All the rumours and lighter stories from the past week
Roll up, roll up, it’s time for And finally, the place where we review all the lighter news and rumours from the past week.
It’s been a manic few days in Las Vegas with CES 2018 taking place, and we’ve been on hand to bring you first hand looks of everything from the Garmin Forerunner 645 Music and HTC Vive Pro, all the way to Bragi’s Project Ears and Blocks’ smartwatch.
Essential reading: The best wearable tech at CES 2018
But despite all the news we’ve churned out from the past week, there are still some more stories to round out the week with. Are you ready for that? Are you?! Let’s go.
Graphene sensor to prevent cot deaths
Graphene is back at it again, with scientists developing a new wearable sensor, made from the material, that’s able to detect heart and breathing abnormalities in babies.
The sensor itself, which has been developed by physicists at the University of Sussex, is shaped like a flexible rubber tube and filled with a solution made from graphene emulsion, water and oil. Once the tube holding the liquid is stretched, the conductivity of the liquid changes, meaning those wearing the device can easily have their pulses tracked outside of a medical environment.
Read next: Why wearables are waiting for graphene
Scientists at the university believe the non-invasive tech will be able to keep track and prevent of cardiac arrhythmia and also help those with sleep apnea.
Matrix brings the X factor
We’ve already had an extensive play around with the Matrix PowerWatch, which is the first smartwatch to use body heat technology to displace a traditional battery. And in Las Vegas this week, the startup unveiled the PowerWatch X, which offers the same heat-powered fun but also comes with the ability to show you notifications.
The device is also 4mm larger than the standard PowerWatch, which released in November last year, and will be waterproof up to 200m, as opposed to the 50m of its sibling. If you’re looking to pick one up, the device is expected to drop later this month for $249, and pre-orders are available now.
Motiv is getting friendly with Android
The Motiv Ring finally hit our fingers last year, bringing the likes of continuous heart rate tracking, step monitoring and sleep tracking to a package much smaller than the traditional fitness tracker.
And at CES this week, the startup revealed it’s now looking to add social sharing, more detailed sleep tracking and, thankfully, much-needed support for Android users. Right now, only iOS users can use the ring, but these newly announced features are set to come before the first half of 2018 is over, according to Engadget. Huzzah!
Smart insole wants to track tiredness
We’ve seen plenty of smart shoes and insole concepts look to bring more insights to runners, but one unveiled by Zhor Tech this week at CES is instead aiming to detect fatigue in field jobs.
Packed with sensors that analyse posture, detect vibrations around the wearer and count steps, the soles will be an extra tool for the likes of construction workers to understand when their body is tiring. It can also detect if the user has slipped and notify a co-worker, with the rest of the tracked data fired back to the companion app and able to be viewed in real time.
Engadget indicates the company plans to ship the tech in September for $149.
