For people who are blind or visually impaired, reading is too often a matter of dependence on other people, either as readers or as translators into Braille. More than 3 million books are published annually in the U.S; only a small percentage of those are also published in Braille. Researchers at MIT are tackling the problem with the prototype FingerReader, which would allow … [Read more...]
About Pugi Kohl
In the Same Vein: New Recognition Technology from Samsung
Fingerprint and iris scanners might soon be old hat in the recognition game. Samsung’s recently published patent “Wearable Device and of Operating the Same” is for a wearable device that can identify a user by an image of her veins. The device takes a picture of your veins via a camera/infrared combination and compares it to a stored image. If they match, the device could be … [Read more...]
Wearable Coffee to Go
You know those jokes about taking your coffee by IV? Maybe they're not quite so far-fetched anymore. Joule is a bracelet with a time-release patch on its underside that releases a cup of coffee’s worth of caffeine over four hours. It's important to note: this is an Indiegogo project, so not only isn't it available yet, it doesn't really exist in the way that most of us … [Read more...]
Apple Watch App Keeps Drivers Awake at the Wheel
Falling asleep at the wheel and driving drowsy are major issues for the transportation industry, and a couple of companies are looking to wearables to alleviate the problem. One, which we've written about, is the SmartCap monitoring system, developed in Australia. Another is an app for the Apple Watch being developed by PeopleNet, a company specializing in fleet management … [Read more...]
Bluboo Xwatch: High Tech, Low Price, Non-Existence?
The Bluboo Xwatch from China is mighty full of possibility. It might run Android Wear. It might cost less than $100. It might look like the picture on Bluboo’s blog. It might be available this month. Then again, maybe not; reliable details are a little hard to get. The possible specs include a 1.2GHz processor with 4GB of storage and a 1.3-inch, 360x360 pixel display. It … [Read more...]
Myo Armband: Armed and Ready for Prosthetics
Thalmic Labs’s Myo Armband, which lets you control various devices by gesture, has been recognized from the beginning as a device with great potential. There are now apps to control electronic devices and services such as drones, Netflix, iTunes, keyboards, computer screens, and menus by hand and arm gestures. It’s not quite full Internet access by gesture and VR that Keanu … [Read more...]
Volvo and Microsoft Band Together
The Microsoft Band 2 received generally positive reviews when it first appeared as an efficient way to keep track of your health, email, workouts, and golf game. Now, thanks to a partnership between Microsoft and Volvo, it’s coming to your car. If you have a Volvo. And a Band 2 Those of you who currently fall into the small intersection of Volvo and Band owners will be … [Read more...]
Tech Takes on the Test Audience with “Revenant”
Over the years, Hollywood hype pushers have called movies riveting, thrilling, gripping, insert-your-own -ing here. Now the hypesters have some technology to back up their claims: 20th Century Fox recently used wearable tech wristbands on 100 audience members watching test screenings for the December 2015 release Revenant to gauge audience reaction. According to the … [Read more...]
Dr. Doolittle to Be Replaced by Technology
Anicall, a Japanese firm, has debuted an as yet unnamed pet translation device at the Wearable Expo in Tokyo. The collar, which will be available for both dogs and cats, analyzes 40 movements. Billed as something like a pet telepathy machine, it actually just tells your in-the-immediate-vicinity smartphone whether the pet is excited or happy, relaxed, wanting to play, or … [Read more...]
iTENS: Portable Pain Relief without Pills: CES
Chronic pain is an unwelcome and debilitating part of life for millions people, and the side effects from medications and therapies often just make things worse, adding nausea, fatigue, and possible drug dependency to the mix. iTENS, LLC, an Ohio-based company, is hoping to change that with Bluetooth-based electrotherapy. TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) … [Read more...]