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Wearables at CES 2014: A vision of the future

Wearables at CES 2014: A vision of the future

By Jamshed Avari | Updated: 19 March 2014 19:42 IST

The annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas is a prime testing ground for companies to debut new products and concepts. Many of the devices on display aren't anywhere near ready to be released into the market, and reactions from the press and public will help their manufacturers determine which trends will catch on and which will die without any fanfare. This year's big trend is undoubtedly wearable technology, and CES has been dominated by products of all shapes and sizes. Interestingly, the world's biggest technology companies find themselves competing against several previously unheard of names, including brand-new startups. It's a whole new frontier of consumer technology, and with no clear standards or market leaders yet, any of these companies could soon become a dominant force in the fight for the prime real estate on your face and wrists.

Watches

Already a fairly established name, Pebble launched a restyled version of its groundbreaking eponymous smartwatch, called the Pebble Steel. With far more refined, mainstream looks, the Steel should attract droves of new users. On the inside, it isn't significantly different from its predecessor, which means that all the same apps and watch faces-which you'll soon be able to download from Pebble's own app store-will run just as well on both models.

(Also see: Pebble launches Pebble Steel smartwatch; app store coming soon)

Looking to steal some of Pebble's thunder, Metawatch showed off a new line called Meta, created by former Vertu designer Frank Nuovo. Metawatch is gunning for the high end of the market, and although the device's capabilities aren't any better than the Pebble's, it is made out of premium metals, leather and glass.

China's ZTE came to the show with its own BlueWatch, most notable for its similarities to the original Pebble. It comes with nearly identical features, including the button layout and magnetic charging port, and even has similarly designed watch faces. ZTE however promises the design will improve before the BlueWatch ships, and it's promoting the device's upcoming social network integration and built-in pedometer.

Casio, no stranger to bulky digital watches, has also joined the smartwatch bandwagon with its STB-1000, which can pair with a smartphone and act as a fitness tracker in addition to showing notifications.

Intel had a prototype on display, although it has no clear plans to bring such a product to market itself. The device uses a colour LCD touchscreen and has its own SIM card for persistent Internet connectivity. GPS is also an important application, with users able to define "geofences" that alert the wearer or a parent, for example, if the watch leaves a predefined perimeter.

Wristbands

Apart from watches, sensor-laden bands are also competing for room on your wrist. Razer was exhibiting the Nabu, which has a small screen and another panel of indicators, but is designed as a fitness tracker and future input device for augmented reality applications and games. Other neat tricks include gesture input and band-to-band communication. It will sell for under US$ 100 (approximately Rs 6,200) and support Android and iOS companion apps.

Sony unveiled the Core Smartband, envisioned as the starting point for a future line of wearable sensor devices. The band uses LEDs and a vibrator to deliver alerts, and a button to trigger an app called Lifelog which will start capturing information including GPS location and a user's phone activities. All this combines to create a web of relationships between a user's activities and his or her music and movie watching patterns, app usage, Internet activity, and more. Sony will then attempt to make further recommendations based on the user's habits.

(Also see: Sony expands wearable device lineup, unveils SmartBand wristband at CES 2014)

LG's Lifeband Touch does many of the same things a smartwatch does, but specializes in activity tracking and fitness monitoring. You can get all your phone notifications via a Bluetooth connection while checking how many steps you've taken and how many calories you've burned.

(Also see: LG Life Band Touch unveiled at CES 2014, compatible with Android, iOS devices)

Headsets

Epson has dramatically improved last year's Moverio personal headset. The new Moverio BT-200 is less than half the weight and bulk of its predecessor, and can project a transparent screen in front of both your eyes without obstructing your field of vision too badly. The BT-200 responds to head movements thanks to its built-in gyroscope and accelerometer, and Epson is committed to creating a platform for Android developers to create innovative apps for it. Unlike Google Glass, you won't be able to wear the BT-200 all day, but it could become a fantastic piece of hardware for augmented reality experiences and games.

Oculus Rift has iterated on the VR headset it developed last year. The new "Crystal Cove" prototype is touted as a massive improvement over last year's model, offering much more realistic motion and accurate responses. The headset completely covers your eyes, offering complete immersion into whatever 3D environment you choose, while a network of sensors tracks your head and body movements and use them to alter what you see. While gaming is the most obvious application, education, entertainment, and even industrial use cases have been created around Oculus Rift already.

GlassUp aims to compete directly with Google Glass, and the company intends to create a product that looks exactly like ordinary glasses and also eliminates the cyborg-like camera to minimise the social disruption that Glass causes. When it comes to market later this year, you'll be able to check notifications, get directions, and read information more comfortably than with Google Glass.

Meanwhile, Lumus aims to perfect smart glasses with its DK40 prototype heads-up display. The company has created an augmented reality environment around the glasses, but its main claim to fame is how information is inserted into your field of vision: using a special coating on a clear glass lens rather than a projector and screen that get in the way.

Odds and ends

Netatmo and CSR both showed off what they called smart jewellery. The Netatmo June is a wearable UV sensor that alerts users when they've been out in the sun too long and can also determine the optimum SPF rating you need for your sunscreen. It looks like a bejewelled bracelet so that it feels more like a standard accessory than a piece of technology. CSR's Bluetooth-connected pendants alert users to incoming messages and calls.

Intel and LG both showed off smarter earphones, both of which can monitor a wearer's heart rate and report it to a smartphone app. Intel also had a smart charging bowl that could make life easier for people who will eventually own multiple tiny wearable devices. But what truly is a harbinger of things to come is Intel and Rest Devices' sensor-laden baby onesie, which can wirelessly alert parents when a baby wakes up of if his or her vital stats are unusual. Perhaps soon all our clothes, bags and accessories will have screens and sensors all over them, keeping us constantly aware of our social connections as well as our health and activity levels.

(Also see: Wearable devices need to balance fashion and function)

Stay in touch with the latest from CES 2014, via our CES page.

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