By Till Simon Nagel
Barcelona: A smart-watch on the wrist, sensors in your shoes and smart-glasses worn on the nose, all giving you information about you and your environment - the technology is all available today, but so far the public hasn’t been buying it in great numbers.
To date only activity trackers such as the fitness bands have sold in any quantity.
Nevertheless, many manufacturers were showcasing their new wearable tech items at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Canadian firm Mio displayed Fuse and the smaller Slice device. They’re as accurate as a medical electrocardiograph and can precisely determine how tough an exercise activity is for the wearer, according to the company’s Ashley White.
The measurement data is personalized, collected in one app and evaluated to help users with their fitness training.
In the smart-watch world, things have become quieter but the devices haven’t gone away.
Swiss company MyKronoz was showing off two new models: the ZeRound, which collects fitness data and can also be used to make phone calls, and the sports model, the ZeSport, which includes a heart-rate monitor.
Chinese firm Haier showcased a stainless steel watch with a fitness tracker function and pulse rate measurement which can be paired with a smartphone for calls and smart alerts.
The Dial wearable presented by pop star will.i.am claims to be more than just a smart-watch - it’s independent of smartphones and operates by voice command as the Black Eyed Peas singer demonstrated in Barcelona. The device comes to market later this year.
Chinese manufacturer Eachpal presented a device designed to seek help if the user suffers an emergency. The Halo armband sends a text message and the user’s location to pre-selected contacts if the user shakes or taps the bracelet three times.
Meanwhile Garmin, known for its sports watches and GPS devices, presented Varia Vision, a small display that can be attached to a pair of sunglasses. When combined with a compatible device, the display will show information such as speed, distance and heart rate.
dpa
