Smart shirt, smart gift
Ho hum … we hope you aren’t thinking of giving that special someone the standby shirt-and-tie this holiday. But, if a shirt it is – and if the production of smartshirt TruPosture is finalized in time – that very well may be a smart gift move this season! Recently, Los Angeles, Calif.-based Adela Health launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $50,000 to finalize production of TruPosture, created by Dan Ikoyan, a product development engineer looking to address his own bad posture, according to the Chicago Tribune. Especially designed for cubicle dwellers or sales reps stuck behind the wheel all afternoon, TruPosture sends small zaps reminding the wearer to sit up straight. The lycra shirt’s patented multi-sensor technology reportedly tracks the alignment of the entire spine, training the wearer with visual feedback and vibrations to maintain ideal posture. The shirt features multiple training modes – including sitting, standing, stretching and custom – integrated Bluetooth and a rechargeable battery. Available in a variety of sizes and styles. For more information, visit http://truposture.com/#introducing
Error free
There’s no room for error during surgery. Which is why Chicago-based health tech startup Vizr Tech has developed software for Google Glass, tablets and various monitors, designed to remind surgeons what they need to know during a procedure, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Visual Information Zonal Reminder software – designed to help surgeons keep track of time – provides them with visual lists and reminders. If memorization and timing are removed from the process, surgeons are freed up to focus completely on the procedure at hand, notes president and CEO Richard Buchler. In addition, the wearable technology may just impact the accuracy and direction of procedures. For example, in the near future, it may enable doctors to reconstruct and superimpose images onto what they were seeing – a move that could possibly change the outcome of the surgery for better. For more information visit http://www.vizrtech.com.
Ace
GAME GOLF has introduced GAME GOLF LIVE, a wearable, real-time automatic shot tracker for iOS and Android smartphone platforms. GAME GOLF LIVE incorporates a number of features, including Strokes Gained Analysis, which offers golfers practice tips and enables them to compare their play against the data of a scratch golfer. The system incorporates a GPS device, which communicates with sensor tags attached to the top of the grip on each club. GAME GOLF LIVE’s mapping system includes Google Maps, Apple Maps and BING Maps, as well as a course rangefinder. All playing history and statistics are automatically backed up online. Players are able to share their rounds via email, Facebook and Twitter.
Big idea, small package
InFocus Corporation has introduced Kangaroo, a Windows 10 Mobile Desktop™ PC said to work with any screen and fit in one’s pocket. By connecting Kangaroo to a mouse, keyboard and monitor, or to an iPad, the user can access all Windows 10 desktop programs and files. The flip of a switch facilitates access in the absence of WiFi. The device uses Intel Cherrytrail™ (Z8500) SOC, and includes an on-board battery, which provides up to four hours of use, and a standalone Kangaroo Dock with port access for HDMI and USB. Users connect a Kangaroo Dock to existing screens and devices – from iPads and PC monitors to television screens and projectors – for anytime, anywhere access to Windows 10, Microsoft Office and personal files. Kangaroo has 32GB of storage, but can be upgraded for additional storage with a large-capacity microSD card. The device retails at $99.
Get charged!
If you are out holiday shopping this season and need to charge your phone, think Under Armour, Neiman Marcus, Rite Aid, Nordstrom or Bloomingdales. Retailers such as these now offer ChargeItSpot® charging stations at brand house locations in at least 17 states. ChargeItSpot® kiosks are said to be fully customizable and (even better) enable the retailer to follow up with electronic advertising to all users.
Smart home monitoring
A lot can happen at home while you’re out on sales calls. VTech® Communications, Inc. has launched its Wireless Monitoring System with Cordless Telephone and Garage Door and Open/Closed Sensors (VC7151-109), providing homeowners an affordable home monitoring technology said to be easy to install and use. The system features smart home capabilities, including a garage door sensor designed to alert homeowners when their garage door – or for that matter – their cabinets, doors and windows – are left open. The system provides both visual and auditory notifications throughout the home, and alerts can be set to go off every time a status change is detected, or according to user-selected parameters. In addition to smart home monitoring capabilities, the VTech VC7151-109 is also a telephone with built-in answering system, and homeowners can check the status of the security sensors via the phone feature. The system is expandable up to five cordless handsets and 400 sensors.
Window to the world
In the next several years, it appears that more and more cutting edge consumers will own a smart camera, according to Future Market Insights’ new market research report, Smart Camera Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015- 2020. According to the reports, the global smart camera market is expected to see a compounded annual growth rate of 23.84 percent through 2020. Thanks to technological advancements in smart camera technology (e.g., innovations in CMOS image sensors, embedded system designs, smart lenses and chip manufacturing), as well as advancements in home and industrial automation, smart cameras are used for much more than just taking pictures. They provide home surveillance and monitoring purposes, as well, among other uses.