Generating power through movement

Designer Jerry Mejia has created this concept design that explores ways to generate power through our movement called Tusk. "Whether running errands or running a marathon, our body movements can create a lot of energy every day – energy that is basically wasted since we tend not to capture and use it. The Tusk concept would harness the energy of the human body and use it to charge mobile gadgets. The system uses rotary dynamos, rectifiers and linear regulators to create electricity from the repetitive movements of its wearer. The power created by an active person can power a phone, iPod or whatever else needs a topping up." Continue reading on gajitz. Even in its cleverness, generating enough power and amps to power a consumer device like a phone or music player is still very challenging. Even with advancements in electricity-generating technology such as piezoelectronics and conductive resonance, we are just not there yet. So, I suppose Tusk is ahead of its time, but an evocative concept nonetheless.

More info and images at Yanko Design.

Self-monitoring device for diabetics

In my continuous quest to advocate products that help improve people's lives, the SurroSense Rx by Orpyx is a self-monitoring device for diabetics with peripheral neuropathy that automatically tells the user when damage is being done to the feet...a common problem with the ailment. An insole with 8 pressure sensors collects data that is wirelessly transmitted to a wristband to tell the user when damage is being done to the feet. I just wish the watch design was less high-tech looking and more consumer/fashionable focused. Here's how they describe SurroSense Rx: "The patented SurroSense Rx is a high-tech, pressure-sensing insole and wristband that tells the user when damage is being done to the feet. The product is designed to mitigate diabetic foot complications, such as ulceration, infection and amputation. One of the main problems with diabetic peripheral neuropathy is that, when someone is affected with it, he or she is unaware when pressure thresholds are being abused. The result is tissue damage, leading to ulceration, and often, amputation.

The SurroSense Rx collects pressure data from the foot and wirelessly sends that information to the user via an ergonomic wristband-based display. The display alerts the user when damage is being done so that behavior can be changed and these devastating complications can be avoided." Continue reading at Orpyx.

The product will be ready for purchase by late 2012.

LittleBits teaches tech to young girls

I am a huge fan of any organization, individual, or product that encourages young girls to learn about technology in any way, shape or form. Ayah Bdeir, founder of LittleBits, is doing just that in a not-so-little way. Her product is designed to introduce kids and young girls to the fundamentals of basic electronics. Each littleBit is a pre-assembled, pre-engineered electronic module that can be easily snapped together to create an interactive circuit. Bdeir describes them as electronic LEGOS and her vision is that her product becomes just as ubiquitous in everyday households. As for her audience? According to Bdeir, "women are drastically under-represented in math and science in the United States. A recent Commerce Department study found that women hold only 25% of jobs in science, math, technology and engineering (or STEM) but make up 48% of the U.S. workforce." From the looks of it, LittleBits does a nice job making technology fun, inspiring and easy -- eliminating any intimidation-factor. So, come on kids, dive in and make some wearables!

Keep up the great work Bdeir!

For more information, her hip SoHo company was aired yesterday on CNN's What's Next. Watch the video here. Image source.

Kickstarter wearable technology roundup

From space suits to power laces, there are quite a few wearable technology products that are trying to get off the ground through Kickstarter. Here are some of my favorites that are either currently raising funds or have been successfully funded:

Pebble: E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android

A Product Design project in Palo Alto, CA by Pebble Technology. There's a race towards the first successful mainstream smartwatch right now with products like WIMM, I'm Watch and a variety of others hitting the market. The Pebble is one of the most elegantly designed (so far) and has a few simple, but useful use cases. It also happened to get over $10 Million in funding after asking for only $100K...a good indicator for market desire. I have high hopes for this product.

Pants Interface: A Wireless Wearable Controller

An Open Hardware project in San Francisco, CA by rachel lyra hospodar. I'm a fan of independent designers and artists who are experimenting with new smart fabrics and eTextiles. The eTextile field is growing, but we still have yet to discover that "killer app" when it comes to technology-embedded clothing. Pants Interface is a nice exploration into the possibilities of different and more natural interactions that are embedded directly into the clothing we wear.

Spatial Computing III: The Home Theater System

An Open Software project in Astoria, NY by phedhex. There are a number of glove interfaces just on Kickstarter alone from gloves that turn your hands into gesture-based musical instruments to HCI-focused gesture-based input devices. With Spatial Computing III, you control your theater home system in a completely new way through the combination of simple hand gestures and 3D manipulation. Just add a pair of GoogleGlasses and, voila, you have Minority Report in your living room.

tōd:Connect Real World Actions to Mobile Devices and the Web

A Technology project in Lehi, UT by Rowdy Robot. tōd is a small wearable device that allows you to connect your mobile device to the world around you in a new ways in an "Internet of Things" sort of way. Attach or place a tōd Smart Beacon onto anything, anywhere you want to extend mobile device or web functionality. Or, you can interact with Smart Beacons placed by others that you are allowed to connect with. The use cases they describe are a little big-brother-ish, but I can imagine people getting pretty creative with the platform.

Remee - The REM enhancing Lucid Dreaming Mask

A Technology project in Brooklyn, NY by Bitbanger Labs. Competing with other sleep masks currently on Kickster, Remee is a nicely designed solution that is aimed to help you find and control your Lucid dreams. Who doesn't want to fly or become invisible? This product is just cool.

Browse for more projects or post your own on Kickstarter.

Interactive ring that helps you game

Ringbow founders Saar Shai and Efrat Barit, have created a gaming accessory designed to be used with touch-based interfaces. They're currently raising money on Kickstarter and are getting closer to their goal. The ring itself has a nice consumer-focused design. I just wish it was a little smaller and more discreet. Even so, it's a nice first product and I'll be backing them!

"Since touch screens are controlled with fingers, a finger-worn tool, specifically a ring, is the natural choice for complementing them. Operating Ringbow while using a touch device enables layers of functionality, countless new features and a much more efficient user experience.

The Ringbow gaming accessory offers a D-pad style button with 9 control-directions. It communicates via Bluetooth, lasts 4-6 hours per charge and weighs less than 200g.

You wear it on your index finger and operate the button with your thumb while at the same time using touch. Ringbow provides powerful capabilities and layers of functionality that are simply not available in today’s technologies. It multiplies the functionality of everything you do, helping you get much more out of your touch screen games, apps and tools." Continue reading on Ringbow.com

Adding haptic feedback to gesture interfaces

One of the problems with using physical gestures with UI navigation or gaming (think Kinect) is the lack of any sort of haptic feedback. You basically wave your hand around in the air with little physical sense of how much movement is required or when something on the screen is selected. Wearable technology accessories such as these Peregrine Gloves have the ability to change that and add physical feedback to the experience to make it feel more real. The only problem with these gloves? Well, they are not wireless, which is BAD. Right now, adding wireless capability slows down the experience leading to delays in response time and lag. But the company is working on a solution for wireless capability that does not impact the performance. So, my biggest gripe? The aesthetics, or lack thereof. With any interactive glove, I have yet to see a design solution that is fashionable or aesthetically interesting enough to make me (or mainstream markets) want to wear it. So for the moment, these are definitely still in my gadget geek-wear category.

More info at: Peregrine Gloves and crunchwear