Category: Technology News

A wearable device makes it easier for people to interact with the digital world using smart glasses.

Waterloo-based Canadian startup, Thalmic Labs, has developed innovative wearable technology, an armband known as Myo, which gives the wearer the ability to control movements on a screen with a simple flick of their wrist, and the company has announced this technology has been integrated with Google Glass.

The wearable tech will make it easier for people in certain industries to use Glass as they go about their day.

The hand gesture armband could be particularly beneficial to individuals who work in industries such as construction and healthcare, where being able to use hands-free digital technology could be highly advantageous.

The Myo armband utilizes sensors to detect muscle movements in the wearer’s forearm when they make a hand signal. The wearable technology translates the gesture that was made on a screen. Thalmic Labs has said that it is working to change consumer gaming experiences, controlling a desktop computer, and online interactions with its device.

However, now the company is going one step further and will also be targeting workers in healthcare, field service, and construction. In these industries, giving workers on the move the advantage of using subtle finger and hand gestures, while interacting with smart glasses, makes a lot of sense.

Thalmic Labs co-founder Matthew Bailey said that “We’re literally changing the way that we, as people, interact with the digital world around us.” He added that the company is looking to find more ways to naturally merge people and technology. He commented that “We’re hitting the limits of today’s form factors whether they be personal computers, tablets, or smartphones. We believe wearable computing is the next progression in that evolution.”

The wearable technology can instantly interact with apps on smart glasses.

According to Stephen Lake, CEO and co-founder, the armband gives wearers the power to interact with smart glass applications without the person needing another controller or having to remove gloves. Thus, users will not require remote controls, buttons, touch pads, or voice control, all of which can slow down their ability to quickly access the information they need. This makes the technology ideal in noisy work environments and in those where maintaining sterility is vital.

Thalmic Lab’s public launch of its wearable technology will take place next month. Currently, more than 40,000 Myo armbands have been pre-ordered.

As Motorola prepares to unveil its wearable technology on September 4, much of the surprise was revealed prematurely.

Motorola is getting ready for the big unveiling of its Moto 360 smartwatch, which is to take place on December 4 at a Chicago press event, but a mistake at Best Buy has revealed a list of the product’s features, as well as the price for which it will be sold.

The produce page mistakenly went live too early on the mobile site for the electronics retailer.

What Best Buy revealed about the Moto 360 smartwatch is that the Android Wear based device will be sold with a price tag of $249.99. Fortunately for the retailer, this is not actually the first time that $249.99 has been revealed as the likely price for the wearable technology. In May, the official rules for a contest held by Motorola, itself, listed the approximate retail value of the device at exactly that amount.

If this is, indeed, true, then it will mean that the Moto 360 will be only $20 more than the LG G Watch.

That price point will also place the Motorola smartwatch at a level that is just slightly more expensive than the other two Android Wear devices that are currently on the market, the LG G Watch, and the Samsung Gear Live. Those devices come with a price of $229 and $199.99, respectively.

When it comes to the Moto 360, it appears that the additional money might to do with a design that is potentially much more attractive when it comes to its design. For example, the circular display of the device is well designed for wearing as an actual suit and is a better match for wearing along with clothing that would be worn in a professional environment.

There were some additional preliminary specifications that were also mentioned on the Best Buy page. For example, it will have a 320 by 290 resolution on its touchscreen. Moreover, there will be Gorilla Glass 3 protecting its display. The Moto 360 will be water resistant, will have a built in pedometer and will be similar to the Gear Live in that it has an optical heart rate monitor.