When Intel unveiled little Edison at CES 2014, the tech world was beside themselves with excitement. The slight form factor of the adorable micro-computer presented all new possibilities for those who want to mould the shape of tech, and its potential looked vast.
But has the tiny-yet-powerful Edison fulfilled the big dreams its maker has for it? We take a look at the plans Intel and its partners have for the Edison, and what the future holds for the little PC.
SMART SHIRT
There’s no escaping health tracking these days. Soon, even your boxer shorts will berate you for not getting up and doing 15 squat lunges. The smart shirt showed off at the Code/Conference is the first step to clever undergarments, and it’s able to track your heart rate without the need for a bulky chest heart rate sensor strap.
Developed with smart textile company AiQ, the shirt is loaded with sensors and will stream the information via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to your devices. The only niggle is the fact that you’ll have to unplug the electronics before you wash it. The smart fabric is expected later this year. Plenty of time ot get yourself in shape before it tells you how heavy your breathing is.
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
Smart clothing also present new opportunities for coaches to keep a close eye on their athletes’ performance from heart to perspiration rates to improve training, while non-athletes like us could explore the emotional side of wearable tech.
Imagine donning a sweater with sensors that light up to show your mood for example. People would know when to steer clear next time you have a Game of Thrones spoiler rage episode. Or how about a hiking jacket that feeds maps and weather data back to you, and contacts emergency services if you fall down an ill-placed crevice? That’ll be handy, right?
We just hope someone invents a wireless smart-charging cupboard for all our clever threads.
ROCKABYE BABY
Rest Devices’ Mimo Baby is a connected onesie for your little one. The two green stripes you see on the front senses respiratory rates, while the turtle clip keeps an eye on activity level, skin temperature and body position.
The data is then fed back to your smart devices or thanks to Edison, a smart mug that reflects the baby’s breathing patterns. That means you’ll have genuinely useful information to supplement your baby monitor, like heart rate and temperature. It can also track the little one’s sleeping patterns, which you could then use to work out the optimum bed time. Maybe you’ll manage a whole 30 minutes of sleep this time round?
FASHION FORWARD
Fashion brand Opening Ceremony has taken it upon itself to design a smart bracelet to shatter the ‘wearables can’t be cool’ image. It’s been teased for a while now, but we still haven’t seen what it looks like, or indeed, what makes it, well, smart.
Opening Ceremony recently designed a capsule collection for Spike Jonze’s film Her, so we should hopefully be in safe hands. At least we’re seeing wearable tech from a fashion designer’s point of view, which might bring a fresh angle to the table.
THE FUTURE
Wearable tech that won’t put us to shame as we walk down the streets. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?
Edison definitely has the potential to make wearable tech smaller, so perhaps we can look forward to smartwatches that aren’t gigantic, or even a smart tie pin which provides detailed real-time metrics about the integrity of your tie knot.
How about intelligent gloves for the winter, that warm up or cools down according to the surrounding temperature? The possibilities are limitless, and we can’t wait.