BLUETOOTH 4.1 UPDATE ENABLES THE INTERNET OF THINGS
The Bluetooth 4 standard, used by many wearable devices, just got an important update. Bluetooth 4.1, published by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, improves connectivity between Bluetooth devices of all kinds. With the new standard devices like fitness trackers can collate data from separate sensors like heart monitors and then report the findings back to a smartphone – and vice versa. Meaning, connected devices pull data from a smartphone’s sensor, such as the gyroscope. Improved pairing between devices and many other improvements with the new Bluetooth 4.1 should allow for a much better connectivity of wearables in the future. Compatible deceives will be updated over the air. As the adaption of Bluetooth 4 will grow significantly in 2014, the benefits of this new specification will be supported by many connected consumer applications.
OCULUS RAISES 75$ MILLION TO LEAD THE VIRTUAL REALITY BUSINESS
It’s been a fast ride for virtual reality startup Oculus. After it launched its head mounted display Rift at Kickstarter, more than forty thousand developer units have been shipped proving there is a high interest in virtual reality technology. In order to build a consumer version of its display, Oculus raised a Series A in June. With its 75 Million Series B funding in December, Oculus has proven trust from Venture Capitalists that the company has the right momentum and there might be a strong demand for virtual reality in the future. Other than the developer edition available today, the consumer version of the Oculus Rift will most likely feature full HD resolution and wireless connectivity. Whereas gaming is the obvious use for the early adaption of virtual reality, Brendan Iribe, CEO of Oculus says in a few years “it’s going to apply to medicine, architecture, communications“ amongst many others.
META REVELAS META PRO AUGMENTED REALITY GLASSES
Silicon Valley based startup Meta just presented the pro version of its augmented reality glasses. After releasing the developer version , the Pro is now the first version for consumers with a cool aviator sunglasses look. The 3,000$ device is available for pre-order and comes with a separate wearable computer, needed to power the glasses. For that price you can expect stylish glasses with two 720p HD lenses, stereoscopic cameras and other built-in sensors. The images from your point of view along with information about virtual objects are processed with an Intel i5 processor in the pocket computer allowing an impressive augmented reality experience. Meta Founder and CEO Meron Gribetz aim is to make his company the „Apple of Augmented Reality“. Robert Scoble recently visited the company for a video interview which is definitely worth looking at.
2014 EXPECTED TO BE THE YEAR OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES
2014 is expected to be the year of wearable technologies. As fitness trackers such as wristbands successfully hit the mainstream market in 2013, consumers are finally prepared for more wearable devices in the future. We expect to see growing interest in smart watches, a segment that already has many solutions to offer but still has lots of potential for improvement. Better features, longer battery life and especially more focus on fashionable design are some of the top trends to watch out for. With the CES coming up in just a few days, we will soon cover the latest wearables for 2014. For the professionals the Wearable Technologies Europe Conference end of January is the place to be. The 11th edition of the Wearable Technologies Conference comes with two days full of exciting new technologies, case studies, and experts.
