All posts tagged: technology

Body WiFi for the wearable technology age

Published by

A completely new wireless standard might be needed to provide connectivity in the age of wearables, replacing the WiFi with Body Fi, a researcher has suggested. In an article on the Generator Research website, editor Andrew Sheehy describes how the current wireless standards fall short of what’s needed to provide smooth connectivity for the increasing number of wearable devices and proposed a way to tackle the problem. Instead of connecting each of these devices separately to a wireless network, he proposed to connect them to a single controlling device that could act as an interface for the rest of the body network. (Via IET)

Fashion and technology collide on the runway

Published by

Image by Jonathan Hooper If fashion is about looking forward, a collection of runway shows at this year’s alternative fashion week provided a glimpse into the future of wearable technology beyond smartwatches. Fashion Art Toronto, playfully known as FAT, is an annual showcase of art-infused contemporary fashion. This year, the exhibition marked its 10th anniversary with a number of experimental designers who fused fashion and technology. “The future of fashion is automation in terms of the means of production as well as 3D printing” say Nina Smart, who with Ashley Davies designs House of Etiquette. “We’re going to see technology that can scan a 3D picture of your body and produce custom pieces. We’ve already seen a 3D printed dress,” she says referencing the gown femme fatale Dita Von Teese wore to a party in New York in 2013. (Via Toronto Star)

Canon Showcases Future of Surveillance

Published by

Image by Muhammad Zeeshan Samad Flickr CC Canon, the global leader in photographic and digital imaging solutions, today unveiled its line up of cutting-edge surveillance technology that will be showcased at INTERPOL World’s international debut in Singapore next week. Visitors will be able to experience Canon’s slate of surveillance solutions and technology, including: a preview of new network cameras slated for launch in the second half of 2015; a glimpse into Canon’s research into future surveillance technology for safer cities; and Canon’s existing offerings from the Cinema EOS and Network Video Surveillance range. Affirming Canon’s commitment to technology developments to help cities navigate an increasingly more complex future, Mr Kensaku Konishi, President and CEO of Canon Singapore Pte Ltd said: “INTERPOL World 2015 offers a unique opportunity for world leaders, policy makers and industry captains to discuss and chart new directions in the global security industries. Placed at the precipice of change, Asia is set to welcome even greater population movement into her cities – and in some countries, movement into smarter cities.” (Via Stockhouse)

Connecting the classroom

Published by

Image Credit: chanpipat / Shutterstock Did you know that the average American student spends 1025 hours in the classroom each year? And of that, 308 hours are lost to interruptions! That’s about 1 out of every 5 minutes are spent consumed by “anticipated interruptions” – transitions, materials distribution, and starting or ending class. What if new tools could help teachers get these hours back? Each minute teachers spend managing large group procedures takes away from time they could be spending on the hard work of teaching, such as differentiating instruction or developing students’ socio-emotional skills. Connected devices, an emerging trend in computing technology, may offer the potential to relieve teachers of some of this administrative burden, allowing more time to focus on students’ learning needs. By embedding internet connectivity in everyday devices, the “Internet of Things” connects our physical and virtual worlds, enabling computers to provide real-time insights without requiring user input. As students take their seats, for example, attendance could be logged automatically using a device such as the Nymi, a wearable “smartband” that …