QTOOTH

UK’s First Wearable Technology Show Coming in March – Get Involved!

2014-01-02

The UK is finally getting its own conference specifically targeting wearable tech when the Wearable Technology Show comes to London on March 18th and 19th. This event will bring together key industry professionals, developers and decision makers on the leading edge of this rapidly expanding industry. The wearables market is estimated to be worth $30-50 billion in the next 3 years and major innovations are expected in 2014.

As quoted on the event’s website: “The wearable technology area is ripe for exploration. I think there will be tons of companies playing in this space.” Tim Cook, CEO, Apple

QTOOTH is excited to be an official media partner for The Wearable Technology Show and are looking forward to the dedicated conference programs. Among these are ones covering augmented reality devices such as Google Glass, wearable health devices like FitBit and Jawbone, smartwatches such as the Samsung Gear and Pebble, as well as the medical, sports, security and enterprise sectors. There will also be a start up forum that will give entrepeneurs and new businesses the opportunity to hear from some of the wearable technology industry’s leading lights, as well as seek advice and funding.

They have and incredible roster of speakers, among them: Grant Allen (Technology Program Manager at Google), Dan Cui – VP (Business Development at Vusix), Dave Evans (Chief Futurist at Cisco), Erik Jorgensen (Director, Intel Capital), and many more. The complete list can be checked out here.

There is also a FREE Hackfest where participants are provided with APIs, SDKs and data and are challenged to code, design, engineer and build their own prototype solutions or ideas using technology of the event sponsors. Prizes will be awarded from the sponsors and with media interest in the event already building, participants can also expect great exposure through post event PR activities. Getting involved with a hackfest is a great way to showcase your talent, work with cutting edge innovators, and build new relationships at the forefront of wearable technology. Click here for more info.

In addition, The Wearable Awards 2014 will honor the best products and solutions on display at the show in the Wearable Technology Market. This will be the first award of its type given in the UK.

If you’re in the area and would like to attend or participate, more details about registration can be found here.

Next Week’s CES 2014 to Focus on the Global Startup Community

2013-12-30

QTOOTH is excited to be going to the 2014 International CES next week. This annual post-holiday feast of all of the latest in consumer electronics has it all. In fact it’s going to take a lot of discipline for us to stay focused on all things wireless, but you can be assured we will. From wearable tech to smart home devices to the Internet of Things, there is going to be plenty for us to report on. QTOOTH will do its best to bring all of the tastiest tidbits to you.

Adding to the fun will be the theme of the 2014 International CES®, where they will showcase the Global Startup Community. You’ve probably heard this before, but it it true that most of the radical and fastest innovation is not coming out of the tech giants, but rather from the world of independent startups and entrepreneurs. This year’s CES will spotlight the promise, power and future of technology in this rapidly developing area. In line with this theme, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® announced today tht new areas and events at CES will be dedicated to the startup community, including the Indiegogo Zone and UP Global LIVE Stage (see below for details and links). Owned and produced by CEA, they are proud that this annual event has become the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. The 2014 CES will run January 7-10, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“CES is a platform for innovators, big or small, who come to CES to take their business to the next level,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, International CES and corporate business strategy, CEA. “Startups are attending and launching their products at CES in ever-growing numbers, underscoring CES’ importance as the proving ground for innovators in consumer technology. We’re thrilled to bring new areas and events to the show floor that showcase these entrepreneurial companies and their groundbreaking innovations and provide them access to potential customers, partners, and investors as well as the global media.”

The all-new Indiegogo Zone, which will be housed within the Eureka Park TechZone, features hardware campaigners from around the world. These innovators will showcase products and share experiences about raising funds on Indiegogo. The Indiegogo Zone provides an opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about crowdfunding for hardware.

The UP Global LIVE Stage, sponsored by GE, will also showcase the startup community, facilitate networking opportunities and provide programming in Eureka Park. The stage will feature panels with iconic entrepreneurs, leading investors, corporate executives and media. In addition to programming, UP Global will host mentor sessions and pitch competitions and provide resources and networking opportunities for exhibitors and attendees.

Here’s a short highlight reel of last year’s CES:

The second annual ShowStoppers Launch.it power session is a curated pitch event built exclusively for the young, transformative and entrepreneurial startups that exhibit in Eureka Park. Sixteen exhibitors will pitch to a panel of high profile angel/VC investors along with media, analysts and industry experts in the audience.

An anchor for the startup community at CES, the 2014 Eureka Park TechZone will feature more than 200 exhibitors, 30 percent more than the 2013 CES. In partnership with UP Global, the National Science Foundation (NSF), General Electric (GE) and AT&T, Eureka Park provides a stage for new companies with technologies to market their innovation to venture capitalists, media and buyers. Eureka Park will have a French pavilion for the first time with UbiFrance bringing 11 French startups to the area.

Building off the success of Eureka Park, the new Eureka Park: NEXT hosts the progressing stage of Eureka Park startups. This TechZone is designed for mid-stage startups that have launched a product in the past year. In Eureka Park: NEXT, retailers, venture capitalists, manufacturers and more will discover established startups looking to expand their growth.

Floored within Eureka Park, Academia Tech focuses on the technologies coming from colleges and universities. CES also offers special networking events curated for startups and entrepreneurs like the invitation-only Entrepreneurs Reception and Tech Cocktail’s Startup Night.

The 2014 CES will feature more than 3,200 exhibitors unveiling the latest consumer technology products and services across 15 product categories. For more information on the 2014 International CES, visit CESweb.org.

OTHER UPCOMING CES-RELATED EVENTS

CES Unveiled LAS VEGAS January 5, 2014, Las Vegas, NV
2014 International CES January 7-10, 2014, Las Vegas, NV
CEA Winter Break March 18-21, 2014, Vail, CO
Digital Patriots Dinner April 29, 2014, Washington, DC
CES on the Hill April 30, 2014, Washington, DC
2014 Technology & Standards Spring Forum May 19-23, 2014, Seattle, WA
CE Week June 23-27, 2014, New York, NY
CE Week Line Shows June 25-26, 2014, New York, NY

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PLT Labs and the Power of Purpose Driven Design

2013-12-26

There is a lot of talk these days about “purpose driven design”. QTOOTH wanted to take a look at where this term comes from, what it means, and provide a few real world examples of it in action in the world of wireless devices.

Technological advances make more possible. These possibilities excite inventors and manufacturers, inspiring them to develop products that might include features that previously could only be imagined. In doing so, they hope to impress others by being able to say, “Our product not only does X and Y, but also Z. Oh, and A… and B, and C and D…” This may not only lead to what is referred to as feature bloat, but also the risk that they are adding features that no one will use. Just because you make it doesn’t mean people will want it. This is where the philosophy of purpose driven design comes to the rescue.

Purpose driven design could be considered a component of the Customer Development methodology popularized by Steve Blank. The basic concept of customer development is to learn as much as possible about potential customers, what problems they have, how they understand those problems, and what is of real value to them. The success of any design is how accurately it solves those problems in a way that will be most appreciated. So how does this differ from the classic “form follows function”? Form follows function doesn’t necessarily mean that anybody wants that particular function. However, if the function solves a very specific problem, the design that provides a solution can be said to exist for a reason. It serves a purpose.

Having recently attended the Wearable Tech Expo in Los Angeles, it was hard not to notice that “purpose driven design” was mentioned often in many of the presentations. The wearable tech industry is currently fighting for mass adoption. Because of this, they want to make sure that their innovations are not perceived as being frivolous in nature. Manufactures want to make sure that there is a ready market for their device and that they’re not creating something just because they can.

Stan Kinsey, president of Martian Watches, and Andy Tarczon, VP of Partner Development at Meta Watch, were the very first presenters and they couldn’t stress enough the value of purpose driven design. They were very clear that in order for their smart watch companies to succeed they had to fill very specific needs. They freely admitted that not everyone wants to wear a watch nor are they trying to convince everyone that they should. Instead, they started by asking current watch wearers what functions from their other smart devices would they most likely use if it were available on their wrist. How did this help? They ended up with shortlist of features that accurately targeted the needs and desires of their existing market.

One of the major players at the conference was PLT Labs, the research and innovation division of Plantronics. Their main product on display was a device called the Concept 1, based on the Legend series of Plantronics’ highly successful Bluetooth wireless headsets. They have basically thrown in everything and the kitchen sink when it comes to sensors, including such things as a nine-axis motion sensor, a free-fall sensor, a pedometer and an MFi chip for more direct communication with iOS devices. PLT Labs has been bringing the Concept 1 to hackathons, events where developers have a chance to find and create new applications for cutting edge technology. They provide developers with software development kits (SDKs) and application programming interfaces (API) that allow them to create new uses for the device. Check out these videos that barely scratch the surface of the awesome capabilities of the Concept 1:

Pretty exciting stuff! So when I had the chance at the Wearable Tech Expo to sit down and chat with Mike Holmlund, Software Product Marketing Manager for Plantronics and PLT Labs Software Evangelist, I asked the usual rabid technology fan question: “I want one! This looks ready for mass production, why don’t you release it… NOW?!” Mike smiled, calmed me down, and gave me some quick insight into their approach to purpose driven design.

First, here is a list of some of the most common sensors and functions that can be built-in to this type of device:

Capacitive sensor to detect whether a device is being worn or not
Gyroscope
Accelerometer
Compass
Head orientation tracking
MFi chip for easy integration with iOS devices (MFi means “made for iOS”) this allows for native access to iOS functionality over Bluetooth. This is very handy for applications requiring very low latency, particularly useful when tracking head orientation and related applications.
Built-in pedometer
Tap detection
Free-fall detection
Thermometer/ temperature
Heart rate
Pressure/barometric
Humidity
A suite of APIs for easy integration not only with iOS but also Android, Windows and Mac.

According to Mike, the Concept 1 has had just about every sensor available in it at some point during its development. For instance, one of the earlier versions had a heart rate sensor. However, at the hackathons, no one was writing applications that used this feature. The heart rate sensor didn’t serve a purpose. They have since removed the heart rate sensor.

As a bit of a tech geek, I am of course mortified. Doesn’t everybody want it all? Maybe no one is writing apps for it yet, but maybe once released into the wild they would? But, as Mike reminded me, this would only add unnecessary cost to a device and potentially overwhelm users with too many options. From a business standpoint that is too much of a risk. Why include features and all of the hardware and software needed to support them if very few people will actually use them? This would run counter to the core principle of purpose driven design; usefulness.

So, as we watch this journey of the Concept 1’s development, it will be very interesting to see what the final design will include. One thing is certain, everything in it will serve a useful purpose.

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Top Takeaways – Wearable Technology Expo LA 2013

2013-12-13

QTOOTH was lucky enough to be able to attend this past week’s Wearable Technology Expo in Los Angeles this past week. Primarily sponsored by Plantronics and held at the Hilton Universal near Universal Studios, the event gave great insights not only into wearable tech but also into the future of all wireless devices. There’s a lot of ground to cover and we will be posting more updates over the next few weeks so that we can relay all of the news for those of you who couldn’t be there.

Expertly hosted by Tony Rizzo and the friendly folks over at TMC.NET, we were on information overload by the time all was said and done. In no particular order, here are a few of the top takeaways that seemed most significant to us:

Analysts seem to agree that the hype that the wearable tech market is experiencing is probably close to peaking. This initial hype will probably go through a bit of a “cooling-off” phase before experiencing consistent growth. However, over time, the market should grow to a sustainable $50 billion a year industry.
As visible and as hyped as consumer wearable tech is right now in the news, mass adoption and proliferation will most likely come from the enterprise (business to business) sector of the market. Most consumers still feel, “That’s cool, but I don’t need it” whereas in business, if wearable tech demonstrates itself as an immediately useful tool to increase productivity and profits, companies will say, “We’ll take them, and as many as you can spare for our overseas operations.”
Most profitable part of the wearable tech market might be in the big data that is generated and not in the hardware and software that creates it.
Even if they make measurements as accurate as any medical device, bio-sensor companies need to be careful not to make health claims that are not approved by the FDA or they may suffer severe legal consequences.
People are aware of the fact that social media is collecting all of their data, however users feel that the benefits to using these social media platforms outweigh any tradeoff to the loss of privacy. In the same way, the adoption by the general public of wearable tech will depend on whether those devices are adding more perceived value to people’s lives than they might sacrifice in loss of privacy by using these products.
Bio-sensors and the gathering of data points is meaningless to the average consumer unless there are specific analytics that prove useful to their daily lives. To encourage consistent use, they must be able to make sense of this data and be provided with an actionable plan.
Ideally the monitoring of people’s health and behavior must be as non-invasive as possible. This should provide even more accurate and reliable data results than those taken in the typically unnatural setting of a clinical trial.
Are activity and health trackers effective when it comes to modifying people’s behaviors? Only if coupled with realistic expectations that overwhelm the user. Small steps and small victories are a more sure road to make sure users don’t abandon the platform.
Even though they weren’t the first of their kind, having tech giants Google introduce Glass and Samsung release their Galaxy Gear Smartwatch has really helped all manufacturers of those devices gain visibility and acceptance in the marketplace.
The wearable tech dilemma continues: Should wearable tech devices work in a standalone mode where all of their functionality and data processing is built-in to the device itself? Or should the device only monitor/sense/communicate/etc… and let bigger machines in the cloud take care of all of the functionality and data? Of course this varies depending on the device and its application, but almost all wearable tech developers face that choice or need to find the proper balance between the two.
Fashion designers need to be involved earlier in the design process for wearable tech products to achieve mass acceptance. It’s not just what a product does, but how it makes the user feel. It can’t appeal just intellectually but also emotionally.
Proven: Use of a viewfinder, like on traditional cameras and smartphones, make us forget the details of the actual event we are recording. Better? Use a POV (point of view), hands-free camera, like a smart glass, to record while still being able to engage fully in the event.
Contextual data, otherwise known as information that comes from the immediate surroundings of the wearer, will help popularize the use of wearable technology.

So, that’s what we’ve got for now. In the next week or so we’ll be taking a more detailed look at some of the more interesting products and sub-categories that were presented at the Wearable Tech Expo. From fitness to smartwatches, to the real uses of smart glasses and the creative role of wearable tech in fashion and movie-making. Stay tuned!

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WearableTech Conference Tomorrow: PLT Labs, CSR, and More!

2013-12-09

QTOOTH is headed to the Wearable Tech Conference tomorrow where we’ll be checking out all of the latest in gear and innovation from the developers and companies who make it all possible. There’s still time to get discount tickets if you are interested in going. As media sponsor of the event, QTOOTH has a line on discounted tickets to the event which you can find by clicking here.

We’ll be getting hands-on experience with innovations from CSR, Pivothead, Revolutionary Tracker, HzO, Ellisys, Freescale, Clothing+, Sensoplex, and more. We’ll be tweeting and posting live from the conference as much as possible.. We’ll also be doing a lot of follow up articles here on QTOOTH.COM, so stay tuned!

We’re really looking forward to getting chance to have a sit down with Mike Holmlund, software product marketing manager at Plantronics, and learn all about the Concept 1 Project that is coming out of PLT Labs, Plantronics research division. Check out the video below that lays out the basics of the how this device works. Dubbed “Google Glass for your ears”, we think that this type of device might find more rapid adoption than smart glasses or watches.

What do you think? Do you have any questions you’d like us to ask the folks at PLT Labs when we meet up with them at the Wearable Tech Conference?

Please Note: The following headsets are not the Concept 1. The Concept 1 is yet to be introduced to the market. But hey, if you’re looking for one of the best Bluetooth headsets on the market from a company who has been at it longer than just about anyone, check them out!

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Cool Gadgets Compete for Best in Show at Next Week’s WearableTech Expo LA

2013-12-06

Seventeen companies show off their latest gear in 8-minute demos. The audience then gets to vote on which one is their favorite. How would you like to be there? You can! See below for info on discount tickets.

Next week brings much excitement to Los Angeles and the wireless world in the form of the WearableTech Expo. Held next Tuesday and Wednesday, December 10-11, one of the not-to-miss highlights. Who are the heavy favorites? Hard to say, it’s a pretty deep field with great talent and some very original ideas.

To be held during Tuesday’s session, here’s the just-released schedule of contenders:

Demo lineup:
4:00 – 4:10 LUMOback
4:10 – 4:20 Sensoplex
4:20 – 4:30 PLT Labs
4:30 – 4:30 Revolutionary Tracker
4:40 – 4:50 HzO
4:50 – 5:00 Pivothead
5:00 – 5:10 Freescale
5:10 – 5:20 Clothing+
5:20 – 5:30 Ellisys
5:30 – 5:40 Neoconix
5:40 – 5:50 Hexoskin
5:50 – 6:00 Theatro
6:00 – 6:10 Vuzix
6:10 – 6:20 adidas
6:20 – 6:30 METAWATCH
6:30 – 6:40 Byte an Atom Research
6:40 – 6:50 Epson

Would you like to be there? Would you like to not only see these products in action but even get to try many of them first-hand? You’ll even have the chance to ask questions of the people who make these things possible. There is still time to register for the WearableTech Expo and QTOOTH has a line on discount tickets if you click here.

If you can’t make it, have no fear. QTOOTH is an official media sponsor of the event. We’ll be there to report on all of the happenings and will keep you posted as to who wins and what our own personal highlights are of the show. Stay tuned!