Tag: wearable tech

Augmented reality makes a splash in China with digitally enhanced nail art

| September 25, 2015

This new form of wearable technology comes in the form of artificial fingernails with digital animations.

An Australia based wearable technology company called Metaverse has now brought its unique augmented reality artificial nails to China, where it is allowing girls to be able to use adhesive artificial fingernails to not only make it look as though they have perfect painted nails, but also to be able to enhance their fashion statement through their smartphone screens.

AR technology makes it possible to add a digital flair to these wearables with holograms and backgrounds.

The augmented reality nails are easy to use. They are applied to the nail just like any other artificial nail, and then they are viewed through a smartphone screen through the use of the Metaverse app. These wearables were first unveiled at the Creative 3 conference at Queensland University of Technology. The founder of the company, Thea Baumann showed off the products while discussing the intentions of the company to use a recent $750,000 investment in order to bring the fashion tech to China.

Metaverse plans to use the augmented reality product as a part of a larger 3D social network project.

Within this 3D social network, it will be possible for users to be able to share their three dimensional animations with their friends simply by aiming their smartphones at their artificial nails. The point is to encourage nail bar customers to be able to use the mobile app while they wait for their nails to be done. The app store at Metaverse offers a range of different hologram options from which consumers will be able to choose.

That same store also sells the brand’s soon-to-launch smart clothing, custom digital designs, gaming designs, and accessories. As the AR technology is accessed through smartphones that users already own, there is no need to have to add any additional electronics into the wearables. Instead, the images are viewed through the app and the mobile device screen.

Baumann explained that “We act as a counter-voice to what is perceived as wearable technology,” adding that “We don’t see ourselves as sitting in that quantified space. We’re embedding wearable technology in the growing nail industry and adding value to what is already a vibrant nail and beauty sector.” This allows the augmented reality to provide a seamless transition between the two areas.

Health focused wearable technology push continues at Huawei

| September 14, 2015

The consumer electronics company has increased its efforts to step into a rollout of those devices.

It has already been revealed that Huawei plans to focus on health when it rolls out its second generation of wearable technology called the TalkBand, but it is now clear that this focus will be a great deal larger when that release occurs in the Asian markets.

The device was first unveiled at the Mobile World Congress 2015 (MC 2015) last march in Barcelona.

The TalkBand B2 saw its first launch at the MC 2015 as a health tracker and Huawei’s response to the need for it to take part in the growing health based wearable technology market. Based on the first generation device, the TalkBand B1, this latest gadget, the B2, has taken off from there and is focused on business executives who are always on the run, as well as on people who are more athletic and want a serious tracker. The design of the device is meant to be more professional to be able to appeal to people who want to have a business-appropriate look to their wearables.

Another focus on this wearable technology device is on allowing a business executive to multitask.

The reason is that it now comes with a Bluetooth earpiece, so that the smartwatch can be used to answer calls from the smartphone with which it has been paired, regardless of whether he or she is on the go, at a desk, or even while working out. All the user needs to do is detach the ear piece and put it on in order to be able to answer the call.

According to Huawei, the majority of users now have two or more smartphones, so the TalkBand B2 has been designed to connect with either Android or iOS smartphones, or both types at the same time. The smartwatch can connect with up to two smartphones at any given time. This can also be considered to be a handy feature for people who are on the go and who have two smartphones with them, as it provides a central hub from which all calls can be answered.

That said, the primary feature focus of this wearable technology remains the health and fitness trackers. These detect and record a spectrum of different types of activities which range from walking to hiking, running to climbing, and even cycling, as well as calculating the number of burned calories and the duration of sleep that the wearer receives.