Consider, if you will, this scenario: scientists searching for a flexible, stretchable material for wearable technology decide to use chewing gum—and it’s not even in the Twilight Zone. Here’s how it went: one scientist chewed gum (brand unspecified) for 30 minutes; some other scientists washed the gum with ethanol. After letting it sit overnight (perhaps on a bedpost), they … [Read more...]
MWC Day 1: ams and ST Team Up on Payment Chip Systems
If you follow the sensor and microelectronics business, you may know that ams and STElectronics are top-flight companies and strong rivals. But they announced at Mobile World Congress that they've teamed up for just this one thing: mobile payments. ST has a secure element that stores and encrypts payment data. ams has a lot of skill in antenna and NFC technology. So they … [Read more...]
Chris Dancy, With 700 Sensors, May Be “The Most Quantified Human”
Denver's Chris Dancy claims to be surrounded by 700 sensors, including the ones on his body, in his house, and on his dogs. It's possible that he's overdoing it, and it must take him forever to get through airport security, but he's clearly an interesting poster child for the Quantified Self movement. The Daily Mail, not the world's most restrained publication, has a long … [Read more...]
Apple Adds MedTech Execs to Wearables Team
One way to figure out what a company is up to is to keep an eye on who they hire or promote. The increasingly authoritative site 9to5Mac spotted a couple of key hires at Apple not just in the wearables area but in the very specialized area of MedTech sensors. This goes way beyond routine iWatch rumors. Something is up at Apple; when the iWatch finally does come out, there … [Read more...]