Whatever will they think of next
THE future looks bright and it’s draped in medical innovation, technology and hi-tech clothing.
Digital marketing company Native VML has gone to infinity and beyond to find the sort of gadgets and medical marvels that even science-fiction writers could not imagine.
Lesedi Setlhatswe, who compiled the company’s trend report for this month, said there were exciting times ahead. ‘‘Although some of the technology might not be available in South Africa yet, it’s an indicator of where we’re headed.” Here are the top picks:
Leading the pack is Google, which has moved beyond its reputation as the fastest search engine in the world. Project Soli is a sensor that can easily be used in the smallest wearables. This super clever device designed by super clever people detects hand ges- tures in real-time, using radar technology. That’s right. You can set the time on your smart watch — without actually touching the device: you simply mimic the action close to the watch. It captures the motion of your fingers at up to 10 000 frames per second. Simply put, you will be able to operate any device without even touching it. (Pending.)
If Google has its way, life will be better than even Marty McFly could have predicted in Back to the Future . An astute elf at Google’s workshop has worked out how to weave touch and gesture interactivity into any textile so that clothes and even a coffee table can be transformed into interactive surfaces. You can adjust your smartphone’s music playback or dim the lights with a swipe of the finger on your new pair of jeans. Your favourite denims — Google is already in a partnership with Levi’s — will be transformed into a touchpad. (Still in development.)
Move aside 20/20 vision: with the new Ocumetics Bionic lens, ophthalmic surgeons using state-of-the-art technology will be able to restore perfect vision to many. All it takes is an eightminute procedure — exactly like cataract surgery— to implant the lens, which will never degrade. And no, the lens will not allow you to see through clothes. (In clinical trials.)
What would the world be without do-gooders? Enter Be My Eyes — a revolutionary app that is a crowd-sourcing video chat service. It connects sighted volunteers with visually impaired people. A volunteer receives a notification for help and a live video connection is established. Through the live video, the volunteer can help the blind person by answering the question they have — from reading the expiry date on a bottle of milk to navigating new surroundings. (Already out.)
A Blackspot Beacon is a new type of portable driver-safety device designed to save lives by delivering warnings to motorists. The beacons are short-range, targeted to transmit warnings to avoid hazards on dangerous roads. They are attached to road signs, and as you drive by, the signal will override even Beyoncé on the car stereo to deliver an alert of a hazard ahead. (Already out in Australia.)
If you’ve been too idle, sitting behind a desk all day and taking the Gautrain to work, Reebok has created the perfect workout. A game fitted with pump buttons was recently installed at a subway in Korea. It challenges two opponents to participate in a race to see who can push the most pump buttons in the allocated time. You’ll work up a sweat and it beats sitting in traffic during load-shedding, trying to get to the gym for some exercise.