Wearable technology is a product segment that has exploded in popularity over the past year. But, what most enthusiasts are campaigning for are complementary devices that work with your existing technology, mainly mobile phones. While not all of these devices come to market, Pebble is one of the few success stories. What started as a humble Kickstarter project blossomed into a technological phenomenon gaining immense traction thanks to the community funded program. Pebble was a success because it was able to hit the sweet spot in terms of compatibility, functionality, price, and aesthetic appeal.
Utilizing the same platform for funding, Takuro Yoshida is looking to find the same success with his creation, Ring. Ring is a "wearable input device" that will allow you to make gestures and control supported devices. The ring has a small button on the side that can be pressed. Pressing this button will enable Ring to start recording a gesture and will process the gesture into a command. Each supported device will have its own set of gestures, and new ones can also be created for custom applications and commands. Ring also has vibration capabilities and small LED"s for alerts.
Thanks to advancement in gesture recognition technology, Ring is able to precisely capture gestures like numbers and the alphabet making it possible to text. Ring is also pioneering Checkmark Payment which is a unique system that can conveniently allow payments via a secure gateway utilizing GPS or iBeacon. Ring will also have an open API that will allow developers to create custom applications. Ring is currently compatible with iOS and Android with support for Windows Phone coming soon.
Although the project is funded, Ring still has 23 days left to complete its funding. At the time of press, Ring costs $165 (early birds price) and is expected to reach backers by July of 2014.
Source: Kickstarter via Logbar | Image: Logbar / Kickstarter