Face it
Forget the passwords, the fingerprints, the multiple layers of sign-in, the credit cards and, eventually, the keys to your house and car. A handful of laptops and mobile devices can now read facial features, and the technique is about to get a boost from specialized hardware small enough to fit into phones, reports the Wall Street Journal. Qualcomm Inc. introduced its Spectra imaging system, which can extract depth information from objects, including faces. The company plans to include the technology in a forthcoming generation of its flagship Snapdragon mobile processors. Meanwhile, when firmware for Apple Inc.’s forthcoming HomePod speaker leaked online, developers spotted clues suggesting that an upcoming iPhone might have similar depth perception and facial recognition. Depth-sensing technology, generally called “structured light,” sprays thousands of tiny infrared dots across a person’s face or any other target. By reading distortions in this field of dots, the camera gathers super accurate depth information. Because the phone’s camera can see infrared but humans can’t, such a system could allow the phone to unlock in complete darkness.
Made-for-iPhone cochlear implant processor
Cochlear Limited introduced the Cochlear Nucleus 7 Sound Processor. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June, the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is a made-for-iPhone cochlear implant sound processor said to be the smallest and lightest behind-the-ear cochlear implant sound processor available on the market. With the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, people with a Cochlear Nucleus Implant can stream sound directly from a compatible iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch directly to their sound processor. They will also be able to control, monitor and customize their hearing on their iPhone or iPod Touch through the Nucleus Smart App, available to download for free from the App Store.
More data than dirt
The Roomba robotic vacuum has been whizzing across floors for years, but its future may lie more in collecting data than dirt, reports CNBC. That data is of the spatial variety: The dimensions of a room as well as distances between sofas, tables, lamps and other home furnishings. To a tech industry eager to push “smart” homes controlled by a variety of Internet-enabled devices, that space is the next frontier. Smart home lighting, thermostats and security cameras are already on the market, but Colin Angle, chief executive of Roomba maker iRobot Corp. says they are still dumb when it comes to understanding their physical environment. He thinks the mapping technology currently guiding top-end Roomba models could change that and is basing the company’s strategy on it. “There’s an entire ecosystem of things and services that the smart home can deliver once you have a rich map of the home that the user has allowed to be shared,” said Angle.
Battery boost
Batteroo Inc., maker of the Batteroo Boost sleeve, which extends the usable life of disposable batteries, introduced two new products that enable rechargeable batteries to not only be compatible in alkaline-only devices, but also deliver more consistent battery lifecycles with every charge. ReBoost SmartSleeve is a microthin sleeve that fits over rechargeable batteries and is said to bring together the reusability and sustainability benefits of rechargeables with the peak performance of alkaline batteries. Batteroo ReBoost SmartShell allows consumers to use AA/AAA rechargeable batteries in C/D alkaline-only devices, eliminating the need to buy single-use batteries. Four AAA rechargeable batteries can be used in place of C batteries while D batteries can be replaced by three AA rechargeables. www.batterooreboost.com
Moms and dads: This one’s for you!
A message for parents of kids 5-12: Committee for Children announced the launch of Mind Yeti for Android, adding to its current iPhone and desktop applications. The free app teaches mindfulness skills to kids using kid-friendly characters and stories, designed to help them calm down, focus and connect better with the people around them. www.cfchildren.org
Smart door locks
Annual unit sales of smart door locks will reach 1.68 million by 2021, according to consumer-technology research firm Parks Associates. Annual sales revenues from smart door locks are expected to exceed $357 million in the same year, up from $207 million in 2017. But there are barriers to adoption, most notably, cost. Many consumers cannot justify the disparity in prices between connected (average price $220) and conventional, non-connected models ($80 to $100). Consumers may also have concerns over the security of wirelessly connected locks.
Making eyes at you
GlassesUSA.com, an online retailer for prescription eyewear, has added Gucci, Michael Kors, Chloe, Diane Von Furstenberg and Calvin Klein to its collection of frames, offering the latest and trendiest models at competitive prices. And by leveraging the brand’s Virtual Mirror, online guests can try on and find the perfect fit based on face shape, style, etc.
Friday night lights
ScoreStream, a crowd-sourcing platform for live local sports, and media company iHeartMedia have entered into a partnership to provide real-time scores and coverage of high school sports across the country through iHeartMedia’s Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN) and 24/7 News Division. The new partnership combines the reach of TTWN and 24/7 News and its more than 200 million monthly listeners across more than 200 markets with ScoreStream’s crowd-sourcing platform for sports fans, giving access and building awareness that real-time high school and local sports scores and content is available to consumers across the country. www.scorestream.com
Keeping up with upgrades
LiftForward, a Hardware-as-a-Service provider, announced that its partnership with Microsoft has expanded. The former subscription program Surface Membership has been rebranded to Surface Plus for Business, and it offers customers an upgrade feature to the newest models upon their release. Customers can purchase Surface Plus for Business by visiting any of Microsoft’s physical stores in U.S. or online. www.microsoft.com/surfaceplusforbusiness.