Wearable Electronics

December 14, 2007 Clocks and watches are one of the many product groups that stand to benefit from the utilization of Electronic Paper Displays (EPD). The latest example from the world of timepieces comes from Art Technology Ltd, which has embraced the benefits of EPD technology in its new range of Phosphor branded luxury watches. These watches utilize E Ink’s high contrast, wide viewing angle EPD technology to display time in analog or digital formats with the look of electronic paper which possesses much better contrast in high brightness situations than any emissive display. It can be read accurately and instantly from any angle, vastly improving on traditional liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and the use of an EPD allows users to customize the dial by selecting from a range of styles - from the precise detail of full numerals and indices to the simplicity of no markings at all.  Read More

November 16, 2007 Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset uses military grade technology called Noise Shield, which eliminates background noise and seamlessly adjusts speaker volume throughout the call to facilitate clear, uninterrupted conversations, even in extreme environments.  Read More

November 3, 2007 iSkin has bundled its TX transmitter and F1 headphones as the CERULEAN F1+TX, a Bluetooth audio package for iPod that enables wireless control and simultaneous connection to a mobile phone.  Read More

October 29, 2007 Perhaps the most critical tool in the face of disasters such as major fires is the ability to maintain communications – but the very nature of these events means that terrestrial systems are often an early casualty (through either overloading of the system or destruction of infrastructure), in turn exposing emergency personnel to an even greater level of danger. The I-GARMENT project is addressing this issue through the development of a full-bodied “smart suit” that combines protective materials with an array of sensors that monitor position and vital signals and wirelessly transmit the data back to base.  Read More

October 29, 2007 Seiko has launched a new range of "Kinetic" watches which automatically generate electrical energy through the wearer’s wrist movement. Now entering their third decade, the latest Kinetic incarnation offers a second winding function called “Direct Drive” which gives the wearer the option of winding the crown to power the device.  Read More

October 24, 2007 Outdoor sports instrument specialist Suunto has added the Suunto Core to its range of wristop computers. Billed as the “the ultimate instrument for any adrenaline-packed outdoor activity” the new ABC (altimeter, barometer, and compass) wristop includes a digital thermometer, altimeter, barometer, digital compass and a weather trend indicator incorporating a storm alarm that kicks-in when a rapid drop in air pressure is detected. Features new to the ABC line include a depth meter, sunrise and sunset timer, four language menu and the ability to automatically switch between altimeter and barometer depending on your level of activity.  Read More

October 16, 2007 Fujitsu has developed a new way to tag and track rentals and returns of uniforms using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. Tagfront uses UHF-band washable, soft linen RFID tags built into the uniforms to facilitate batch readings and enable more efficient real-time tracking of clothing inventories.  Read More

October 13, 2007 Mobile video eyewear supplier Myvu have unveiled their new universal edition, which supports mobile phones, portable DVD players and media players like Archos, Zen, and Microsoft’s Zune. Naturally the myvu universal also supports Apple’s ubiquitous iPod with out of the box support for any fifth generation video iPod and support for the newly introduced iPod touch, iPod nano and iPod classic coming later this fall thanks to an accessory cable that will be sold separately.  Read More

October 12, 2007 Citizen has displayed an innovative earthquake warning concept watch at CEATEC Japan 2007. Jointly developed with Rhythm Watch, the device combines an Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) receiver and an analog watch. The Seismic watch functions as an ordinary watch until it receives the EEW, which causes the hour hand to speed up based on the seismic intensity estimation, while the minute and second hands give the countdown time to the earthquake arrival.  Read More