Revolar is a smart wearable device that’ll keep you safe

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A small wearable to solve a big problem.

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At one point or another, we’ve all been (or will one day be) in a situation where we do not feel safe and have limited access to loved ones. And as scary as it may sound, one in five women in America will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Designed to eradicate this statistic and to help spur a more security-conscious society, Revolar is a new wearable device that syncs with a smartphone’s emergency contacts via Bluetooth and acts as a “magic button” that sends out an SOS with a user’s exact GPS location.

The idea was first conceived by Revolar’s founder Jacqueline Ros after her sister was attacked multiple times before the age of 17. Subsequently, Ros was determined to find a solution and curb these sort of occurrences from ever happening again.

Just about the size of a quarter, Revolar can be discreetly placed just about anywhere, from a piece of jewelry, to a pocketbook or backpack, to a shirt or jacket collar. The device itself is comprised of two components: a communications module and its hard shell casing. Revolar features a drop-in system that also lets users to take the module and interchange it into a differently colored shell — currently available in white, blue and black — so that it can match with nearly any sort of attire.

How it works is easy. First, the unit is attached to an article of clothing, accessory or keychain. A user then inputs his or her emergency contacts into the Revolar mobile app. Only if and when assistance is required, the button is pressed. This sends the wearer’s exact GPS location to its respective recipients.

What’s nice, Revolar can be used by nearly everyone — kids can input the contact information of their parents or caregivers, campus police for college students, or colleagues for business travelers when abroad. Once activated, the user’s mobile phone will automatically switch phone settings to silent, if desired. As soon as a user feels safe, they can simply turn off the alert using their app PIN, and friends and family will be notified with a message that they are indeed okay.

“Our technology is built upon the most innovative Internet on Things Security Platform, which assures the integrity and confidentiality of our users data while enabling rapid development. This technology also enables secure device-to-device communications management,” the team writes.

Built around Atmel CryptoAuthentication devices, Revolar packs a whole lot of security features for such a tiny gadget. For one, users can take comfort in knowing that each wearable unit is as unique as the wearer themselves and cannot be cloned. Because of its chain of security, devices cannot be impersonated on the network either. Beyond that, data being communicated between each Revolar cannot be intercepted or manipulated by a third party.

Sound like something you or a loved one would like? Head over to Revolar’s official Kickstarter page, where the team is currently seeking $75,000. If all goes to plan, shipment is expected to begin early spring 2016.

Disco Dog is a smartphone-controlled LED vest for man’s best friend

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The Disco Dog LED vest will flash “LOST DOG” if Fido strays too far.

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We love flashing LEDs. We love dogs. We love wearables. So, what do you get when you combine each of those? Disco Dog, a smartphone-controlled vest for any true party animal, which has recently launched on Kickstarter. Created by New York City creative firm PARTY, the pup-adorned gadget enables pet owners to activate animated light patterns and custom scrolling text in thousands of colors via an accompanying app.

Not only will the vest keep your dog visible, and most importantly safe, in the dark, it’s also a fun way to celebrate certain occasions. Owners can choose from a variety of animated modes, including sparkle, stripes, firefly and alarm, as well as turn on text mode to type in their own message. Meaning, you can spread holiday cheer throughout city sidewalks with seasonal greetings, use man’s best friend as an attention-grabbing advertisement, or simply adjust its color to match your daily outfit. What’s more, if Fido happens to stray and the connection is lost, the Disco Dog will automatically display a “LOST DOG” message, encouraging bystanders to help the lost pup find her way back.

The neoprene vest, which comes in three sizes, is decked out with 256 RGB LED lights, a microcontroller, a BLE module, and a rechargeable battery to ensure that you are always ready to illuminate your nightly dog-walking experience. The Disco Dog app is currently available for iOS and Android devices.

Sound like something you and your pup would like? Head over to its official Kickstarter page, where the PARTY team is currently seeking $15,000. Shipment is expected to begin later this year. In other words, with a projected shipping date of November 2015, you can expect to see some four-legged models sporting tricked-out red and green vests on the streets just in time for Christmas.

HIRIS is “a wearable computer, for everyone”

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HIRIS lets you control the devices around you with the flick of your wrist or wave of your hand. 

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When it comes to wearables, it seems as though a vast majority of them revolve around fitness tracking. You know, keeping tabs on things like heart rate, steps taken, distance walked, calories burned, among many others. While those features may be enough for some, it’s certainly not for the team behind HIRIS. Earlier this year, the Italian startup launched what they’re billing as “the first wearable computer, for everyone,” which is currently live on Indiegogo.

Unlike other devices with one component, the sleek, hexagonal HIRIS comes in two units: the HIRIS Tracker and HIRIS Core. As its name implies, the Tracker gathers movement data typically seen on a number of today’s popular smart bands, especially the health conscious. What really sets it apart is that it can be used either independently or in conjunction with the Core. The Tracker can be placed anywhere and on anything, from ankles and knees to snowboards and tennis racquets. Whether by itself or in a group, the splash-proof gadget communicates in real-time, streaming this information to your Core, computer or smartphone.

Meanwhile, the Core not only performs basic functions like collecting activity data and social networking, but responds to gesture commands as well. This enables you to take control of your smartphone, connected home devices such as Philips Hue lights or Nest Thermostat, turn up your Spotify radio during a workout, your GoPro camera while in mid-action, and even your drone, all with the flick of a wrist or a wave of the hand.

Based on three 32-bit MCUs, the HIRIS packs a small OLED-display, a set of sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, humidity, temperature, pressure, and heart rate), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy modules, as well as the battery capacity of 200 mAh. What’s nice, its modular design allows wearers to expand upon the device’s hardware, adding capabilities like GPS and audio through extension cards. HIRIS comes with its an accompanying, which is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows, and includes a wireless charger pad.

Sound like something you’d want to adorn to your body? Head over to its official Indiegogo page, where the team is currently seeking $80,000. Shipment to early bird backers is slated for September 2015, with the rest of deliveries expected to begin in October 2015.

Stryd will help you run faster, better and smarter

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Just clip ’n go! Stryd is the world’s first wearable power meter for runners. 

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There are all sorts of wearables on the market today designed to help those exercising track their fitness goals. While a vast majority of these devices are focused around metrics like pace and heart rate, a new startup has sought out to revolutionize the running industry through power.

Created by Princeton engineers (and already supported by some of the biggest names in endurance sports), the aptly-named Stryd provides fitness enthusiasts a new and innovative way to accurately measure run intensity across any type of terrain using the sports watches and mobile devices they already use. This is made possible through its embedded Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ wireless technologies.

The wearable analyzes a run by tracking the environmental conditions and calculating a real-time power in watts through a proprietary sensing technology. As its creators note, long the standard for cycling training, power has been a sought-after run metric for years, yet measuring it hasn’t been possible until now.

“The data runners use in training hasn’t changed much in 30 years. There has never been an accurate or easy way to show training intensity and efficiency, and athletes and coaches have repeatedly told us that holds them back.” said Robert Dick, Ph.D. and Stryd CEO. “Our goal was to provide one number that can consistently help anyone run better, and today Stryd does exactly that.”

How it works is relatively straightforward. To use Stryd, users simply clip the small device onto a pair of sneakers or shorts and begin their regimen. The device then automatically syncs up with pretty much any gadget, computer and coaching software available today, and its battery lasts longer than a year. Starting from the first run, Stryd helps wearers learn their capabilities and establish baseline data to help better understand performance and enhance efficiency.

“Stryd answers run-by-run, day-by-day questions that runners care about,” explains co-founder and coach Gus Pernetz. “Did I pace myself right? Am I overtraining? How is my running form? Until now it has been a lot of guesswork, but Stryd gives runners a better way to measure training intensity. And, with better measurement comes better performance.”

Now live on Kickstarter, the team ran well past its initial goal of $50,000 in a matter of hours. If all goes to plan, Stryd is targeting a mid-summer ship date for the product’s first release, giving priority to running and triathlon coaches followed by athletes who support the crowdfunding campaign.

Under Armour teams up with HTC on new fitness band

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The HTC Grip is a new wearable device made in partnership with Under Armour.

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Among the number of notable wearable technology announcements during Mobile World Congress 2015 is the spawn of a new collaboration between HTC and Under Armour. The device — dubbed HTC Grip — is the first high-performance, smart fitness tracker powered by UA Record, a new health and fitness network from Under Armour.

Designed with athletes and fitness enthusiasts in mind, Grip is compatible with both Android and iOS devices, and features a slew of Bluetooth-embedded accessories. Taking aim at one activity monitors on the market today, such as the Nike Fuelband and the Microsoft Band, this latest wearable packs GPS connectivity for accurate run tracking and provides additional performance data to the Under Armour connected fitness platform. Through Record, users can log workouts, set challenges and relay data from separate devices like heart rate monitors and the recently-revealed band.

When connected to a smartphone, a quick glimpse of the wrist lets users to see incoming call, text messages and email notifications, all without missing a step or interrupting a workout. Beyond that, the wrist-adorned gadget includes simple apps like a calendar, weather updates and a music controller, which allows wearers to skip, play and pause tracks while exercising.

Its uniquely contoured, waterproof band conforms to a user’s wrist without pinching the skin or catching on clothing, while a curved 1.8-inch PMOLED display makes it super easy to read time, distance and notifications on the go. To ensure a perfect fit, Grip is currently available in three sizes and complements even the most advanced training equipment and apparel.

What’s more, Grip is capable of tracking and recording a variety of workouts, ranging from running and cycling to time spent at the gym. Its 100mAh battery lasts up to five hours when the integrated GPS is turned on, enabling the device to accurately capture route, distance, pace and calories burned, all of which sync with UA Record in real-time. For everyday usage, Grip lasts up to two and a half days on a single charge, ideal for tracking daily activity.

“Our partnership with Under Armour has allowed us to direct our combined ambition, talent and passion towards developing new ways to empower athletes to make the most of their training every day. Grip is our first product to offer deep integration with UA record, providing an experience that will surpass the high standards of even professional athletes,” explained Drew Bamford, Corporate VP of HTC Creative Labs.

Intrigued? Head over to HTC’s official page here.

Quell is a wearable device that promises to relieve chronic pain

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Medicine? What medicine? You may want to try the world’s first pain-relieving wearable instead.

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As anticipated, wearables were all the rage back at CES 2015. However, one that truly captivated our attention was Quell, a device that promises to provide pain relief through wearable technology. The gadget works by attaching to a user’s calf and stimulating the body’s opiate production to relieve discomfort associated with various ailments.

When most people think of pain relief, they think of some sort of over-the-counter pill, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, and in some more severe instances, prescription medicines that available. However, Quell — which recently debuted on Indiegogo — is the only 100% drug free, FDA cleared device clinically proven to relieve chronic pain at the touch of a button.

How it works is relatively simple. Quell is placed in a breathable, comfortable sport band, and an electrode is snapped onto the back of the unit. The band itself, which its creators describe as a ‘virtual USB port,’ is then wrapped around a user’s upper calf with the electrode in direct contact with the skin. The sensory nerves it stimulates sends neural pulses to the brain that trigger the release of endogenous opioids, hence blocking pain signals throughout the body.

“Quell’s OptiTherapy calibrates to your optimal stimulation level ensuring you receive maximum relief. It knows what level of stimulation to deliver during the day and adjusts to the appropriate level at night. It senses when you are lying down and automatically switches to night therapy to ensure a restful sleep.”

As the team explains, pain relief isn’t an occasional need, it’s an all-the-time must-have. Subsequently, Quell was designed for 24-hour wear and is capable of lasting over 40 hours on a single charge. Beyond that, the wearable is packed with an accelerometer that automatically adjusts to sleep mode when at rest, thereby reducing its power to 80% during these hours. A built-in Bluetooth module also connects the device to an iOS app, enabling wearers to track therapy and sleep quality.

Do you suffer from chronic pain? Are you looking for a new solution? Then, you may want to head over to Quell’s official Indiegogo page, where the team is currently seeking $100,000.

Google patents a wearable odor-sensing (and masking) device

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Like a Glade Plug-in for your armpits? 

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While most of the wearable devices on the market today have been geared towards tracking activity levels, monitoring sleep habits or even analyzing fitness routines, we may be on the cusp of a new era in body-adorned gadgetry. That’s because Google has received a patent for a movement-tracker that activates a web-connected air freshener to emit a fragrance to mask any offending odors caused by physical activity. In other words, you’ll no longer need to smell your armpits to ensure that you’re free of B.O.

How it works is pretty self-explanatory. If the device, shall find you on the smelly side, it will give off a nice-smelling fragrance to deoderize you. What’s more, the gizmo also plugs into your social media accounts to help steer clear of any friends who may be in your vicinity. If someone is nearby, the device will send the not-so-fresh-smelling wearer a map with a route to navigate around those folks. The one-of-a-kind gadget is also equipped with a tiny fan to ensure the fragrance gets to the right place.

“When a user is wearing the fragrance emission device and begins to exert himself or herself, an activity module within the device may detect the physical exertion. The activity module may detect a rise in sweat levels, an increase in body odor or body temperature, or any other parameter that may indicate the user is exercising or otherwise exerting themself,” Patent No. 8,950,238 reads.

When the activity module determines that the user is performing a physical activity, it alerts the device’s built-in predictor. This predictor then uses the information provided by the activity module to predict when the user will generate body odor in the future, and when a fragrance will need to be applied to the user.

“For the purposes of brevity, the material applied to the user will be described as a fragrance, however, the material applied may also be an odor neutralizer, which would serve to neutralize or eliminate the body odor generated by the user instead of covering it up with a fragrance. In some embodiments, the predictor may also use information stored within the device regarding past instances where a fragrance was emitted, combine that information with the current information supplied by the activity module, determine when body odor will be generated by the user, and dispense an appropriate amount of fragrance at an appropriate time,” the patent document explains.

Once the predictor determines when the user will begin to generate body odor, an optional alert module located within the device may alert the user of the situation and let the user know when the fragrance will be emitted. The user will then have the opportunity to override the impending fragrance emission, based on the current circumstances of the user. This will particularly come in handy if, say, you are planning on showering immediately after a high-intensity workout.

“Should the user choose to reject the fragrance emission, a suppressor located within the device will cancel the scheduled fragrance emission such that the material dispenser will not dispense the fragrance at the scheduled time. Should the user choose to accept the fragrance emission instead, the suppressor will not cancel the scheduled fragrance emission, and the material dispenser will dispense the fragrance at the scheduled time.”

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the Google concept will actually make it to product form. Though, given the proliferation of fitness-focused apps and wearables, it does mean that the world is becoming more active and therefore will get a bit stinkier, too. Interested in learning more? You can find the entire patent here.

InBody Band puts body composition at your fingertips

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Now you can measure your body fat, muscle mass and so much more anytime, anywhere. 

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It was nearly impossible to walk around the CES 2015 show floor without coming across some sort of fitness tracker or smartwatch. In such a competitive market, companies are continually looking for new ways to differentiate themselves from the wearable pack. And, while a vast majority of fitness trackers let you monitor caloric intake, steps and sleeping habits, a new gadget has set out to measure a user’s body composition as well.

Recently launched on Kickstarter, the InBody Band is a snap-on device that features a simple touchscreen display and four sensors located on its front and back. Users simply place their fingers on the front-facing sensors and, combined with the data from your wrist, retrieve a reading in just seconds. The wearable uses a series of electronic pulses, and some proprietary algorithms, to analyze metrics such as muscle mass index and body fat percentage, while simultaneously clocking heart rate and tracking movement with the aid of its built-in 3D accelerometer.

Like other smart bands available today, the device can monitor real-time activity and sleep habits, as well as help set specific goals to achieve. Furthermore, the InBody Band is capable of distinguishing between walking and running, thus providing more precise information and feedback on your daily routine. It is also water-resistant enough to withstand some hand-washing or a quick shower even, however is not recommended for the pool or any other aquatic activities.

Always on-the-go? The wrist-adorned piece will notify you by vibration of any incoming calls or text message via Bluetooth. Or, you can set an alarm for an event or appointment that requires a reminder.

Interested? Head over to its official Kickstarter page, where the team is currently seeking $50,000.

Report: 720,000 Android Wear devices shipped in 2014

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Motorola’s Moto 360 led the pack in sales for Android Wear devices last year, a new report reveals.

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According to the latest report from research firm Canalys, over 720,000 Android Wear-based devices were shipped in 2014, making up 16% of the total 4.6 smart wearable bands sold. Over the 12-month span, the [MXT112S powered] Motorola Moto 360 led the pack among other companies, while LG’s round G Watch R performed significantly better than its original G Watch, and Asus and Sony entered the market with their own Android Wear devices.

Outside of the Android ecosystem, Pebble shipped a total of one million units from its 2013 launch through to the end of 2014. Continual software updates, an increase in apps, and price cuts in the fall were among the key factors in helping to maintain strong sales in the second half of the year. Meanwhile, Fitbit remained the global leader in the basic wearable band market.

Following a completely different strategy to other vendors, Xiaomi shipped over a million units of its Mi Band, the colorful and affordable basic device. As Canalys notes, this included one day of sales of over 103,000 units.

“Though the Mi Band is a lower-margin product than competing devices, Xiaomi entered the wearables market with a unique strategy, and its shipment volumes show how quickly a company can become a major force in a segment based solely on the size of the Chinese market,” explained Canalys Research Analyst Jason Low.

All eyes will now turn to Apple as the market awaits the arrival of its new smartwatch this April. The research firm points out that the product will dramatically grow the market for smart bands and wearables overall.

“Apple made the right decisions with its WatchKit software development kit to maximize battery life for the platform, and the Apple Watch will offer leading energy efficiency,” said Canalys Analyst Daniel Matte. “Android Wear will need to improve significantly in the future, and we believe it will do so.”

“Ironically, it could be the Apple Watch launch that determines the future of Google’s platform, and the degree to which OEMs back it,” writes TechCrunch’’s Darrell Etherington. “While it’s designed as a competitor to what Android is doing with its own wearable platform, its presence in the press and in consumer minds could encourage more Android device owners to look around for their own equivalent, considering the other option is switching platforms altogether. Even if initial comparisons greatly favor Cupertino’s wrist-based computer, long-term, Android Wear could benefit.”

Android Wear became much more plentiful in the latter half of 2014. However, the numbers likely have OEMs watching and waiting to see how the market evolves from here, given that there’s already price pressure on some of these.

Interested in reading more? You can find the report here.

Report: Half a billion wearables to be in use by 2019

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Cisco projects an 18-fold jump in mobile traffic from wearable devices by 2019. 

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While wearables are still undergoing a shift from niche to mainstream, Cisco predicts the rapidly-growing popularity of the devices will surge over the next few years. According to the company’s Visual Networking Index report, there will be more than half a billion wearable devices in use every day come 2019. Evident by the sheer volume of manufacturers both big and small seen throughout CES 2015, paired with the upcoming launch of the Apple Watch and the rising use in Android Wear devices, it seems inevitable that the world will soon enter a state of ubiquity when it comes to body-adorned technology.

In fact, Cisco forecasts that 578 million wearable devices will be in use around the over the next four years, up from just 109 million last year. That’s a fivefold increase, but more enormously, the flooding of units will result in 18 times the amount of mobile data traffic. However, a majority of that information will filter through users’ smartphones. Global traffic from wearable devices will account for 1.1% of total mobile data traffic by 2019, compared to 0.6% at the end of last year.

Of course, Cisco’s number doesn’t just refer to smartwatches, it encompasses items like wearable cameras and scanners, smart glasses, heads-up displays, health monitors, fitness trackers, electronic clothing, and so forth. Still, considering that wearable technology is a relatively new genre, the notion that 578 million of them will be strapped onto people’s bodies in just four years time is rather impressive. Regionally, North America will have the largest regional share of wearables, with 33% share by 2019, while Asia Pacific will come in just below at 32%.

“The phenomenal growth in smarter end-user devices and M2M connections is a clear indicator of the growth of IoE, which is bringing together people, processes, data, and things to make networked connections more relevant and valuable,” Cisco explains. “Both M2M and wearable devices are making computing and connectivity very pervasive in our day-to-day lives.”

In addition to the huge wearable increase, Cisco expects to see smartphone ownership continue to rise to 5.2 billion by 2019 — that’s nearly a billion more smartphone users than today. Naturally, as more people use the Internet on smartphones and wearables, data usage is also expected to rise dramatically. People used around just 30 exabytes of data in 2014, but that’s set to jump exponentially to 292 exabytes before 2020 arrives.

“Consider the impact that an 18-fold traffic growth could have on network architecture as myriad fitness trackers, smart watches, smart glasses, sports accessories and healthcare devices connect,” writes Rob Lloyd, Cisco President of Development and Sales. “Mind boggling? Maybe, but these consumer devices are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this explosion of connectivity. We expect the total number of connected things to reach 50 billion by 2020 – almost six times the forecast number of connected mobile and wearable devices combined.”

Indeed, almost half a billion (497 million) mobile devices and connections were added in 2014 alone, while global mobile devices and connections last year grew to 7.4 billion, up from 6.9 billion in 2013. Smartphones accounted for 88 percent of that growth, with 439 million net additions in 2014. In 2014, on an average, a smart device generated 22 times more traffic than a non-smart device.

“But note one thing: this isn’t just about the Internet coping with a large volume of new connections. Networks need to get smarter so that they are capable of creating dynamic connections, delivering the right service to the right person or device, and identifying – from among the trillions of packets of digitized information flowing across them – the precise pieces of data which can keep a product delivery on time, win a customer or keep citizens safe,” Lloyd adds. “The network is the platform on which everything digital will connect.”

By the end of 2014, the number of mobile-connected devices will exceed the number of people on earth, and come 2019, there will be nearly 1.5 mobile devices per capita. Overall, there will be 11.5 billion mobile connections by this time. Of those, 8.3 billion will come from personal mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. The remaining 3.2 billion connections will stem from M2M communications, which Cisco places smartwatches, wireless wearable cameras and fitness trackers in this category.

By 2019, Cisco predicts that more than 69% of the world’s population will use mobile devices.That’s around 5.2 billion people out of a forecasted population of 7.6 billion. As you can imagine, the increase in mobile users will lead to an uptick in global wireless data traffic, which Cisco anticipates a tenfold increase over the next four years. Last year global wireless data traffic tallied 30 exabytes. That figure should reach 292 exabytes by 2019, Cisco stated.

More than half of all traffic from mobile-connected devices will be offloaded from to a fixed network by means of Wi-Fi devices and small-cell networks each month by 2019, the company believes.

“Much mobile data activity takes place within users’ homes. For users with fixed broadband and Wi-Fi access points at home, or for users served by operator-owned femtocells and picocells, a sizable proportion of traffic generated by mobile and portable devices is offloaded from the mobile network onto the fixed network… Our mobile offload projections include traffic from both public hotspots as well as residential Wi-Fi networks.”

Want to read more? You can access the entire study here. The evolution of IoT, including wearables and mobile devices, is now at a point that it will require a comprehensively redesigned approach to security threats in order to ensure its continuous growth and expansion. With the amount of data on the rise how can we be sure to secure the Internet of Streams?