Tag: werable devices

New app for Google Glass enables users to control the device with their mind.

A new wearable tech application, a program known as MindRDR, that has been designed to work with Google Glass, but has not yet received approval from Google, allows users to control the optical head mounted display with nothing more than their thoughts.

The program works with Glass and another head mounted sensor.

MindRDR, which comes from London-based developer, This Place Ltd., works in combination with Google’s wearable technology and another sensor that is mounted on the user’s head to analyze the person’s brainwaves. The sensor also measures the focus level of the user. When the user’s level of focus surpasses a specific threshold, MindRDR tells Google Glass to take a picture. If the user continues to concentrate, the app will inform Glass to post the picture on social media.

The app is open source and it is free, which means that anyone is welcome to experiment with it to make new developments. This Place believes that MindRDR could one day be utilized to enable people with locked-in-syndrome, quadriplegia or sever multiple sclerosis to communicate via Google Glass. The company has even said that Stephen Hawking has shown interest in MindRDR.

The app has not been approved by Google but the company is interested in learning about new technology for its wearable tech.

In an email to TIME, a spokesperson for Google comment that the “application seems to work through a separate piece of kit which you attach to Glass. We have not reviewed, nor approved the app so it won’t be available in the Glass app store. Of course, we are always interested in hearing about new applications of Glass.”

The wearable device does not really need hands to be operation because it responds to voice commands. Many believe that Glass has a lot of potential for being particularly beneficial to individuals who are paralyzed, helping them to gain some independence in their life. There have even been talks of Glass having advanced eye tracking capabilities.

Thus, although it is unknown what exactly is in store for Google Glass, it is clear that serious technological advancements are being considered for this wearable tech

The wearable technology device has just been updated to include volume controls, among other things.

Pebble recently rolled out a range of new updates that have added some rather small but quite meaningful improvements to its popular smartwatch, including a few that have been expected for some time now.

Among these updates, one of the most significant is the addition of volume controls to this wearable tech.

Aside from that, the smartphone now also has the ability to recognize apps from the launcher of the device. Owners have been waiting for a long time for the Pebble to offer them the opportunity to control the music volume from their wristwatches, which have been able to control the playback since the wearable tech device first hit the market shelves.

The company announced in a blog post that it was bringing this new control to its smartwatch.

The blog post read that “It’s been a long time since we first demoed volume control in the Pebble Music app back in the day, so we’re really glad to be bringing this feature onboard.” The wearable tech update also gave the ability for apps to be recognized in its launcher, and for those applications to be manually sorted.

In previous versions, the order in which the applications appeared had been static and was not customizable by the wearer. That has been changed in this latest update so that users are able to place items within the launcher into the order that they desire by holding down the select button until the app appears to tremble. It can then be moved to its new position on the list.

These two small but meaningful additions were added as a part of an update to the firmware, itself. This means that the smartwatch users will be required to update their current mobile device app by selecting the support menu and the “check for updates” option. The users of the Pebble through iOS will need to update their iOS application before they will be able to obtain their new firmware. That app was also updated just recently to be able to support the new firmware as well as to add support for iBeacon.