phone, so you get a good night’s sleep appeared first on Digital Trends.
Even with Moore’s law in full effect for the rapid evolution of wearable technology, there has not been much progress in assistive technology for the visually impaired. With that said, even glasses have remained basic in design and application. WT | Wearable Technologies wants to share the newest wearable products that can assist people who need a bit more independence in their everyday lives. Below are seven products that can enhance the life of a person living with loss of sight.
What about electronic glasses that enable the blind to see? Now the invisible can become hearable with Horus Technology. Horus observes, understands and describes reality to the wearer. For example, Horus can detect objects, read text, detect faces, provide a spoken interface, and mobility assistance. This technology assists the wearer by providing real-time information. Horus uses bone conduction, therefore not obstructing the hearing of the person. Yet, the wearer can still hear Horus when need be.
Likewise, eSight is producing another headset that allows the blind to see. Their goal is to enable all visual impaired people to live a life filled with education and independent employment. Now how do they do that?! eSight enhancing the quality of the image reaching the eye to have more data and trigger and increased reaction from the cells in the eye; thus improving the data sent from the eye to the brain. This includes peripheral sight. The hardware incorporated in the headset is HD camera, OLED screens, real-time video capturing, and a separate processing unit.
In addition, OrCam is an intuitive portable device with a smart camera designed to assist people who are visually impaired. The product works by connecting a smart camera to the frame of your glasses, and placing a micro-processor into your pocket. OrCam harness the power of Artificial Vision to give people a sense of sight with an audio earpiece. The wearer just points to an object and OrCam responds! It can read, recognize faces and objects.
In 2014 Microsoft partner with The Future Cities Catapult, The Cities Unlocked and Guide Dogs for the Blind in order to build assistive technology to benefit blind people with wearable technology. Together they made a headset. Their goal is to provide comfort in the streets for people who cannot see; by designing the urban landscape into an inclusive, interactive environment. The headset uses basic technology: GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, audio, a camera all working with an Arduino microcontroller. However I will not be available for purchase for two or three years. This is because the headset works in unison with a Smart City. Urban infrastructure would need to rapidly evolve in order to accompany the headset. This means creating a public internet of things. Thus, making life easier for the wearer by completing simple tasks; like clicking the crosswalk button, or informing the wearer that is trash day so be wary of trashcans on the sidewalk.
What about ditching the white stick cane and walking with no accessory? That’s the questions Lechal had when designing the world’s first haptic footwear. The footwear interacts with the wearer by indicating directions with small vibrations under the foot. Deigned to be ideal for people with visual impairments because it is hands-free, and audio-free; yet you can control the app via voice control. The footwear is supported without data connection, therefore can provide directions with no mobile services. It supports all forms of transportation, for example cycling, walking, driving, and public transportation. The wearer can create their own short cuts, and pin important locations. The soles also work as a fitness tracker. They go the extra distance by donating part of the proceeds from Lechal sale to provide a pair of soles for a visually-challenged person. The soles are now available for pre-order sales.
Intact dbGLOVE is an interactive, wireless glove for legal blind and deaf-blind people. It mimics Malossi and Braille to enable easy digital communication. Messages sent to a smartphone, translated into speech, or over the internet. Replies are sent to the dbGLOVE, which translates letters into vibrations that stimulate touch cues onto the hand. Intact’s goal is to give a bit of independent living to those that cannot read the words on a screen.
Lastly we have an app for blind people to use on their smartwatch. ViaOpta Nav gives voice commands for directions. Text to Speech is enabled for the wearer to state their final destination. The watch then replies with turn-by-turn walking instructions. The app also notifies the wearer is there is a detour. ViaOpta Nav is now available in the apple store and google play.
For now it seems as though engineers believe the best way to assist those who cannot seen perfectly is to provide them with basic voice controlled directions. However, there is hope that artificial intelligence will provide the appropriate technology to give more accessibility to the visually impaired. Within the next few years we should expect the blind population to feel more comfortable within their interactions with society, thanks to wearable technology.
Polar's Loop 2, the second in the company's line of entry-level fitness tracker, improves upon the original in every way. It retains the bare bones aesthetic, but modernizes the material and software.
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Samsung may introduce its first round smartwatch soon. The device may sport a rotating bezel, a crown-shaped power button, and 3G support. Here's everything we think we know about it so far.
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Type "iWatch" into Google's search engine and you'll likely see an ad from Apple pointing you to a page for its Apple Watch. That may sound reasonable enough, but an Ireland-based software company that owns the iWatch trademark in Europe isn't happy.
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Commercial success has been hard to come by for wearable tech devices. The original Google Glass is just one example of a number of consumer-facing products that struggled to marry form with function until they were finally pulled from shelves. In some cases, sleek product designs haven’t been able to fully answer for a lack of utility, and more functional wearable devices have lacked the aesthetic appeal needed for widespread use. Concerns over cost and practicality continue to stymie the growth of wearables.
But hope springs eternal for wearable technology in the enterprise. With plans to improve sound quality and battery life, the recently announced Google Glass 2 aims to switch gears and target more enterprise customers. When tech giants like Google (a pioneer in wearables) make the switch to the enterprise, there’s no denying where the real potential for wearable tech lies.
Here are three industries that present wearable technology with the biggest opportunities for expansion through business-to-business applications.
Healthcare
Sensor-embedded wearable technology has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of medical care. Hospitals around the country are already implementing solutions like the Leaf Patient Monitoring System, a wireless sensor that enables doctors and nurses to monitor a patient’s position and movement. The system then sends alerts to the hospital staff whenever a patient needs to be repositioned according to his or her prescribed turn schedule in order to minimize the risk of pressure ulcers.
Such devices not only promote safety and efficiency in hospitals, but also aid in managing patients’ medical records. For example, Proteus Discover uses a wearable patch to keep track of important medical information needed to determine the best course of treatment. Whether in New York or Los Angeles, these wearable devices make patient medical histories more portable than ever before.
While increased access to accurate medical information has its benefits, questions regarding the security of such data still remain. If wearable devices with medical sensors are to ever gain a foothold in the healthcare industry, more must be done to assure patients their medical history is well-guarded.
Supply Chain
A lack of success in the consumer market doesn’t mean smart glasses can’t make an impact in the enterprise. Warehouse workers can optimize inventory management, quality control and site security with smart glasses such as those from Vuzix, which provide a real-time stream of data needed to monitor and improve processes on the factory floor.
Even offsite personnel can stay up to date on everything happening by watching a live video recording from the point of view of warehouse workers as they perform machine diagnostics and quickly scan shelves to pull, package and ship orders.
A few obstacles still stand in the way of widespread adoption of smart glasses in manufacturing. Claims of greater speed and efficiency hold no merit without a guarantee that smart glasses can gather the correct information manufacturers need. Once that data is collected, it must also be presented in a way that’s understandable and intuitive for all workers. Before smart glass make their way to warehouses around the world, more needs to be done to ensure their accuracy and reliability.
Military
Aside from serving the supply chain industry, smart glasses and body cameras have already found a home in the military. Wearable optical displays from companies like Six15 Technologies represent one of the ways in which wearable technology can keep soldiers on the ground as safe as possible. For instance, smart glasses allow commanders to use the soldier’s line of sight to provide consistent feedback during a mission, while also relaying new information to the solider in an effort to increase his or her situational awareness and reduce troop and civilian casualties.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has taken wearable technology in the military to even greater heights by introducing lightweight suits capable of reducing soldiers’ fatigue in battle.
In order to make it out of the factory and onto soldiers, these devices must be both durable and unobtrusive. As in the medical sector, data security and reliability of Internet-connected wearables present two other major challenges to adoption. With military technology, any sort of malfunction or glaring error can potentially place one or more lives in danger.
Since bursting onto the scene, wearable technology has struggled to keep up with the expectations and demands of consumers. The enterprise, however, holds a number of untapped opportunities for wearable tech. With the right improvements, business-to-business applications in healthcare, the supply chain and the military can help wearable technology reach the mass marketization we’ve been waiting for.
About the Author
Andrew is a Partner and Senior Account Director at Walker Sands Communications, a full-service marketing and tech public relations firm based in Chicago. Andrew leads the company’s wearable technology practice area and oversees strategic programs that sit at the intersection of media relations, content development and digital marketing. To learn more, visit www.walkersands.com.
Good deals are easy to come by, but finding great deals is a different story. Here are our favorite deals highlighting Amazon Prime Day, from cameras to high-res audio players.
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Hooray, it's Amazon's Prime Day! Deals, excitement, and more are promised from the online retailer, and the world can't wait. Except behind all this, Prime Day has a more insidious purpose, and people are in danger of forgetting it.
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People were blown away with 3D printing and the possibly it unleashed for prototyping. Now, we can print metals onto flexible circuits to create printed batteries! Printing batteries is similar in concept to 3D printing, but possibly more powerful in application. Flexible, skinny batteries are the innovation necessary to implement wearables into the Internet of Things.
Enfucell OY spoke at our 14th WT | Wearable Technologies Conference in Munich, Germany this past February. They introduced SoftBattery; a disposable, thin and flexible printed power source. It can be used for pharmaceutical and cosmetic wearable bio-patches, wireless medical and logistic sensors, or functional smart packaging. The SoftBattery comes in three different sizes with three different voltages. The process is environmentally friendly. Now you can supercharge your future!
Varta MicroBattery provides the WT ecosystem with the battery for renewable energy. They were a speaking exhibitor at our 16th WT | Wearable Technologies conference in San Francisco; they also sponsor our Innovation World Cup. Besides manufacturing batteries, Varta engineers products for the IoT; batteries, cells, power packs, H2 cells, and hearing aids. Their super skinny, light weight lithium prismatic battery is ideal for wearable products.
#CoinPower – VARTA’s Lithium rechargeable cells – best in the market for #Bluetooth #Wearables http://t.co/Bltc75ZXti http://pic.twitter.com/rmzTgQm6PA
— VARTA (@VARTAbatteryUSA) 25. Juni 2015
EnFilm, thin film batteries produced by ST life augmented, a re-chargeable solid-state battery. This battery differs from others because it has a life time of 10 years. It features a LiCoO2 cathode and a LiPON ceramic electrolyte and lithium anode. EnFilm is certified, and safe to use within the Energy of Things. ST life augmented is also WT | Innovation World Cup partner. We are now accepting submissions to the 2015/16 competition; click here for more info.
Imprint Energy is a start-up company founded in 2010. They have developed ZincPoly™, a rechargeable battery from Berkeley, California. ZincPoly™ enables production of ultrathin, flexible, high energy density rechargeable batteries for a low price. The development of this battery allows for wearable designers to enhance the possibilities and decreased hazardous battery material. Imprint Energy sells ZincPoly™ as a customized product.
Jenax developed a bendable, twistable, foldable, and wearable battery! The application possibilities are limitless with J.Flex. You can acquire the battery in any size. The material can withstand extreme environmental conditions. The flexible battery is safe; therefore it can be used within wearable technology. You can contact them for customization. Below is a video demonstrating how the versatile and durable the flexible battery is.
Graphene 3D Labs released a 3D printed battery in October 2014. This printed battery can reach the same voltage as AA batteries. Since it is 3D printed, you can print the battery in a single print with any shape you need. However, because it is 3D printed it is not as flexible as other innovative batteries. Yet, it is fast production of prototyping devices.
Arizona State University, USA has experimented with ingenious ways to create stretchable ion batteries. They are inspired by the art of kirigami, paper folding. With this skill one can fold, bend and stretch a battery with no negative effects. This prototype is ready for mass production. The students that worked on this project are Hongyu Yu, Zeming Song, and Xu Wang.
Similarly, the same research has been conducted at Binghamton University in New York. They have proven that one can print the appropriate organic material onto paper and then fold the paper, like origami, to create a durable battery. Since this material is organic it is biodegradable. Paper is also absorbent, so you do not need any other materials to hold the chemicals in place. An air-breathing cathode is sprayed on nickel to one side of the paper, and the anode is screen printed carbon paint. Making the cheapest battery; at a cost of nearly 5 cents.
There is no hiding that batteries are necessary for storing energy for wearable devices. How this energy is derived is one problem. The other is how to package the energy into an efficient, practical power source. Inventing skinny and flexible batteries for wearable products will endorse consumers to trust themselves to not break the product. The majorities of people are not accustomed to gentle movement when wearing technology in their clothing; just think about how many phones are dropped into toilets. Providing them with ubiquitous, smart technology will simplify their daily routine. It all starts with the battery.
The Pebble Time Steel was just unveiled on stage at MWC by CEO, Eric Migicovsky. It's another version of the recently launched Pebble Time and is available for pre-order at Kickstarter now.
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For the next version of Android Wear, Google may introduce several new features, including a watch-to-watch communication method called Together, and a new single screen tap control.
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Today’s technology world is certainly one that is evolving and is also bringing some of the most innovative products that have ever come to the market. One of those new technologies is energy harvesting. Energy harvesting is the process of taking energy from external sources such as the sun, thermal means, or even kinetic ways and storing that energy to have it transferred to any mobile device. This market is one that is breaking new ground and has consumers and engineers alike looking very much to the future. The following is a look at some of the energy harvesting technologies that are out there and the companies who are bringing these products to the consumer public.
First off is a look at a Chicago, Illinois based energy harvesting company called Ampy. The main energy harvesting product that they have is one called Ampy Move. Ampy Move is touted as the world’s smallest wearable motion changer. Basically what a person does is wear the Ampy Move on the arm and with your movement it generates energy which can then be transferred to any mobile device. Not only that but you can just slip the Ampy Move into your pocket and it still is able to harness energy.
As long as your smartphone has a USB 2.0 or 3.0 connector, it can be charged by the Ampy Move. The Ampy Move is the size of about a deck cards and weighs about the same as a smartphone. The Ampy Move can power a smartphone up to 1 hour at regular use and 5 hours on standby. Smartwatches can get power up to 24 hours. The Ampy Move is in a pre-order status and can be found at their website at getampy.com. Retail price has been set at $99.
SolePower uses the promotional tagline of ‘powering the future, one step at a time’. Basically what we have here is an energy harvesting device that attaches to the shoe and harvests energy for your mobile device. A special SolePower EnSole is inserted into a shoe and are water resistant and made to work in any kind of environment.
Every time a heel strikes the sole generates the power and sends it to the PowerPac connection which is outside of the shoe. There is a fabric holster that houses the PowerPac and it is this device that the USB charging can take place to the mobile device. This is another product that is in a pre-order status and the suggested retail price currently is at $199.99 and can be found at their company website at solepowertech.com.
These days are certainly good ones at Apple. With record breaking sales of the iPhone 6 and now the Apple Watch on the market, the company now is the wealthiest cash money company in the world at nearly $200 billion with nearly $800 billion in total assets. The company is also working on energy harvesting technology with a new patent they have been awarded back in March titled ‘Fuel Cell System to Power a Portable Computing Device’.
This fuel cell system is one that will take materials such as hydrogen and other fuel source types and converting it into energy that can then be used to power mobile devices, laptops, and other iOS devices. This is a system that critics believe could give battery life to devices for days. With the way that Apple operates and their reputation for innovation, it could be very soon when a fuel cell energy harvesting product could be on the market.
microGen Systems, Inc. is a company that develops solutions for wireless and mobile electronic devices. They develop micro-sensors and micro-power products. Two products geared toward the energy harvesting market that they have developed are the single frequency Bolt micro-power generator and the VIBE generator which stands for Vibration Induced Broadband Excitation. VIBE is able to generate energy through vibrations.
These energy harvesting solutions are ones that are low frequency and the company is now working on integrated self powered functions for devices as well. microGen has been around since 2007 and has a headquarters based in Rochester, New York. They also do work in association with Cornell University as well.
Ricoh is a company that has been in the technology business for a long time and they have a well deserved reputation. Several weeks ago the company announced that they have created an energy harvesting product that is called ‘Energy-Generating Rubber’. What this rubber does is converts pressure and vibration into electric energy and it is able to do that with a very high rate of efficiency. Piezoelectric ceramics is the main product and ingredient that makes the rubber do its job.
The ceramic based material is one that is very flexible and is a sheet material. The rubber will be developed for utility purposes as that is what ceramics are used for. The Energy-Generating Rubber can be used in small places and large ones and its flexibility makes it so versatile. Ricoh has also said that they plan on contributing to the future of information technology with their new rubber product so it could certainly be very soon when Energy-Generating Rubber becomes something of the norm.
K3OPS is looking to revolutionize the world of electronic batteries with their RF energy harvesting batteries. The batteries are developed and designed to take ambient radiation and convert it into direct current power that can be utilized. K3OPS likes to pride itself in this clean energy solution because it eliminates any kind of electrochemical device that is currently used to convert chemical energy into usable electric energy. It has long been known that today’s batteries have caustic and harmful chemicals in them and they can prove to be dangerous to the environment.
These clean energy batteries also does not have to rely on natural resources such as nickel, zinc, or lithium which are products that have commonly been used in batteries. K3OPS also has a smartphone case like the one by Nikola Labs that converts signals into energy in order for a longer lasting battery. This company and their products have yet to come to the general consumer public and the founders are now displaying at some of the major international trade shows to get more exposure to K3OPS.
Company Energous Corporation has developed WattUp, a technology that will change your portable electronic devices wireleslly. WattUp works with a wide variety of electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, wearables and much more.It is based on a Radio Frequency (RF) system that delivers wire-free charging energy at a distance of up to 5m from a transmitter to a receiver device. The company claims that WattUp transmitter can handle 12 receiver devices at any given time.
Nikola Labs is a company that is in the process of conducting a KickStarter campaign to fund a product that will convert an RF signal, BlueTooth signal, and WiFi signal into DC energy through an energy harvesting circuit. The product can be seen on their website but where they are still in a money raising and crowd funding status, not much else is really known about the company. Nikola Labs officials have released an official press release in which they save that currently they have been able to raise $1.25 million towards their product through KickStarter.
Ohio State University is also on board with helping develop and research this new energy harvesting technology. Nikola Labs has a vast array of investors and the company also received a $100,000 grant from the state of Ohio itself through their Technology Validation and Startup Fund. The main product is smartphone cases that again harvesting energy for battery life through the BlueTooth and WiFi signals from the phone. nikolalabs.co is where you can go to get more information about Nikola Labs and learn about how to contribute to their KickStarter campaign.
Humanoid type robots were things of fantasy decades ago but these days they are reality and have a lot of important functions. Society is starting to become more and more reliant on robots. StretchSense and their technology is one that is designed for this specialized market. The main product here is stretchable and flexible soft sensors that are developed in order to record stretch, bend, shear, and pressure.
These sensors work with these robotic exoskeletons and essentially are able to make these robots act and feel just like humans do. StretchSense engineers are hard at work at looking at other uses for their technology such as smart garments for sports to measure different vitals and incorporating them into driver seats so a person can get real time information about proper posture when driving a car. The sensors could also allow for a person to communicate with their vehicles as well. StretchSense products can be found at their company website at stretchsense.com and retail anywhere from $400 to $850.
NXP Semiconductors is in the energy harvesting market with their technology and innovation of Solid State RF energy. The solution that the company uses here is one that is supposed to replace bigger and larger energy generating sources with smaller ones that will be more effective and deliver a cleaner energy source and product. Their low energy and low frequency sensors are engineered to power things such as microwaves and stoves and even for car ignitions.
Light emitting plasma is also another thing that can be powered by the Solid State RF energy harvesting and generator technology from NXP Semiconductors. These sources are able to generate up to 1600 W of power which is a fair amount. NXP Semiconductors will certainly be a company that will play a huge role in the future of energy harvesting technology and the solutions and applications that they will display are certainly bound to be groundbreaking.
Finally we have Linear Technology. This company offers and sells a whole range of different energy harvesting products. Some of the technologies and energy harvesting products they have are solar, thermoelectric, and piezoelectric powered which help with the powering of all kinds of batteries. The technologies from Linear can help recharge and power batteries from AA right on up to low voltage batteries.
The company here is certainly one that offers just about everything there is to offer in the energy harvesting industry today. www.linear.com is the company website and it is here where potential customers can look at their inventory table and order online any of the solutions that they have for sale. Linear Technology has started to gain a very good reputation in the energy harvesting world and they certainly look to be a huge player in the near future in this special clean energy area.
Energy harvesting technology certainly looks to be a strong wave of the future. Everything from power generators that are fueled by kinetic energy and vibrations to plastic that can absorb energy and transfer it for use, the future is certainly bright for energy harvesting technology. Things that were part of the imagination decades ago have now become reality and that reality is one that is brighter and more optimistic than ever.
There is the possibility that the future could bring us a world of self charging batteries which means products will have eternal battery power which certainly would be better for the environment. When that day comes and energy harvesting becomes more of a household figure, it will be these companies here that will be acknowledged as being the forefathers of this most innovative technology.
A startup in Chicago has developed software that helps wearable devices quickly learn and discern specific motions. This has particularly compelling implications for people who wear fitness-tracking wristbands and smartwatches while working out.
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BioThane Coated Webbing’s G2 for a range of applications is flexible, lightweight, cleanable, durable and waterproof. It has antimicrobial and infection-control properties. Photo: BioThane Coated Webbing
Say “narrow fabric” and the average consumer may think of ribbon and zippers. The markets for narrow fabric manufacturers go far beyond those products, and with ongoing technological advances are broadening even further.
Carolina Narrow Fabric proves the point. Founded in 1929, the company based in Winston-Salem, N.C., didn’t start with an interest in the aerospace market, but that’s where it now is expending energy—and that means its products are soaring.
“With [their planes’] life spans coming up, Boeing and Airbus are as busy as ever,” says Jeffrey Freeman, Carolina Narrow Fabric’s president and CEO. “Capacity in the market cannot supply the aerospace industry with the needs they will have over the next five years.”
His company so believes in this market that it is applying to become an aerospace certified supplier. “We also are seeking 13485 ISO certification for orthopedic materials,” Freeman adds. “We are seeing growth in that market internationally.”
Offray Specialty Narrow Fabrics’ history dates back to 1876. In its third-century presence, the Bernardsville, N.J.-based company serves a range of market segments. “The most dynamic markets that we serve are industrial, aerospace and medical, followed by fire/safety and military,” says Timothy Offray, business development manager.
“Remote monitoring, management of the body condition and use of high-performance fibers to enhance safety are key in these market segments. Our materials are engineered to service high-performance textile applications. Many of our products are composed of high-performance fibers, such as Kevlar®, Nomex®, PBI®, Dyneema®, Spectra®, Vectran® and more. E-textiles and smart fabrics are the two leading solutions that are directly related to the growth of advanced technology,” Offray says.
Murdock Webbing Co. Inc. of Central Falls, R.I., is working with several of those high-performance fibers, as well as with NanoSphere® from Schoeller Technologies of Switzerland. Murdock Webbing was founded in 1936 to weave venetian blind tape, but during World War II expanded into the military market, which it still serves with some of its more technologically advanced products.
“We do a wide array of camouflage patterns in a unique manner,” says Greg Pilgrim, chief operating officer. While most companies print camouflage patterns onto fabric, Murdock Webbing has developed a woven jacquard that meets infrared ratings and features night vision breakup.
“If you look through night-vision goggles, there’s a distortion to the webbing so it doesn’t look like a clean line,” Pilgrim explains. “In older days, solid-color webbing would look like a stripe across a bulletproof vest or backpack. With the camouflage pattern coming to fruition, it blends with the material. It has high, low and medium colors that reflect differently.”
AEC Narrow Fabrics’ wire harnesses group and protect electrical wire and signal assemblies for the automotive, aerospace and electronics industries. Photo: AEC Narrow Fabrics
Material advances
Even with reliable demand, a company needs to continue tweaking its product line in today’s fluid, globally connected world. For example, BioThane Coated Webbing of North Ridgeville, Ohio, recently developed a lacing product for the sporting goods market—a product designed to replace leather and nylon, which tend to fray and get dirty. But shoelaces aren’t BioThane’s sole step into narrow fabrics with advanced technology.
“We developed our G2 coating technology that is being used in the medical and safety markets,” says Ethan Boron, president. “It is extremely thin, so it feels soft and flexible, yet it is still cleanable, durable and waterproof, like our G1 coating. We are preparing to launch a line of coated tubular products and fire-retardant products for fire and aerospace uses.”
According to Boron, BioThane was the first company to begin coating narrow webbing (in 1977), and it has developed all of the markets it’s in “from scratch,” he says.
Industrial, automotive, medical, military and fire/safety markets are all seeking the most technologically advanced narrow fabrics from AEC Narrow Fabrics of Asheboro, N.C. The company is developing lighter weight, fire-retardant and abrasion-resistant textiles for military, automotive and aerospace customers.
“We are working hard to develop new, innovative fabrics that address these opportunities in effective ways,” says Gifford Del Grande, director.
“The narrow fabric market is most definitely experiencing change as products and materials are becoming more sophisticated and as engineers incorporate textile performance attributes into product design,” Offray says.
“The narrow fabric industry in the United States is beginning to capitalize on the new and diverse uses of webbings and tapes,” he adds. “Performance-based applications are directed toward medical solutions: lighter weight products that don’t compromise performance or tensile strength, flammability, elongation and toxicity standards.”
In addition to the military market, Murdock Webbing serves industrial clients with technologically advanced webbing for fall protection, including self-retracting lanyards, a newer style of deceleration device. With life and limb at risk, energy absorption is critical; and this is an area, Pilgrim says, in which his company has focused development, especially using Dyneema for a lower profile while maintaining tensile strength.
“New fiber choices tend to open up some small markets,” Pilgrim says, giving search-and-rescue applications as an example. He thinks changes for narrow fabric manufacturers, which he considers a mature industry, will be on the niche level. And while his own company does not serve the medical industry, he sees that as a growing market for those that do.
For casts that protect broken bones while they heal, AEC Narrow Fabrics adds to polyester fabric a resin that softens with water and then dries to a hard finish. Photo: AEC Narrow Fabrics
Carolina Narrow Fabric is focusing on advanced composites for its aerospace, military, marine and recreation clientele. And, Freeman says, “The economy in general has been better, so there are a lot of repairs being made. It could be new construction, concrete repair or corrosion resistance on structures. There’s a lot to be done in the construction market, and advanced composites are showing some real growth there.”
“Then you have some pipeline markets that have come out. People are talking about the Keystone Pipeline. I think that will create jobs for textiles,” he says, referring to the use of narrow fabrics to seal and reinforce natural gas pipelines.
“There are new materials out there for composites, allowing different systems to evolve. They’re comingling fibers, exploring different combinations and what kind of properties they offer,” Freeman says.
“New materials often have properties that permit combining current fabric technology with new fibers, resins or fabric treatments,” adds James Snipes, Carolina Narrow Fabric’s vice president of product development and engineering.
“We see growth and technological advances in composites. As the country becomes more energy independent, the clear advantages of weight-to-strength of composites will result in greater usage in automotive and aerospace. Infrastructure improvements, including pipeline repair and structural improvements ranging from bridges to buildings, will become routine,” Snipes says.
Del Grande agrees that composite textiles are key for developing narrow fabric markets. “They can provide enhanced thermal, mechanical and/or electrical features within the context of woven or knitted narrow fabrics used in many industries,” he says.
The promising future
“Improvements [in the narrow fabric products market] likely will evolve as users become more advanced,” Snipes says. “Usually the demand for change starts with the original equipment manufacturers, and we develop fabrics that can meet the requested changes. The usage and modification of carbon fabrics with thermoplastic fibers will continue to replace other materials.”
“Most people do carbon-fiberglass composites. Carolina Narrow Fabric is producing a carbon-carbon material,” Freeman says. More recently, the company has been developing a product that blends fiberglass and the polyfiber Innegra™ for an advanced application that Freeman expects will be announced in early 2016.
“There is opportunity for growth in all narrow fabric markets if narrow fabric manufacturers develop useful technologies that address safety and performance,” Del Grande says. “For example, in the fall-restraint market, construction workers can have a better on-the-job experience wearing a harness that is lighter, safer and more comfortable.”
“Narrow fabrics that protect and simplify the inner workings of machinery, seatbelts that warn drowsy drivers and swimsuit elastic that changes color when more sunscreen is needed may be dreams today and hot products in the not-too-distant future,” Del Grande speculates.
“Innovation is always going on. The key is to get to the right people within each market who are helping drive change,” he says. “I’m a believer in networking and establishing long-lasting relationships. Those relationships can be useful in identifying the influencers and decision makers in various markets.”
Murdock Webbing Co. Inc.’s woven jacquard webbing in the Kryptek’s Highlander™ pattern was used on a pack fabricated by Kifaru International. Photo: Murdock Webbing Co. Inc.
Offray thinks the growth in technologically advanced textile markets will be in “anything that monitors the body’s performance and condition,” including garments for sports and personal protection, as well as remote patient-monitoring apparel, work wear with communication systems and space suits.
“We are on the edge of ‘what could be’ as technology is evolving,” Offray says. “Textile structures will become more complex, and the use of high-performance fibers and smart coatings with innovative, added properties will grow exponentially.”
“As markets change, you have people trying to get into new and different applications and trying to find another avenue to pursue. So you will see some new players coming on,” Freeman predicts. “There’s a need for some capacity in those markets on the composite side of things. I think you will see companies growing and diversifying.”
Pilgrim notes the consolidation of several narrow fabric manufacturers as they strive to gain bigger footholds into market share. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t more consolidation,” he says. “The [narrow fabrics] industry in the United States continues to consolidate,” Boron agrees. “The remaining players are very capable and competitive. You must find ways to grow and compete on a global scale. New product and market development seem to be a point of emphasis with the remaining companies.
“We think things will continue to push toward smaller, lighter, finer, while increasing or adding attributes,” he says. “It should be a fun ride.”
Janice Kleinschmidt is a freelance writer based in Santa Monica, Calif.