Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Wear It Well: The Top Ten Wearable Tech Made In Israel

Wearable technology is steadily becoming the next frontier for high tech companies, investors and consumers. From earphones to pedometers, we are only at the beginning of a rising trend in wearable technology gear, gadgets, and gizmos.
Leading in this steadily growing sector, also known as the Internet of Things (IoT) movement that wants to connect every aspect of our worlds to the Internet, is Israel. Although the country is somewhat of a novice in this sector, holding its first ever wearable tech conference this past May, Israel has, in a short span of time, produced an impressive number of incredible technologies for you to wear.
By Dyana So, NoCamels

Here we bring you the top 10 list of Israeli wearable technology:

1. OrCam Technologies
Eyewear enhances our vision, while OrCam’s eyewear allows the blind and visually impaired to ‘see.’ OrCam’s small camera that attaches to glasses verbally identifies words and objects that the wearer motions to, using a smart computer to say out loud what the wearer is ‘seeing’ with audio. OrCam allows the blind to ‘see by hearing,’ providing them with the mobility they need to keep living their lives. In the future, OrCam hopes to develop models that will be able to recognize colors, faces, and places that the wearer has encountered before.






2. ReWalk
ReWalk has graced the headlines plenty here at NoCamels, a display of our belief that this technology is a big winner in the wearable tech sector. With ReWalk, individuals with waist-down paralysis can get up from their wheelchair and walk away from it — literally. ReWalk is a wearable, bionic leg brace made of light materials. It is powered by batteries and navigation and is controlled by sophisticated, wrist-mounted controllers that detect and guide walking motion. The device recently received FDA approval in the US and has been deemed by the likes of President Obama a ‘life-changing’ device.
Video clip – How Rewalk works





3. Angel Sensors
The more we know about our bodies and our health, the better we can take care of them and
improve our lifestyles. The Angel Sensor is the first open sensor, effortless health-tracker that can be worn 24/7 as a bracelet. It collects data about the body and sends that information to one of several fitness and health apps that are compatible with Angel. Just last year Angel Sensor raised 335 percent of its fundraising goal on Indiegogo, with “TechCrunch” praising the technology, “Angel is potentially infinitely malleable, becoming a heart attack sensor for one developer and a sports band for another.”
Video clip – How Angel Sensors works




4. MUV Interactive
MUV’s Bird transforms any flat surface into a usable touchscreen through light projections and its wearable fingertip sensors. The interactive display of smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. can be brought to life simply by connecting these devices to a projector, turning anything from a table to a blank wall into an active touchscreen. It may take some time before you can start punching walls with purpose, however, because MUV Interactive is still raising capital towards the development and marketing of their product.
Video clip – How MUV Intercative works



5. Meta
Meta’s shades blur the line between augmented reality and reality by making smart devices virtually accessible though they’re physically not there. Through these sophisticated Ray-Ban look-a-likes, wearers can access their smartphone or computer wherever they are with a simple waving motion of the hand. Before brushing Meta off as a Google Glass copycat, know that Meta’s technology offers its users with 40 degrees field of binocular view, 16 times larger than what Google Glass offers.
Video clip – How Meta works



6. HereO
Every child could use a HereO, and for parents, HereO makes a great sidekick. HereO is a colorful GPS watch for kids that provides information on a child’s whereabouts to parents’ smartphones. All that parents need to do is download a complementary Family App that comes with the HereO watch, and they will receive notifications when their child leaves school, goes out on the playground, or even in case of an emergency. Each watch is equipped with an emergency button, which allows children to immediately and discretely call their parents when they face trouble. The app can also sync with fellow family members, adding a level of reassurance that allows kids to be kids.

Video clip – How HereO works



7. Modrillian Smart Strap Buckle
Sometimes, not even the most advanced technologies can beat the ease and comfort of your favorite old gadgets. This, and an effort to save consumers money, is what drove the inventors of the Modrillian Smart Strap Buckle to create sleek and smart watch buckle that allows its wearers to receive wireless Bluetooth notifications without having to purchase an entirely new ‘techy’ watch. All Modrillian does is replace your regular ardillion buckle (a basic pin and loop style of buckle) to alert the wearer when they have a phone call, message or Facebook friend. At first, Modrillian will only work with Android device, but the engineer inventors from Israel ptomise that an iPhone app is also in the works.



8. Oxitone
When a heart attack occurs, there’s a 50 percent chance that the victim’s life can be saved given a timely medical response. Oxitone is an advanced heart monitor worn around the wrist that detects changes in a patient’s heart rate and oxygen levels, triggering an alert for medical assistance in case of an incoming heart attack. The wrist band continuously monitors blood oxygen levels, pulse rate, activity, sleep and breathing patterns so that even if emergency never strikes, a wearer’s health professionals are in the know regarding overall state of health. And, in unfortunate case of an emergency, medical aid is notified just before the wearer potentially suffers from a heart attack, increasing the likelihood and speed of proper care.
Video clip – How Oxitone works



9. LifeBEAM
Not all of us can be an astronaut, but that doesn’t mean we can’t wear innovative gear inspired by them here on Earth. LifeBEAM brings state-of-the-art monitoring technology to consumers by integrating them to everyday wearables like the LifeBEAM smart biking helmet and hat. Using wireless sensors and cloud networks, LifeBEAM’s gear collects data via optical sensors, heart rate monitors, step and calorie counters from the person wearing the helmet or hat. This data is then transferred to their smartphones, fitness watches, and cycling computers so that the active among us can keep track of everything that’s going down in our bodies during our fitness routines.

Video clip – How LifeBEAM works



10. Tempdrop
Planning to have a baby can be a stressful planning process for women who track basal body temperatures (BBT), the lowest temperature bodies reach during sleep and an important indicator of when a woman’s body is most likely to conceive. Tempdrop is a wearable smart-sensor thermometer that measures a woman’s BBT as she sleeps (regardless of her sleeping schedule), sending the data it collects to an existing fertility
Video clip – How Tempdrop works