2016 was a big year for wearable technology and the proliferation of self-tracking devices enables users to share their daily activity to social and adjust their lives based on digital feedback. Wearable technology is generating awareness for how individuals can use data to their advantage and monitor their lives. This new way to gather personal data gives users a new incentive to engage in fitness and create new goals for themselves that they can easily track.
Chief among the leading wearable companies is Recon. Recon is using their own technology to compete with Google Glass by creating the first heads-up display for sports. Their Recon Snow2 ski goggles and Recon Jet sunglasses are embedded with micro-computer monitors that unobtrusively document data and deliver relevant information based on the user activity at the time. This means that the Recon eyewear will film user movements and track performance metrics such as speed, distance, and heart rate, with the added ability to upload this data directly to the Web. The Recon eyewear can also be connected to smartphones, enabling users to see who is calling, emailing, or texting them at the time.
One differentiator between the Recon Eyewear and Google Glass is the placing of the computer monitor. Recon Jet and Recon Snow2 have a microcomputer at the bottom of the field of vision rather than at the top. Athletes will benefit from the Recon Jet due to the built in sensors that cater to endurance sports.
Skyhook met with Rudi Airisto (pictured below) at CES to learn more about Recon and their ideas on Wearable Technology trends.
What does the future of wearable tech look like, what milestone will the wearable community achieve in the next 12 months?
The big thing for us is getting the Jet out and proving the use case for the sporting community. We are looking to extend, we want to get our SDK out there so that we can really start getting applications that enhance current use cases and open new applications we haven't imagined yet.
If you could enable any new kind of functionality on your wearable device, what would it be?
I am looking forward to building contextual relevance around the user to further improve their experiences.
What is the main feedback you have been getting from your users?
The community, both tech and athletes, are really excited. We've created these for athletes AND for developers. These do what sports watches do and are a more convenient form factor. And developers see the other use cases and cannot get their hands on other platforms. Ours is a lot less expensive than our biggest competitor.
Conclusion:
Recon eyewear has a lot of potential because its functionality contributes valuable and relevant information to the user. We look forward to seeing what they come up with next.
