Wearables shortlisted for Marriott Hotels Testbed programme

Brain training and live translation earbuds could soon be trialled
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Two wearable tech startups have been shortlisted as part of Marriott Hotels' Testbed accelerator programme.

French company My Brain Technologies and UK startup Mymanu have each made it through to the last eight, with three winners prime to pilot their projects in hotels across Europe.

The latter provides wireless earbuds, known as Clik, that can offer real-time translation in 37 languages, meaning guests will be free to speak in their native language and still be able to communicate with hotel staff.

Read next: Wearable tech startups to watch in 2017

My Brain Technologies, meanwhile, is hoping to implement Melomind, a brain training headset that utilises neuroscience to combat stress and anxiety and help individuals relax. For guests, this would involve a single stress relief session that could be built into a personalised coaching programme over a series of stays.

Around 150 entries from 24 countries were submitted to the process, with the remaining few now set to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges later this month. Interestingly, wearable tech and IoT devices accounted for 20% of applications this year compared to just 3% in the programme's debut in 2016.

Last year's winner, Dazzle, has already had its device, an in-room voice activated personal assistant that uses AI and real human brains to answer guest queries, piloted in a number of Marriott Hotels across Europe.

Of course, while the 10-week programme offers up a route for winners to establish themselves with a household name and also its guests, just how much of the tech is kept on in the long term remains to be seen.

Wearables shortlisted for Marriott Hotels Testbed programme


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Conor Allison

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Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.

Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides. 

He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror. 


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