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Hammacher Schlemmer is selling wearable metal detectors that let you find buried treasure with your feet. The 9v battery powered coil straps to your calf. Using a coil built into the sole, the sandal is said to have a detection depth of up to 2 feet. LEDs, speakers and a vibration motor alert the wearer of potential treasure. For $59.95, get started today.
For the hearing and vision impaired, the world can be very limiting. Silent Call tries to provide a level of freedom for these people. The Silent Touch provides visual and vibration for certain events. Events such as doorbell, phone, smoke alarm, fire alarm, burglar alarm trigger the watch to activate within a 300 foot range.This watch works with the Sidekick II system from Silent Call. Silent Call has wake up alarms and mattress vibrators to alert the owner. The vibration changes with the type of alert. The Silent Touch watch sells for $150.00 and the charger for $117.65. A kit that includes the watch, charger, and bed vibrator costs $289.00.
Wearable tech is getting more and more common. Researchers at the Sungkyunkwan University in Korea and the University of Nevada (US) have developed a flexible tactile display that could be part of our clothing enabling us a more physical interaction with our electronic devices without relying on the visuals only. Ig Mo Koo, Hyouk Ryeol Choi, and co-authors from Sungkyunkwan University and the University of Nevada created an electro active polymer that can stimulate the skin without using any additional electromechanical transmission. The polymer sheet which consists of eight layers of dielectric elastomer actuator films is about 210 micrometers thick.The researchers fabricated an 11 x 14 mm sheet, rolled it up in the shape of a thimble to be worn on the finger with Velcro on the edges. ..read more
My Beating Heart pillow is the invention from Yury Gitman. Uses a humans natural comfort of the sound of a heartbeat as soothing sounds. As simple as this concept sounds, Gitman uses “secret sauce technology” to make the heart rate adaptive.Upon hugging, the pillow will beat for 20 minutes. It is powered by a single 9v battery and has the expected battery life of 6 to 12 months. Due to the success of the regular sized one, Gitman learned that these were often being used for children. Now a smaller version is offered. Prices range from $34.99 to $120.00
Talia Elena Radford Cryns, creator of Ergoskin, is a student at the University for Applied Arts, Industrial Design, in Vienna – Austria. This design assists the wearer with a push to reinforce proper posture. The nano sensors embedded in the fabric detect the posture and provide skin impulses to indicate the status.This technology is great for office workers who intend to have decent posture but over the course of a work day let that slip a little. This can also be used for rehabilitation and medical purposes. This is a really interesting item. I look forward to seeing this develop further.
Interactive textiles are finding ways to reach everywhere. Australia’s CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology has designed a interactive sleeve that is designed to help basketball players develop a shooting rhythm.It works by making rhythmic sounds that correspond with the shooting motion. Although this cannot be used in a game situation, it does help promote repetition and muscle memory. When the sounds play like disco drums, then the motion is correct.
This body mapping technology can lead to some interesting concepts down the road… stay tuned.
The 3rd Space Vest is one of the coolest new devices out right now. The 3rd Space vest is a vest for computer gamers that will allow them to physically feel feel game events such as getting hit, stabbed, or punched.
The 3rd Space Vest, is developed by TN Games and was unveiled last week at the E for All video game exposition in Los Angeles.The technology inside the 3rd Space Vest was originally designed for use as a medical device by Dr. Mark Ombrellaro, a US surgeon and CEO of TN Games. Ombrellaro was working on a way to give medical exams via the Internet to prisoners, the elderly, those in rural communities and people that live in isolated regions with very limited access to medical services.
The medical version ..read more
Behold the U-Met Rescue Helmet developed byTanizawa, a Japanese safety equipment manufacturer. They are showcasing what could be the life the saver device of the future! One of their models features a QVGA camera, GPS receiver, and a cell radio to transmit images and location data from emergency workers to a central station every 30 seconds. If wireless connection is not possible it can store images on an SD card…
The U-met, by Japanese safety equipment manufacturer Tanizawa, is designed to assist first responders to accidents and emergencies in coordinating their efforts and documenting the scene. One variation of the helmet uses a QVGA camera, GPS tracker, and FOMA cell radio to transmit images and location data from emergency workers to a central station every 30 seconds, while the ..read more