Category: Technology News

EasyJet embeds wearable technology into uniforms full of sensors

| November 16, 2015

New uniforms for crew have now been debuted by the U.K. airline, which are lit with LED.

New uniforms have now been released for EasyJet crewmembers to wear, which are embedded with wearable technology in the form of sensors and LED lights that are designed to offer several features and benefits.

The cabin crew now have high tech uniforms that include many features of embedded wearables.

The airline was first founded in 1995 by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou and is the largest airline in the United Kingdom, based on the number of passengers it carries. It is now using the company’s 20th anniversary as the opportunity for cabin crew and engineers to be able to don uniforms that have wearable technology features woven into them. Both of these types of uniforms have features such as microphones built into them. The microphones were chosen to make it possible for pilots, crew and engineers to communicate with each other.

Cabin crew uniforms also feature dots of LEDs along their shoulders among their wearable technology features.

Wearable Technology - EasyJet airbusThe LEDs indicate the flight number and the destination of the plane. The lights provide illumination along the hemlines and also offer additional lighting for visibility in case of an emergency.

On the other hand, the wearables laden uniform meant for engineers has both LEDS and reflective panels in the hood. The idea is that the clothing itself will provide lighting to a work area so the engineers won’t be required to have to try to direct a light while trying to complete their tasks at the same time. This will leave both hands free to complete a job, replace panels, and do everything else that is required to keep aircraft in top shape.

Furthermore, built-in video cameras make it possible to send images to other engineers in order to receive a second opinion about complex problems and the best course to take in order to correct them. At the same time, barometers and air quality sensors are meant to help engineers keep up with the safety of their work environments. It even becomes possible to use this wearable technology to create air quality maps for various cities.

Mobile gadgets are promoting road safety while killing spare tires

| November 16, 2015

Connected technology, combined with handy compact tools are taking spares out of trunks.

A range of different types of mobile gadgets and common tools are starting to reduce the trend of keeping spare tires in vehicle trunks, while at the same time they boost the safety of the passengers inside a car.

The trend is moving quickly enough that automakers are adding spares to fewer new car models.

Until very recently, a spare tire was considered to be a standard part of a vehicle’s equipment, but with the use of mobile gadgets and handy tools, that addition is becoming less commonplace. In fact, a recent study conducted by the American Auto Association (AAA) has indicated that almost four out of every ten new cars are sold without the addition of a spare tire – something that used to be included in all new vehicles. The same study found that 36 percent of 2015 vehicle models come with tire inflation kids or run-flat tires instead. That is an increase of 5 percent over 2006.

This is leading the AAA to make recommendations to drivers to keep the right tools and mobile gadgets handy.

Mobile Gadgets - Spare TireAccording to AAA, even though flat tires aren’t reducing in frequency, spare tires are going extinct. John Nielsen, the organization’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair has explained that “AAA responds to more than 4 million calls for flat tire assistance annually and, despite advances in vehicle technology, we have not seen a decline in tire-related calls over the last five years.”

In order to ensure that vehicles and their passengers stay safe, it is recommended that a spare be kept in every vehicle – even if a tire repair kit is also stored in the car. Proper maintenance of the tire inflation is also important to preventing flats in the first place. Running over a nail can’t always be prevented, but using a good digital tire pressure gauge to make sure the inflation is where it should be can prevent a slow leak from becoming a fast problem while on the road or after parking at the next destination.

Mobile gadgets that have GPS and the roadside assistance stored in contacts can also be very handy in the case of a flat or other road event. Some good quality tire pressure gauges now come with additional safety features such as glass hammers and seatbelt cutters, which can help to keep vehicle occupants as safe as possible even when if the worst should happen.