Wearable Technology

IDTechEx's market research report, "AI Chips for Edge Applications 2024-2034: Artificial Intelligence at the Edge", projects that the global AI chips market for edge devices will grow to US$22 billion by 2034, with the consumer electronics industry vertical taking the largest chunk of this revenue figure, at just over 45% by this date.

StretchSense produce hand motion-capture technology enabled by electroactive polymers (EAPs).

OTI Lumionics is Canadian developer of advanced materials and fine chemicals for the electronics industry, using simulations performed using a quantum-inspired computational approach to decrease experimental workloads. Its first product is a material that assists in the manufacture of transparent cathodes for OLED displays.

Innovation roadmap for optics for augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR).

AR and VR (augmented and virtual reality) headsets are well on their way to establishing themselves as the next important category of computing devices. Mixed reality-capable VR headsets like Meta's Quest 3 and the upcoming Apple Vision Pro are demonstrating the true power of spatial computing. VR headsets for home gaming have sold by the million, while AR glasses have carved out a place in the industry.

Wisear is a Parisian startup looking to commercialize brain-computer interfaces based on electrodes placed in the ears. These can be built into earphones or potentially integrated into AR headsets.

Infi-Tex are a smart sensor company, using proprietary conductive inks to create patented pressure sensitive materials used for switches and sensors that can be printed onto textiles.

Meta presented its vision for Quest for Business platform at AWE EU 2023, giving deeper insight into its assessment of the potential for virtual/mixed reality (VR/MR) in professional settings.

Tuesday 5 December 2023 - Overview of how the changing XR device market has driven new requirements for XR optics; Outlook for the development of AR waveguide combiner industry, with key innovations highlighted; Analysis of the rapid rise of pancake lenses in VR and identification of the technologies that may replace them; Overview of the latest ten-year market forecasts for XR optics, predicting technological winners and the suitability of optics types for different segments of the XR device market

From blankets to towels to clothing to upholstery, humans are in contact with textiles for almost all their lives. Textiles, used for warmth, comfort, and aesthetics, can be combined with electronics to gain exciting new functionalities.

TriLite is a Viennese startup developing laser beam scanning (LBS) displays for augmented reality (AR). IDTechEx visited its Viennese headquarters and tried a demonstration of its projectors in a headset.

This premium article provides an introduction to optics for extended reality.

Optiark is a Chinese designer and manufacturer of single-layer diffractive waveguides and associated optical engines for augmented reality (AR). IDTechEx met Optiark at AWE EU 2023.

Spatial computing promises to transform the way we interact with our devices as computing goes truly 3D, with early signs of change already underway. While Apple's upcoming Vision Pro is bringing new excitement to this space, gaming-focused VR (Virtual Reality) headsets from companies including Meta, Sony, and Pico have sold millions of units, and AR (Augmented Reality) glasses from Vuzix, Microsoft, and more have found a valuable place in industry.

This premium article provides an introduction to waveguides for augmented reality headsets.

Tacterion offer pressure sensing and data acquisition solutions based around their proprietary flexible and stretchable piezoresistive sensor platform, plyon. Their plyon flex sensors are especially well suited to applications in which the sensor material is curved or is deformed during operation since they do not register a signal on bending.

Wednesday 29 November 2023 - Outlines how the vergence-accommodation conflict is holding back XR from its full potential; Lays out the landscape of potential solutions in augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) headsets, from light field displays to geometric phase lenses; Compares these approaches by benchmarking on the promotion of social acceptability, manufacturing feasibility, and other factors to lay out the most likely path to integration of these technologies into immersive devices with mass appeal

Cerca Magnetics has developed a wearable brain-scanning solution using quantum sensors. Tess Skyrme, Senior Technology Analyst at IDTechEx, interviewed Special Projects Manager Chris Mariani. The company was founded in 2020 and is UK based.

Augmented World Expo (AWE) events cover AR, MR and VR (augmented/mixed/virtual reality) and associated technologies. IDTechEx attended the EU 2023 event, held on October 24th to 25th in Vienna, Austria. This premium article discusses key takeaways from the event.

PROPHESEE is a fabless developer of sensors and software for event-based (neuromorphic) vision systems, which mimic how the human eye perceives light. Primarily used in machine vision systems, PROPHESEE has now released multiple generations of sensor.