As constantly evolving wearable technology is giving us innovative wearables like smart clothes and smart shoes. Myant, a Toronto-based smart textile company has come up with a new type of wearable – smart underwear. The award-winning company has been working on its Skiin Connected Health & Wellness System that embeds biometric monitors into everyday clothing, with a particular focus on undergarments.

Read more: Myant Partners with Osmotex to Integrate HYDRO_BOT Technology in Smart Clothes

“Connectedness between you, your body, your loved ones and your world is essential to a healthy life. The relationship between social connectedness and health outcomes is central to the reason Myant created the Skiin Connected Health & Wellness System. Continuous monitoring of ECG, stress level, sleep quality, activity, temperature, among other metrics, is one of the most efficient and reliable ways to potentially prevent health issues,” Myant said in a press release.

In 2018, Myant entered into a strategic collaboration with Mayo Clinic to bring the power of Mayo’s patented algorithms for heart monitoring and arrhythmia detection to Myant’s SKIIN Textile Computing platform.

The agreement gave Myant Inc. exclusive license to Mayo Clinic’s proprietary heart monitoring and arrhythmia detection technology for use in Textile Computing or smart clothing projects. Myant’s SKIIN smart underwear will be released in 2019 pending FDA clearance and Health Canada approval.

The system includes a variety of clothing options that can track your health including underwear, bras, shirts, and sleep masks, providing you with the option of 24/7 monitoring across your day. These garments connect to the Skiin App, running on the Myant Platform, which analyses your data and provides you with advice about lifestyle changes to improve your wellbeing.

Read more: Myant-FCAD Partnership to Develop Innovative Applications in Textile Computing

Currently, Myant underwear measures the regular smart wearable options, like heart rate, stress level, sleep quality, activity, temperature, stationary time, and feeds the information back to the linked Skiin app, reports Interesting Engineering.

The smart underwear can also detect slip and fall, track ovulation, and monitor driver fatigue. The company even envisions its smart underwear to be programmed to play soothing music when it picks up your stress levels, to lower the room's temperature if your workout is warming you up, according to Interesting Engineering.

Myant was selected as a CES 2020 Innovation Award Honoree for its Skiin Connected Health & Wellness System.

If you don’t know what your handicap is, then the new smartwatches from Garmin may not be for you. With the Approach S12 and S42, Garmin is bringing tailor-made wearables for golf to the market. But the features of the two smartwatches are of course not only suitable for golf. Other functions could ensure that the S12 and S42 are also a lot of fun away from the green.

Read more Garmin Enduro to the Test: This is Garmin’s Most Advanced Smartwatch

Of course, both watches have GPS onboard. This results in a first major advantage for golf. In fact, 42,000 golf courses worldwide are automatically preinstalled in Garmin's extensive database. This means that the watch not only recognizes which golf course you are currently on. On top of that, the location is so precise that it should even be recognized which hole you are currently playing. This is not only exciting for the subsequent evaluation of a round of golf. Thanks to GPS, you can see at any time how many meters you are from the next hole. This not only saves a lot of walking but certainly gives the game with ball and racket a new charm.

But golfers can also look forward to further help from the two smartwatches. Garmin installed the "GreenView" function here. This should be able to show the wearer the shape of the green. This should allow strokes to be planned much better. Speaking of which are the mandatory strokes. Garmin itself also advertises its racket sensors in connection with the S12 and S42. The Approach CT10 club sensors are specially designed to detect hits. So you can evaluate statistics afterward and work on your technology. The tailor-made set for golfers is rounded off by the Garmin Golf app.

Golf with style

The lightweight Approach S42 offers an easy-to-read 1.2-inch color touchscreen display with a sleek design that easily transitions from a daily timepiece to a comprehensive golf watch. Once on the course, golfers can rely on a loaded feature set that includes the AutoShot round analyzer to track and auto-record shot distances. Golfers can wear the smartwatch in and out of the golf course and peruse smart notifications3 and activity-tracking features4 that include steps, sleep, calories, vibration alerts, move bar, and built-in sport profiles. Whether golfers are looking for style points or sportiness, switching bands is easy with the Approach S42’s quick release bands. Enjoy more time on the links thanks to the Approach S42’s versatile battery life that lasts up to 15 hours in GPS mode, and up to 10 days in smartwatch mode, reports BusinessWire.

Ready to tee off

Easy-to-use and practical for beginners and seasoned players alike, the Approach S12 includes interchangeable quick release bands and introduces a unique round watch design with a 1.3-inch sunlight-readable high-resolution display. Thanks to the new Big Numbers display mode, Approach S12 makes it easier than ever to read yardage numbers during play. When paired with the Garmin Golf app on a compatible smartphone, the Approach S12 wirelessly updates a player’s most frequently played golf courses for up-to-date course information. Golfers can confidently play round after round thanks to the Approach S12’s internal, rechargeable battery that lasts up to 30 hours in GPS mode.

Approach G12 GPS Rangefinder

Golfers can fine-tune their game with the Approach G12 GPS rangefinder featuring a thin, compact design with a 1.3-inch high-resolution sunlight-readable display that lasts up to 30 hours on a single battery charge. Offering all the benefits included in the Approach S12, the versatile Approach G12 GPS rangefinder adds a built-in clip and a lanyard loop to securely attach the device to pockets or golf bags.

Read more Garmin Announces Tactix Delta, a Multisport GPS Smartwatch Built to Military Standards

Price and Availability

Available now, the Approach S42 GPS golf smartwatch has a suggested retail price of $299.99; the Approach S12 GPS golf watch has a suggested retail price of $199.99; the Approach G12 GPS golf rangefinder has a suggested retail price of $149.99.

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With the Galaxy Wearable App, Samsung has a central solution for all of the manufacturer's wearables. The Galaxy Wearable app is a bridge between Samsung’s wearables and phones. And that means that every time a new device is released, Samsung has to add support for it within that app.

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Leaks, Release Date, Specs, and More

Sometimes, if we look really closely, we end up lucky enough to spot the changes Samsung makes in anticipation of a still-unannounced device. Sure enough, it has now received an update again, which prompted the colleagues from Android Police to sniff the code. Why not, because if an update is published for such an app, information about new functions or devices could appear.

In the teardown of the most recent Galaxy Wearable APK, Android Police found references to Galaxy Buds2.

The teardown also shows that the earbuds are codenamed “berry” and that they’ll be able to connect to multiple devices, reports Android Authority. The Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds Plus, and Galaxy Buds Pro are also mentioned in the APK file, suggesting that the Buds 2 are indeed a new pair and not related to any older models.

Talking about Galaxy Buds Plus, the wearable device got Auto Switch feature for compatible Samsung handsets as a part of a firmware update.

Furthermore, the code lines also suggest that the Galaxy Buds 2 will be able to connect to non-Samsung devices.

Read more: Apple AirPods Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live: Which earbuds are Better?

Unfortunately, there is currently no further information about it, it is clear that these Buds2 will replace the previous Galaxy Buds. Let's see when we will find the first leaks because as of now, we have no idea when the Galaxy Buds 2 will launch. The Galaxy Buds Pro are fairly new, but Samsung has a bunch of things left to unpack this year, so we may see them in the coming months.

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Anthony Scarpone-Lambert, a nursing student at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, created a wearable nightlight to help clinicians avoid disturbing patients at night.

During his day shift at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Scarpone-Lambert steps into a patient’s room. The lights are off, but he knows he has to change the IV without disturbing the patient.

Read more Texas A&M Researchers Develop New Device That Improves Lighting During Surgery

He has two choices: turn on the overhead lights or attempt to use some sort of hand-held light to navigate in the darkness.

It’s this dilemma that he sought to fix by inventing the uNight Light, a wearable light-emitting diode, or LED, that allows nurses to illuminate their workspace without interrupting a patient’s sleep, reports New York Times.

Scarpone-Lambert, 21, a first-generation college student, developed the $20 uNight Light with Jennifferre Mancillas, BSN, RN, a nurse at Madera, Calif.-based Valley Children's Hospital.

uNight Light is a wearable LED light made for nurses It is attachable to scrubs and completely hands-free, allowing frontline healthcare workers to illuminate their workspace while decreasing patient sleep disturbances on average by 70%.

“As nurses, we created uNight Light because we were tired of waking up our patients when we needed to turn on the intrusive overhead patient room lights to see. We are sick of using penlights, iPhone lights, and runners’ lights to try and see, so we created uNight Light,” the duo says.

Mr. Scarpone-Lambert and Jennifferre Mancillas, are calling the light a breakthrough for frontline health care workers.

“We really pride ourselves on being very specifically designed for the clinical setting,” said Mr. Scarpone-Lambert, 21, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing who met Ms. Mancillas, 36, in 2019 at a hackathon sponsored by Johnson & Johnson that encouraged nurses to collaborate on solutions to health care problems.

Scarpone-Lambert is set to graduate nursing school at the University of Pennsylvania this year.

They also point out the light can be easily disinfected, which of course is very important for healthcare workers.

More than 400 nurses have tested the uNight Light, and more than 90 percent said it was helpful, the inventors said. They have received 1,500 orders and will start shipments next month, the New York Times report said.

Read more Thinklabs One Electronic Stethoscope Keeping Healthcare Professionals Safe During COVID-19 Pandemic

The pandemic, which has overwhelmed hospitals, underscores the need for the device, Mr. Scarpone-Lambert said, and further motivated him and Ms. Mancillas to bring it to market.

“I would say it’s been through Covid that this kind of innovation came to life,” he said. “It highlights the really important message that frontline health care workers and patients really deserve more support now more than ever.”

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The Amazfit T-Rex Pro looks like a perfect companion for everyone who likes to be outdoors: a bulky, robust watch with all the features you need to explore the outdoors.

With the Amazfit T-Rex Pro, Huami, a close partner of Xiaomi, has launched a model that is said to score with its resilience. For around 170 euros you can get a wearable that also has GPS on board. This allows outdoor workouts to be tracked without the smartphone has to be in your luggage.

Read more: Amazfit Plans to Launch Smartwatches with ECG and Blood Pressure Monitoring in the U.S.

What’s New in the Pro Version?

Externally, the Amazfit T-Rex Pro looks like the basic version. The subtle differences lie in the sensors: The Pro version comes with a barometric altitude sensor that shows the air pressure and altitude. A SpO2 sensor estimates the oxygen saturation in the blood - a function that many current wearables have on board, but which offers little added value because the measurement is not medically accurate.

The watch recognizes workouts automatically. However, this function is deactivated at the factory because it consumes electricity. It can be switched on via the settings on the watch. Unlike the basic version, the watch also records the physiological activity (PAI), a measure devised by the manufacturer for sporting activities in which the heart rate increases. It also calculates training values: the training load, the recovery and the endurance value VO 2 max (maximum oxygen uptake).

Fitness functions in a practical test

The Pro version of the T-Rex has plenty of sensors for recording training, reports Computer Bild. In the practical test, the heart rate was correct even when the arms moved a lot. The route of a bicycle tour they recorded correctly, the results showed in the app as a map, and took into account the distance covered in altitude. The watch recognizes according to the manufacturer, if you are walking, running, cycling, swimming or exercising on the elliptical or rowing machine. The setting of the detection can be adjusted to three levels of sensitivity. If the watch has noticed a training session, it indicates this and automatically records the training session. In the practical test, the watch, for example, recognized a walk after only two minutes with the most sensitive setting and also noticed when it was over. Then a countdown to the end of the training starts, which you can stop at the push of a button if the training should continue. The sleeping hours’ notice automatically recorded in the practice test sleep duration and phases reliably.

Technical data of the Amazfit T-Rex Pro

• Display:3 inches, AMOLED, 360 x 360 pixels, touchscreen with anti-fingerprint coating, always-on function
• Operating systems: RTOS
• Companion app: Zepp
• Sensors: heart rate monitor, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, barometer, ambient light sensor, geomagnetic sensor, SpO2 sensor
• Sport modes: Over 100 pieces: running (indoor/outdoor), cycling, swimming, skateboarding, rowing, volleyball, soccer, and much more.
• GPS: GPS + GLONASS, GPS + BeiDou, GPS + Galilelo
• Bluetooth0 BLE
• Battery: 390 mAh
• Charging time: about 1.5 hours
• Waterproof: 10 ATM waterproof
• Material: Polycarbonate (case) / silicone (bracelet)
• Dimensions/Weight:7 x 47.7 x 13.5 mm / 59.4 g (with bracelet)
• Other special features: step and calorie counter, customizable watch face, sleep tracking, weather display, display of notifications, control of music playback, accepting/rejecting calls, PAI evaluation, automatic recording of eight workouts
• Compatible with mobile devices from Android 5.0 or Apple iOS 10.0

Amazfit T-Rex Pro battery

The battery of the T-Rex Pro is the same size as the battery of the basic version and lasts for 390 mAh. In the practical test, the watch lasted five days with a permanent time display and heart rate measurement. The manufacturer is a bit more optimistic and promises nine days of runtime with heavy use and 40 hours with activated GPS tracking.

Price, colors, and availability

The Amazfit T-Rex Pro is now on sale at the official price of 169.90 euros. For comparison: the T-Rex has a recommended retail price of 139.90 euros, but is available from retailers from 90 euros. The manufacturer sells the "Pro" through its in-house shop and through dealers. The watch comes in black with a black-gray strap ("Meteorite Black"), in beige-gray ("Desert Gray") and petrol ("Steel Blue"). A smartphone from Android 5 or iOS 10 with the Zepp app is required for setup and use.

Read more: Huami Launches Amazfit Zenbuds With Sleep Monitoring

Conclusion

The Amazfit T-Rex Pro is a good wearable in and of itself. What’s lacking is the ability to track workouts and control music playback at the same time. There is tough competition in the form of the Honor Watch GS Pro, which (apart from offers) is a bit more expensive, but also has a microphone and loudspeaker and can control the aforementioned control of the music in parallel with tracking. Especially since their battery life is a little longer.

Mace Group, a global consultancy and construction firm headquartered in London, has deployed RealWear’s assisted reality wearable computers running voice-enabled Microsoft Teams, paving the way forward for the global construction industry. For the first time, the voice-activated RealWear HMT-1 wearable device has enabled hundreds of its workers and clients to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and reduce its carbon footprint via using the device for remote inspections during construction process.  The wearable deployment marks a first for the construction industry.

Read more: Exclusive Networks To Distribute RealWear’s Wearable Computer Across India, Southeast Asia, Australia and NZ

Mace works on a number of construction projects both in the UK and across the globe. When the pandemic hit and travel restrictions came into effect, Mace envisioned an entirely new and safer way to inspect building façades. To operate as effectively and as safely as possible under seemingly indefinite social distancing restrictions, it needed a solution that would enable inspection work to still be carried out but with minimal people onsite than normally permitted.

The RealWear headsets met Mace’s requirements for no compromises on safety, for hands-free operation, and the ability to clip to the side of hard hats. Its other requirements included durability and functionality at the right price point; two other areas where RealWear excelled, reports RealWear.

RealWear’s assisted reality head-mounted wearable computers require only a single site inspector to be physically present, while multiple others ‘view’ the site clearly and remotely from their own location, via a feed that streams from the innovative headset directly to the viewer’s handheld or laptop computer. The technology negates the need to physically travel to a site, while also delivering on Mace’s requirement for its workforce to be fully connected through remote collaboration. Furthermore, the deployment has banished the logistical and planning complexities of trying to coordinate the diaries of several site inspectors to be present at the same time on the same day. Since the completion of the deployment this month Mace has been able to reduce in-person site visits, and its Façade team has seen a 75% reduction in travel; not only has this resulted in a reduction in carbon emissions, but the time saved has freed up staff to be more productive during the course of their day.

“With its willingness to embrace the future, it’s appropriate that Mace is at the head of the curve within the construction industry with respect to deploying wearable technology,” commented Phil Sedge, Head of Facade, Mace Group. “Since the deployment, we have seen improvements in the decision-making process, and we’re able to share real-time information instantaneously. The technology has enabled us to reduce the number of staff traveling to the site, without any compromises to the quality of our work. The time saving and environmental benefits deliver further advantages.” He added: “RealWear’s reinvestment back into product development has also impressed us, which means that the foundations of this technology are future-proofed. We only wish we had deployed it sooner.”

Ross Riley, Head of Immersive, SystemActive commented:

“From a health and safety, durability, and price perspective, RealWear’s device ticked a lot of boxes. We worked with the senior teams at Mace to ensure the device was as easy as possible for everyone to use and that the bespoke operating system met Mace’s needs. We’re thrilled with the positive feedback from Mace on the deployment and look forward to working with the team in a continued rollout.”

“RealWear’s HMT-1 is purpose-built for productivity, even in extreme environments due to its ruggedness, durability, and functionality,” said Jon Arnold, VP of Sales, RealWear Inc. “With software updates to come in March that will further improve the user experience, the HMT-1 is set to be a central part of Mace’s workflow, both now and in the future,” he added.

Read more: Italgas Deploys RealWear’s HMT-1Z1 Wearable Solution Running OverIT Field Services Management Software

Based on this level of success, Mace plans to surpass the 150-unit mark over the next few months as it ramps up deployment of RealWear’s HMT-1 globally. The company has recently procured more units to go out to one of its sectors in Peru to help with monitoring of a project and its various phases, including safety inspections. It has also increased awareness through its supply chain who has started to adopt the technology.

InteliCare, a Perth, Australia-based at-home aged care tech company, has launched real-time reporting and insights of personal health metrics for elderly Australians.

Read more Remote Monitoring and Wearables are Enhancing Patient Care

Wearable smart health devices can now be integrated with InteliCare’s app, InteliLiving, to provide personal biometrics in real-time.

Those living independently can now have their health data uploaded to a cloud-based dashboard that tracks the activity and wellbeing of residents through integration with wearable devices, such as FitBit. Information captured to the dashboard will include heart rate, weight and BMI, respiration, temperature, blood oxygenation, blood glucose, and activity (steps). Additional alerts can then be set if pre-set levels are exceeded or fall below a key threshold.

Using the company’s trademarked InteliLiving app, members of a care team can view and track multiple health metrics on daily, weekly, monthly, or longer time frames. The most recent information is displayed on a dedicated page on the InteliLiving app or via the InteliCare Pro Dashboard. Users can preconfigure thresholds to easily visualize when a metric is abnormal. For example, if the weight drops below a pre-set threshold, the health metrics dashboard indicator turns amber along with the weight graph on the health metrics details page. When paired with InteliLiving passive sensors, daily routine data, and proactive analytics, InteliLiving’s health metrics provide an additional dimension to detect emerging health and wellness issues, enabling the care team to take a proactive approach to improve health journey of the client.

InteliLiving smart home-enabled analytics product already provides the elderly or health compromised and their care teams with insights and alerts based on individuals’ daily activities and routines. The Health Metrics analytics now capture and record health data by both manual and automated methods via integrated smart health tracking devices like Fitbit.

Read more Hillrom Buys Continuous Remote Monitoring Technology from EarlySense for $30 million

“InteliLivin health metrics is meeting an immediate customer need with a free offering. It is a clear example of how we are able to leverage our open architecture IoT platform to build and incorporate new products to meet a rapidly evolving market and remain ahead of the market, said Jason Waller, CEO, and Managing Director InteliCare. “It is the first step in a much deeper strategy to exploit our competitive advantage and gain deeper insights from AI to drive more efficient, better care.”

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According to the CDC, nearly half of adults in the United States (108 million, or 45%) have hypertension and only about 1 in 4 have their condition under control.

Many people do not show any symptoms of high blood pressure; that is why it’s crucial to have blood pressure checked regularly. The conventional method of measuring blood pressure is a blood pressure monitor cuff or, also known as a sphygmomanometer. However, using a blood pressure cuff isn’t convenient for many and it requires hands-on knowledge.

Read more Aktiia Raises CHF 6 Million in Funding to Market its Cuffless Optical Blood Pressure Monitor

The advent of wearable technology has made blood pressure monitoring easy. There are a number of different wearables and fitness trackers that claim to be able to use a PPG sensor to track your blood pressure. However, many of these devices aren’t certified as medical devices but instead certified as lifestyle wearables focused on tracking overall health.

Samsung’s recent update to its Health Monitor app allows users to use the PPG sensor in Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 or Galaxy Watch Active to take a blood pressure reading, reports Becca Caddy in TechRadar.

Omron HeartGuide

The cuff-based blood pressure measuring had a wearable upgrade. Omron HeartGuide, for example, uses a cuff, it’s very small and within the strap of a fairly slim wearable, which makes it look like a smartwatch. At $499/£499 (about AU$650), the price may sound exorbitant, but it’s made by a top health tech company like Omron and it can provide accurate, on-the-spot blood pressure readings when you ask it to.

Aktiia

Aktiia developed the world’s first 24-7, automated blood pressure monitoring system that easily and comfortably gathers data during the day and while sleeping. This groundbreaking medical innovation provides people and their physicians comprehensive insights into blood pressure patterns to better inform the diagnosis and management of hypertension. Available for sale in the United Kingdom, Aktiia’s device received CE Mark as a Class IIa medical device – signifying that the device has been assessed to meet high safety, health, and environmental protection requirements in Europe.

“Our technology also analyses pulse waves traveling along the arteries to generate estimations of blood pressure,” Dr. Josep Sola, founder and CTO of Aktiia tells me. “But instead of using pressure sensors, Aktiia's algorithms leverage optical sensors that analyze the changing diameter of the arteries at the wrist.”

How accurate is cuffless blood pressure monitoring?

A wearable blood pressure monitor might feel more convenient and allow you to collect more readings, but taking these measurements from your wrist could mean they’re not as accurate, the TechRadar report said.

“While upcoming technologies may be able to eventually overcome this challenge, we need careful studies to be performed to ensure that they are consistently valid in a wide range of patients, using appropriate and rigorous methods that are developed by experts in this area,” says Dr Jordana Cohen, an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in hypertension research. “Including those who do not stand to profit from sales of these devices.”

More testing, data collection, and validation may deliver more accurate cuffless blood pressure monitors.

Read more Omron’s HeartGuide Blood Pressure Watch Gets FDA Clearance

The future of blood pressure monitoring technology

Could wearable technology be the future of blood pressure monitoring?

“This is the beginning of a modernization of century-old technology,” says Dr. Ghalib Janjua, a lecturer in electronic and electrical engineering at Robert Gordon University who specializes in bioengineering and cuffless blood pressure monitoring. “It’s an area which is showing encouraging results.”

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During the launch event of realme 8 Pro smartphone, the Oppo subsidiary also announced the latest additions to its AIoT range: the premium smartwatch Watch S Pro and Buds Air 2 earphones.

realme Watch S Pro

realme Watch S Pro, belonging to the realme Watch S series, has many unique features, starting with the large 3.5cm (1.39 ") AMOLED touchscreen with the advanced Always-on Display function, which allows users to view information on the time at any time. There is also an intelligent AOD function for battery optimization, which you can activate or deactivate at will, according to your needs. The screen, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, has a resolution of 454 * 454 pixels (326 PPI) and it is possible to adjust the brightness, choosing between five different levels, up to a maximum of 450nits.

Read more: Oppo Band Now Available Outside of China, May Become Robust Competitor for Xiaomi’s Mi Band

realme Watch S Pro, with SUS316L stainless steel case, which ensures resistance without sacrificing style, has over one hundred dials to customize your look. The smartwatch integrates a high-precision GPS sensor that supports dual satellite tracking, with GPS and Glonass active at the same time. The built-in GPS also can track routes when running, cycling, or walking.

In addition to walking, cycling, and running, realme Watch S Pro supports monitoring of 15 sports, including basketball, yoga, bodyweight exercises, and features a new swimming mode. The waterproof rating of 5ATM allows you to withstand pressure equivalent to a depth of 50 meters for up to 30 minutes and you can record your swim data in real-time, including SWOLF and calories, reports realme.

The smartwatch also has a heart rate tracker, pedometer, inactivity and drinking reminders, sleep monitoring, and functions for meditation. In addition, it can track blood oxygen saturation.

Watch S Pro can also receive notifications from many apps, from calls to SMS, passing through messages from third-party apps.

The 420mAh battery lasts up to 14 days. In-box magnetic charging cradle can charge the device up to 100% in just two hours.

The smartwatch, with a black silicone strap, will be on sale on Amazon from March 31 at € 129.99. On March 29 and 30 on the realme website, it will be available in the early-bird promo for € 109.99.

realme Buds Air 2

The realme Buds Air 2 supports active noise cancellation (ANC) up to 25dB and can filter out most low-frequency noise, including the roar of airplanes, subways, and other means of transport. They also cancel out the noise from appliances, allowing you to immerse yourself in music or focus on work without being disturbed.

For the highest quality results, realme has exclusively developed R2 Chip, a new generation of intelligent noise cancellation chips. The chip, in addition to supporting ANC, ensures excellent processing performance, better energy efficiency, more stable connections and high call quality. realme Buds Air 2 has dual microphones for superior sound quality during calls and the ambient noise cancellation algorithm significantly reduces ambient sounds during phone calls, allowing you to converse better.

realme Buds Air 2 also supports Transparency mode. When on, you can hear conversations around you via the microphone - Transparency mode makes it easy to talk to others without having to take off your headphones.

The sound quality is high. The transient response is also exceptional; in addition, the distortion rate of Buds Air 2 has been reduced to less than 0.5%, the industry standard of excellence.

Also, present on Buds Air 2 Bass Boost + for bass optimization. Compared to the previous generation, this solution takes full advantage of the power of the dynamic coil and DLC diaphragm, giving users immersive sound and allowing them to crank up the bass for live recording, electronic music, rock, and more.

Read more: Huami Amazfit GTR 2 LTE And Amazfit T-Rex Pro to Arrive This Year

realme Buds Air 2 has the IPX5 waterproof, excellent autonomy, equal to 25 hours of music playback, a 10mm driver, and low latency of just 88ms in Game mode, which reduces the risk of lag, a lack of synchronization between audio and video, interference or other problems. Thanks to the realme Link app, you can customize your earphones, setting the touch functions to your liking to activate or deactivate active noise cancellation (ANC), enter or exit Game mode, control EQ settings, and much more. Buds Air 2 supports Google Fast Pair and have Smart wear sensors, as well as touch controls.

Starting from March 31st realme Buds Air 2 will be on sale on Amazon and on the official website of realme in the Closer White and Closer Black colors at a price of € 49.99, while on March 29th and 30th they will be available in the early bird promo at 39.99 euros.

Fitness wearables like smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart rings have become more and more prevalent in our society over the past several years. As the popularity is rising, competition among various brands of fitness wearables is forcing their manufacturers to come up with better and innovative health tracking features.

Read more Global Medical Wearables Market Size to Reach US $85.6 Billion by 2027

A fitness wearable that once provided simple steps count has evolved into a smarter machine that tracks our heart and blood oxygen saturation – features once only a lab or a hospital would provide.

“GPS and heart rate monitoring might be today’s must-have features, but tomorrow’s include ECG measurements, which are found on the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and Fitbit Sense. We’re talking about serious health tracking here that can detect medical conditions and sleep problems you don’t even know you have,” writes Jamie Carter in TechRadar.

Dr Conor Heneghan, Lead Research Scientist at Fitbit, says Fitbit is making progress in the areas of sleep apnea and Atrial Fibrillation (AFib), two of the most common health conditions worldwide, while recently published findings from its COVID-19 study suggest its devices have the potential to identify signs of illness before you show symptoms.

“As we all take a greater interest in our health the idea of illness detection will be even more in the spotlight,” says Dr Heneghan. “We believe that wearables can help bridge the gap between visits to the doctor, and facilitate conversations between patients and their doctor.”

Nicholas Kelly, co-founder of care group Axela, believes that the next generation of trackers will have more improvements on the technical side, so instead of having just an always-on display, they will focus more on providing health data like blood glucose, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pain management.

Nutrient loss and recovery tracking

The next big thing in fitness wearables will be ‘nutrient loss’ and ‘recovery tracking’ – algorithms that tell you what food to eat. Some devices now tell users how long it will take for their body to fully recover from their latest workout.

Read more How Wearables Are Helping to Improve Diagnosis and Monitoring in Healthcare

Smart clothes

Smart clothes can perform the same tasks as fitness trackers. Smart clothes can track your heart rate, and monitor stress and sleep. Juniper Research predicts that ‘smart clothing’ will contribute over $11 billion to the fitness wearables market by 2025.

Conclusion

More and more people are using wearables, whether that be for everyday use to help monitor heart rate and other daily health metrics or to motivate their physical activity. If health wearables are prescribed or recommended by people’s doctors or health insurers, more people will start using them.

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We’ve all heard about radio waves. These are signals permeated by microwaves and Wi-Fi connections. However, these are not just mere signals of energy consumed but are also sources of energy themselves. Now, an international team of researchers, led by Huanyu “Larry” Cheng, Dorothy Quiggle Career Development Professor in the Penn State Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, has developed a way to harvest energy from radio waves to power wearable devices.

The researchers recently published their method in Materials Today Physics.

Read more: Stretchable System Can Power Wearables By Harvesting Energy From Wearer’s Breathing and Motion

According to Cheng, current energy sources for wearable health-monitoring devices have their place in powering sensor devices, but each has its setbacks. Solar power, for example, can only harvest energy when exposed to the sun. A self-powered triboelectric device can only harvest energy when the body is in motion, reports Penn State News.

“We don’t want to replace any of these current power sources,” Cheng said. “We are trying to provide additional, consistent energy.”

The researchers developed a stretchable wideband dipole antenna system capable of wirelessly transmitting data that is collected from health-monitoring sensors. The system consists of two stretchable metal antennas integrated onto conductive graphene material with a metal coating. The wideband design of the system allows it to retain its frequency functions even when stretched, bent and twisted. This system is then connected to a stretchable rectifying circuit, creating a rectified antenna, or "rectenna,” capable of converting energy from electromagnetic waves into electricity. This electricity can be used to power wireless devices or to charge energy storage devices, such as batteries and supercapacitors.

This rectenna can convert radio, or electromagnetic waves from the ambient environment into energy to power the sensing modules on the device, which track temperature, hydration and pulse oxygen level. Compared to other sources, less energy is produced, but the system can generate power continuously — a significant advantage, according to Cheng.

“We are utilizing the energy that already surrounds us — radio waves are everywhere, all the time,” Cheng said. “If we don’t use this energy found in the ambient environment, it is simply wasted. We can harvest this energy and rectify it into power.”

Cheng said that this technology is a building block for him and his team. Combining it with their novel wireless transmissible data device will provide a critical component that will work with the team’s existing sensor modules.

Read more: Wireless Implantable Devices Can Be Powered By Radio Frequency Waves

“Our next steps will be exploring miniaturized versions of these circuits and working on developing the stretchability of the rectifier,” Cheng said. “This is a platform where we can easily combine and apply this technology with other modules that we have created in the past. It is easily extended or adapted for other applications, and we plan to explore those opportunities.

The IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organization (ISTO), an international federation of leading industry groups and consortia dedicated to the advancement of standardized technologies for the benefit of industry, announced its newest member program, LaSAR Alliance (Laser Scanning for Augmented Reality), reports GlobeNewsWire.

Read more The Future of Wearable Computing May Be Augmented Reality – Newest Developments in AR Glasses

The LaSAR Alliance (Laser Scanning for Augmented Reality) was established to create an ecosystem of like-minded companies and organizations to foster and encourage the development and promotion of technologies, components, devices, techniques and solutions to enable the efficient design and manufacture of augmented reality wearable devices including smart glasses and head-mounted displays. The goal is to provide an environment to facilitate a marketplace for ideas where members can exchange and share information, collaborate and partner to create, build and grow effective and compelling LBS (Laser Beam Scanning) based solutions, share best practices, and to help drive the growth of the market for augmented reality wearables in general.

“The formation of the LaSAR Alliance will facilitate the growth of the Augmented Reality market,” said Bharath Rajagopalan, Chair of the LaSAR Alliance. “Laser Beam Scanning solutions show great promise to realize a number of critical requirements necessary for the development of all-day-wearable smart glasses and head-mounted-display solutions. Achieving this objective requires a tightly knit ecosystem of complementary technologies and the Alliance is set up to foster an environment of cooperation and collaboration.”

ISTO president Marco W Migliaro stated, “We welcome the LaSAR Alliance as a new member program of ISTO Federation of Programs, and the ISTO staff looks forward to helping LaSAR achieve its unique goals using laser beam scanning based solutions. ISTO has a proven track record of successfully facilitating the introduction of new technologies and innovations that improve industry competition and growth.”

Read more What Is Assisted Reality and How Does It Relate to Augmented Reality?

ISTO provides today's industry alliances and trade associations with turnkey legal and operational support. The organization is the premier trusted partner of the global technology community for the development, adoption, and certification of industry standards and technology solutions that benefit the industry. An international federation of member programs, its mission is to facilitate the life-cycle of industry standards development through a dedicated staff committed to offering vendor neutrality, quality support, and member satisfaction.

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Wearable devices and mobile apps are taking on a prominent role in the healthcare space. Wearables are making a big impact on personalized healthcare by helping people to improve their lifestyles and modify behaviors.

Read more: How Wearables Are Helping to Improve Diagnosis and Monitoring in Healthcare

“Modern smartphone-connected and mobile health devices have opened up new possibilities and opportunities for multiple sectors in the field of healthcare. They have made it possible for researchers as well as healthcare providers to gather a large volume of essential data on patients,” reports Amit Agrawal in Forbes. The data generated helps healthcare providers to analyze patients and predict and generate insights for their welfare.

Mobile app companies are benefitting from smartphone-connected monitoring devices. As well as targeting the patients, they can now also target the healthcare organizations. These apps can help in creating a digital ecosystem of involved stakeholders in the healthcare industry.

This type of ecosystem, which includes healthcare organizations, emergency services, insurance companies, patients, and healthcare professionals, can help the stakeholders by providing them data. More relevant data and cross-correlation can assist analysts in generating better insights.

Wearable apps can help people change their behaviors by offering incentives. For example, a wearable app could offer a discount coupon to buy training shoes to the user who has just completed a fitness regime for a week.

After collecting the user’s vital health data, app creators can create apps that provide suggestions for specific users. During emergencies, these apps could provide vital data to the caregivers.

The types of apps that register and analyze health data can also send an SOS to emergency services and nearby hospitals if it detects an anomaly or an isolated event like a serious fall, stroke, etc. It can also inform the family of the user as well as the family doctor, the Forbes report said.

Read more: Partnership Is Key To New Growth Opportunities Of Consumer Wearables In Healthcare Industry

Conclusion

The MedTech industry is evolving rapidly and people of all ages and walks of life are using this technology to safely exercise, monitor their vital signs, and get the motivation and encouragement to keep up their healthy habits. Social connections, gamification, advanced monitoring for health conditions – these are all great ideas in what is rapidly becoming a saturated field.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Luba Workers’ Comp is exploring the use of wearable technology in the workplace. Kelli Bondy Troutman, senior vice-president and director of communications at LUBA Workers' Comp purchased an Oura Ring to explore up close and personal the use of wearable technology in the workplace. Oura, a Finnish health technology company, manufactures Oura smart rings, which track the users' sleep and physical activities, reports Mississippi Business Journal.

“I’ve personally been able to measure my sleep, attentiveness, and activity which has made me more aware of my state of mind,” said Troutman. “Anytime you lose focus and readiness, the likelihood of an accident increases. Right now, particularly with the added stress and disruption due to the pandemic, it’s becoming more and more prevalent in the workplace.”

Read more How Wearables Will Make Workplaces of the Future More Distributed and Networked

According to National Compensation Council data, the most common workplace lost-time claims are strains or injuries resulting from lifting, push or pull, as well as falls, slips, and trips. The most common body parts injured are the lower back, knee, shoulder, and fingers. Head injuries represent the most severe category.

The reason Troutman is exploring Oura ring is that she and her colleagues believe smart wearables can prevent injuries, keep aging workers on the job longer, reduce the threat of automation, measure environmental hazards and relay safety data to employers.

“Wearables can reduce these risks in many of those cases,” Troutman said. “For example, the “Hearable” is a health monitor worn in the ear to monitor body temperature, sweat rate and sodium levels to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke."

“These devices are not unlike any other piece of safety equipment, such as hard hats or gloves. The difference is the technology.”

Smart wearables also can assist with return to work, Troutman said.

According to Troutman, there are two types of wearables: passive and active.

Passive wearables include smartwatches or any device that monitors environmental factors.

Active wearables enhance a worker’s ability to complete a particular task, such as exoskeletons, which allow workers to lift heavy objects without straining their backs.

Read more Wearables Make Workplaces Safer, A Long Running Study Confirms

“One of the most important goals in workers’ comp is to prevent an injury before it occurs,” Troutman said. “If wearables can identify and mitigate risks – before a worker is injured – it could transform the world of loss control and most importantly, transform the lives of workers.”

Recognized as a regional carrier, LUBA covers over 157,000 workers across 4,000 policies with more than $80 million in direct written premiums.

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If you’re looking for a smartwatch that won't let you down during any of your workouts, then the Garmin Enduro is the perfect watch for you. The Enduro is one of the most advanced sports computers that Garmin currently offers. It is a highly developed smartwatch for GPS-supported sports and competitions.

Read more: Garmin Vivoactive 5: Likely Release Date, Rumors and Features Everybody Want

In the ConnectIQ companion app, the Enduro was initially identified as fenix Enduro. Functionally and in terms of price, it ranks on the same level, with advantages over the simple Fenix ​​6 and disadvantages over the Fenix ​​6 Pro. In addition to the additional benefit that Garmin derives from the motion sensors in the Enduro, it is above all the running time ahead of the Fenix ​​models: with 70 hours (without solar charge) it accompanies ultra-disciplines almost twice as long as the Fenix ​​6 and Fenix ​​6 Pro (36 Hours).

The Enduro is equipped with a light and elastic nylon strap with Velcro. Athletes will quickly appreciate this not only because of the low weight, but also because practically no moisture can collect under the bracelet. All important information is shown on a round memory-in-pixel display (1.4 inches, 280 x 280 pixels) that is always switched on. You can navigate through the menu using five buttons on the sides. One of them is intended to make the display shine more brightly if desired.

No touchscreen

The watch is not equipped with a touchscreen, reports Notebook Check. At first glance, this may seem surprising, given that touchscreens are almost ubiquitous on the smartwatch market. The Garmin Enduro proves with a sophisticated operating concept that it is not absolutely necessary to equip a modern watch with a touch-sensitive screen.

Health and fitness tracking

The watch is able to calculate your cardiovascular fitness level in the form of maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max). In addition to pace, heart rate, duration, and other parameters of the workout, it also takes into account the individual terrain. Furthermore, the watch can show upcoming climbs directly on the display (Climbpro function) and give tips on how long you should allow your body to recover after a strenuous exercise. One of the newest functions makes it possible during an Ultra Run activity to log your breaks at the refreshment stations via the lap button.

Incidentally, over time, the Garmin Enduro gets to know its user better and better. She then suggests which running or cycling training would make the most sense from day to day in order to achieve a balanced training load. If that's not enough for you, you can also program the watch to act as a virtual opponent during your training. This so-called PacePro function is intended to guide you step by step to improve your performance.

Advantages

• extremely extensive equipment
• light, elastic bracelet
• robust and yet light workmanship
• long battery life
• perfect synchronization of smartphone notifications
• intuitive menu navigation
• Recovery timer and trail running functions included
• Watch warns of approaching storms
• nicely designed smartphone app

Disadvantage

• no space for offline music
• Garmin Pay for mobile payment does not work with all banks
• Telephoning via the smartwatch is not possible
• no pre-installed topographic map material for navigation
• very high price

Coupling with a Smartphone

When Garmin Enduro was used with an iPhone 12 Pro, the almost perfect synchronization of notifications between the smartwatch and the mobile phone was impressive.

Read more: Polar Launches 2 New Smartwatches – Vantage M2 and Ignite 2

Battery life

In a test, the smartwatch with permanently activated pulse and SpO2 measurement as well as three weekly half-hour workouts, lasted for almost two weeks in classic smartwatch mode.

Price

The black model with a titanium bezel (61 grams) costs USD1,077 (899.99 euros). The gray model with a stainless-steel bezel (71 grams), is priced at USD957 (799.99 euros).

Engineers at the University of California San Diego, have created a wearable microgrid screen printed onto clothing. The microgrid harvests and stores energy from the human body to power small electronics. It consists of three main parts: sweat-powered biofuel cells, motion-powered devices called triboelectric generators, and energy-storing supercapacitors. All parts are flexible, washable, and can be screen printed onto clothing.

Read more Flexible Thermoelectric Device Harvests Energy from Skin Temperature to Power Wearables

In a statement, Lu Yin, a nanoengineering Ph.D. student at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering and co-first author of the paper, said that the team applied the microgrid concept to create wearable systems that are powered sustainably reliably and independently, reports UCSD.

“Just like a city microgrid integrates a variety of local, renewable power sources like wind and solar, a wearable microgrid integrates devices that locally harvest energy from different parts of the body, like sweat and movement, while containing energy storage,” said Yin.

The wearable microgrid is built from a combination of flexible electronic parts that were developed by the Nanobioelectronics team of UC San Diego nanoengineering professor Joseph Wang, who is the director of the Center for Wearable Sensors at UC San Diego and corresponding author on the current study. Each part is screen printed onto a shirt and placed in a way that optimizes the amount of energy collected.

Biofuel cells that harvest energy from sweat are located inside the shirt at the chest. Devices that convert energy from movement into electricity, called triboelectric generators, are positioned outside the shirt on the forearms and sides of the torso near the waist. They harvest energy from the swinging movement of the arms against the torso while walking or running. Supercapacitors outside the shirt on the chest temporarily store energy from both devices and then discharge it to power small electronics.

Harvesting energy from both movement and sweat enables the wearable microgrid to power devices quickly and continuously. The triboelectric generators provide power right away as soon as the user starts moving, before breaking a sweat. Once the user starts sweating, the biofuel cells start providing power and continue to do so after the user stops moving.

"When you add these two together, they make up for each other's shortcomings," Yin said. "They are complementary and synergistic to enable fast startup and continuous power." The entire system boots two times faster than having just the biofuel cells alone and lasts three times longer than the triboelectric generators alone.

The wearable microgrid was tested on a subject during 30-minute sessions that consisted of 10 minutes of either exercising on a cycling machine or running, followed by 20 minutes of resting. The system was able to power either an LCD wristwatch or a small electrochromic display--a device that changes color in response to an applied voltage--throughout each 30-minute session.

Each wearable provides a different type of power. The biofuel cells provide continuous low voltage, while the triboelectric generators provide pulses of high voltage. In order for the system to power devices, these different voltages need to be combined and regulated into one stable voltage. That's where the supercapacitors come in; they act as a reservoir that temporarily stores the energy from both power sources and can discharge it as needed.

All of the parts are connected with flexible silver interconnections that are also printed on the shirt and insulated by waterproof coating. The performance of each part is not affected by repeated bending, folding and crumpling, or washing in water--as long as no detergent is used.

The main innovation of this work is not the wearable devices themselves, Yin said, but the systematic and efficient integration of all the devices.

Read more UCSD Researchers Develop Wearable Patch Can Monitor Blood pressure, Glucose, Caffeine Levels and More

"We're not just adding A and B together and calling it a system. We chose parts that all have compatible form factors (everything here is printable, flexible, and stretchable); matching performance; and complementary functionality, meaning they are all useful for the same scenario (in this case, rigorous movement)," he said.

The system could be used by athletes or during exercise. The researchers are developing other designs to harvest energy while the user is sitting down or moving slowly.

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Niantic Lab, a pioneer in AR technologies, has developed the only augmented reality platform that can be used around the world and is suitable for current and future generations of hardware. The company’s CEO John Hanke recently tweeted out an intriguing teaser image that looks like a close view of AR glasses, complete with lenses and a small speaker. So far, it's unclear whether these will try to expand on the path of Google Glass and HoloLens, or whether they're intended for audio-only augmentation like Amazon's Alexa-powered Echo Frames.

Read more The Future of Wearable Computing May Be Augmented Reality – Newest Developments in AR Glasses

In 2019 Niantic announced a partnership with Qualcomm to work on AR glasses, before clarifying that it had "no plans" to make its own hardware and is actually building reference designs that others might manufacture. Since then, it's acquired a startup to help enable its world-scale AR plans, and announced an expanded partnership with Nintendo that will include a new Pikmin game it's launching soon, reports EndGadget.

Niantic’s real-world gaming platform includes a scalable shared-state and user interaction engine that has been proven to support hundreds of millions of players, as well as a platform that sets a new standard for map creation, security, and AR capabilities.

The Twitter teaser also follows Niantic’s posting of a job listing for a Head of AR OS Engineering.

“We are on an ambitious mission to turn the world into an Augmented Reality canvas which games and other applications can paint on top of,” the listing states. “This future is fully realized on AR Head Mounted Displays (HMDs). Niantic’s Engineering Team is seeking an inspirational leader to oversee the engineering direction to help build an AR operating system for HMDs and enable applications for millions of Niantic players.”

Read more Apple Glasses: What We Know About Them And Their Release Date From Leaked Report

Hanke’s post arrives at a time when the one-time Google spin-out is going through a flurry of activities. Last week Niantic announced an AR title based on Pikmin, another Nintendo collaboration following its wildly successful Pokémon title. Earlier this month, the company showed off a proof-of-concept version of Pokémon GO running on Microsoft’s HoloLens 2.

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Finnish tech company Polar has launched two new sports smartwatches – the Ignite 2 and Vantage M2 – with more advanced fitness tracking features.

Polar Vantage M2

The sports smartwatch Vantage M2 comes with a running program that provides adaptable training plans. If the exercise session is longer, the watch advises you to drink something or to re-energize your body. Guided breathing exercises also ensure a short break. The Polar Vantage M2 not only shows the time but also reminds you to take in nutrients and fluids.

Read more Polar launches Verity Sense, a HR Strap that works without a Connected Device

At night, the Vantage M2 records sleep and recovery data and measures how well the user has recovered. The device then uses all the data to create personalized training plans and allows you to track your own progress in the weekly summary. According to the manufacturer, the battery life of the watch is up to 100 hours in training mode.

Other features include:

• Running Program - Adaptive training plans that allow running goals to be achieved efficiently and precisely.
• Training Load Pro - Provides detailed insights into the body's responses to aid full physical recovery before the next workout.
• Accuracy - Advanced wrist-based heart rate technology and built-in GPS for precise tracking of speed, distance, and location.
• Sleep and recovery data - The "Sleep Plus Stages" and "Nightly Recharge" functions provide detailed insights into the duration and quality of sleep, as well as the measurement of overnight recovery. That makes it easy to prepare for the next day.
• Weekly summary - The personalized daily training instructions based on recovery and training progress as well as tracking the progress via the "Weekly Summary" function.
• Refueling the body - The intelligent supply assistant that provides optimal information on refueling the body with fluids or energy during long training sessions.
• Smartwatch essentials - easy-to-use display views for wrist-based music control, weather reports and push notifications.

Polar Ignite 2

The Polar Ignite 2 is not a watch for high-performance athletes like the Vantage M2, but rather a product for everyday athletes. It is slim and light in design, relies on smartwatch functions and provides a battery life of up to 5 days. The Ignite 2 will be available from April 21, 2021, at polar.com, and from May 5 from selected retailers, it will cost 229.95 euros.

Read more Polar Vantage V: Premium Multisport GPS Watch with Heart Rate Monitor

Features include:

• Style - Lightweight but durable design that can be personalized with a variety of dials, colors, and bracelets - including bracelets adorned with real Swarovski crystals.
• Accuracy - Advanced wrist-based heart rate technology and built-in GPS for precise analysis of speed, distance, and location.
• Sleep and recovery data - The "Sleep Plus Stages" and "Nightly Recharge" functions provide detailed insights into the duration and quality of sleep, as well as the measurement of overnight recovery. That makes it easy to prepare for the next day.
• Guided breathing exercises - The short break in everyday life - Guided breathing exercises to bring body and mind into harmony.
• Weekly summary - The personalized daily training instructions based on recovery and training progress as well as tracking the progress via the "Week summary" function.
• HR sensor - The accurate measurement of the heart rate in real-time, compatible with other devices such as fitness equipment or bike computers.
• Smartwatch essentials - Easy-to-use display views for wrist-based music control, weather reports and push notifications.

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Search engine giant Google announced an update for its Wear OS platform by letting third-party developers create custom Tiles for the platform.

Read more Huawei’s Latest Smartwatch Watch GT Uses its Own LiteOS Instead of Google’s WearOS

The Tiles feature on the Wear OS, which Google introduced in 2019, gave users access to quick functionalities and information such as Goals, Weather, Heart rate, and more with just a swipe left. At the moment, developing Tiles is limited to only Google, however, that is about to change in the next update as Google is opening up the feature to third-party developers. With the Jetpack Tiles library for Wear OS, developers can start creating tiles for third-party apps on the wearables platform.

“Tiles can be designed for many use cases, like tracking the user’s daily activity progress, quick-starting a workout, starting a recently played song, or sending a message to a favorite contact,” Google said. “While apps can be immersive, Tiles are fast-loading and focus on the user’s immediate needs. If the user would like more information, Tiles can be tapped to open a related app on the watch or phone for a deeper experience.”

The Jetpack Tiles library is still in the alpha phase, but this phase is enough for developers to start building custom Tiles for Wear OS.

The update with the custom tiles should be released in spring 2021. However, an exact date has not yet been announced. It has been six months since the last update for Wear OS. So far it is also still unclear what other features the upcoming Wear OS version will bring with it. Maybe the Google developers will comment on this in the next few weeks.

Read more Google Agrees to Buy Fossil’s Secret Smartwatch Tech for $40 Million

It has been reported that Samsung is working on a new wearable that runs Wear OS. If it is true, it will be the company's first. Until now Samsung has been launching smartwatches with Tizen OS.

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Fueled by developments in the internet of things (IoT), big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital reality technologies, the recent arrival of digital twins heralds a tipping point where the physical and digital worlds can be managed as one, and we can interact with the digital counterpart of physical things much like we would the things themselves, even in 3D space around us.

Read more: Mobility Solutions and Wearables – New Trends in Warehouse Operations

Logistics companies rely on the intelligence of digital twins to optimize their supply chain. These are detailed virtual images of the entire logistics. The technology has its origins particularly in the planning of new logistics systems. The digital twin now accompanies many logistics systems over their entire life cycle - from planning and construction to operation of the warehouse.

The concept of the human digital twin, on the other hand, is not yet widely used in industry and intralogistics. The Human Digital Twin is the digital image of a person. Transferred to logistics, the human digital twin represents the warehouse employee in their daily work, reports Picavi .

An example of this would be the order picker: All actions relevant to his tasks are reproduced in the Human Digital Twin. This includes, for example, transport routes and times, scans, and its movements. This information is brought together with important operating parameters, such as WLAN strength, and the resources in the warehouse. This creates a true-to-detail virtual image of the employee, which is continuously improved using real sensor data.

Picavi is currently developing the Human Digital Twin, which focuses on virtual employee support instead of supply chain and machine data.

What are the advantages of Human Digital Twins?

In logistics and in the supply chain. the human digital twins offer numerous advantages. They are created on the basis of real process data and thus ensure a much more realistic and better understanding of the process. Errors and optimization potential are revealed on the basis of objective data. The protected framework allows for tests before implementation in the real world. This proactively minimizes the risk of failures or downtimes in the logistics process. The training of new employees is also simplified with the human digital twin. The training is based on digital experience.

Read more: Having Practical Knowledge of Using Wearables In Warehouse Will Help Boost Operations

Wearables to generate data

In order to receive a virtual image of the employee in the warehouse, logistics companies have to collect and use the data that is generated directly in the relevant process. “This is very easy to implement these days with many wearables,” explains Carsten Funke, Chief Sales Officer at Picavi. “It is important to be able to classify the data correctly. This requires an intelligent and intuitively operable tool. "

Recent advancement in remote sensing technologies allows highly accurate gesture recognition capabilities through RF and mm Wave radar, ambient light, cameras and image processing, sound and wearable devices. Along with the faster communication in the IoT, such technological developments in gesture training and control will be crucial in developing more robust digital twin systems.

Picavi wants to make the data generated in the logistics process usable with its business intelligence solution "Picavi Cockpit". The analytics feature integrated in it sees itself as a central point for collecting, aggregating, and visualizing all important information. The data is recorded directly by the sensors integrated into the pick-by-vision smart glasses and continuously updated.

With the Mobile Device Management in the Picavi Cockpit, the entire fleet of smart glasses can be economically controlled and managed. In this way, you can ensure the functionality of the smart glasses with minimal effort.