As residents on or near the coast of Texas continue to try to pick up the pieces of devastation brought on by Hurricane Harvey, the ability to communicate to the outside world has become more and more important. Yesterday, AT&T deployed a fleet of 46 drones to inspect areas in South Texas that have been impacted.

The key goals for the deployment were to check out all the towers, determine the network impact and ensure that customers continue to be able to speak to their loved ones.  A total of 26 drones were sent the day before, prior to sending out the 46 drones yesterday.  AT&T has an additional 58 drones on standby if needed.

See Also: Amazon’s drones will tell you when your house needs work

In natural disaster situations such as this one, drones can often be utilized to inspect areas that aren’t accessible to cars or trucks due to flooding (see our review of the best drones). The use of drones allows for quicker access to these inaccessible areas that could not be inspected otherwise. They can also see parts of the towers that people can’t reach when climbing or see from observing from the ground level.  They also speed up the inspection process of towers overall, because more towers can be studied in a shorter amount of time, freeing up time for making repairs.

AT&T said “Drones can take HD video and photos of a cell site, giving us a birds’ eye view of the tower. This offers high-quality visuals of equipment, components, and cabling so our engineers can remotely view cell sites safely from the ground – all in real time.”

Further help in the works

In addition to the two flights of drones, AT&T plans to deploy 2 Satellite Cell on Wheels (Sat COLTS) to Beaumont, TX.  These will be joining additional assets that are already in place.  AT&T is planning to send 12 more to assist customers and first responders located in that area, due to the second landfall of Tropical Storm Harvey.

Customers who live in these impacted areas will be receiving credits for extra data, voice and text charges, and prepaid credits for extra voice and text charges from the company.

Follow this link to see drone footage shared by AT&T:  https://ql.mediasilo.com/#ql/59a73367e4b0b55905b47c40/ec1edd79-9041-419b-a5a1-45a0d480164a

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Silver Spring Networks has selected Oklahoma Gas & Electric to launch its IPv6 IoT platform and Streetlight Vision control software to connect and manage up to 250,000 LED street lights throughout its Oklahoma service area.

“Connecting the street lights across our service territory is another example of our focus on innovative solutions and a natural extension of our ambitious smart grid program. OG&E is committed to delivering efficient, reliable lighting and electricity service to the citizens of Oklahoma,” explains Ken Grant, VP of Sales and Marketing for Oklahoma Gas & Electric.

See Also: Milwaukee enters the trending smart city initiative

The company expects the smart lighting system to greatly enhance the quality of service and reliability for users, speed up the street light restoration time when outages occur, improve system efficiency, and reduce energy use.

“Silver Spring’s connected street lights platform will help OG&E improve service, lower costs, and enhance public safety,” says Grant.

Silver Spring Networks is currently the market leader in North America for smart street light systems, and has announced several other intelligent street light projects with major utility companies, including Baltimore Gas & Electric, Pepco Holdings, Inc. and ComEd.  The company is also working with Florida Power & Light on one of the biggest connected street lighting projects in the world, totaling nearly 500,000 networked street lights across Miami and South Florida.

Around the globe, one can find important connected infrastructure devices that Silver Spring is responsible for, including Glasgow, London, Paris, Sao Paulo, Washington D.C. and Singapore, along with several other major cities.

Platform prepares cities for future smart applications

The open, standards-based solution of the IPv6 IoT platform allows utilities and cities to create a platform for future applications and services such as smart parking, natural gas metering, traffic management and much more.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has granted regulatory approval for a new LED lighting tariff to Oklahoma Gas & Electric, which will allow for the transformation of OG&E’s lighting infrastructure from incandescent to smart LED technology.

“Oklahoma Gas & Electric has consistently demonstrated its industry leadership with its advanced smart grid initiatives. We’re honored to take the next step with them as we extend our critical infrastructure networking platform to include street lights across Oklahoma,” states Brandon Davito, Vice President of Smart Cities and Lighting, Silver Spring Networks.

The post How Oklahoma plans to get just a little brighter appeared first on ReadWrite.

According to the head of an Australian environmental consulting services company, the first part of improving environmental quality is tracking it, overcoming regular methods that only capture a few locations and focus on basic displays of real-time data.

Robin Ormerod, the Managing Director of EnviroSuite, says, “Often, the information displayed lacks context, and it is difficult for decision makers to use when managing environmental quality.”

See Also: How to avoid a massive smart city pitfall

“While much of the smart city focus tends to be on features such as high-speed networks, intelligent control systems and efficient transportation options, there are opportunities to go even further. Increasingly, smart city projects are also including objectives to improve the health of its citizens, based on systems that monitor and manage environmental factors, such as air and water quality,” explains Ormerod.

EnviroSuite also provides environmental tracking software with the same name. Ormerod is focused on using the large amounts of sensor data being generated to make big improvements.

“Collected data can range from the air quality on city streets to the water quality and levels in streams and rivers. Other sensors can measure wind conditions, temperatures, and ambient noise levels. Most importantly, when combined in a clever way, these different sources can be used to predict problem areas, or provide early warnings of potential environmental problems, so that these issues can be avoided with efficient action, “Ormerod says.

Oremerod continues, “For example, if air quality is poor (or predicted to be poor), traffic levels could be dynamically managed to improve air quality. This is much more efficient than the strict bans on vehicles that have been imposed in some cities. Citizens could also be sent automated notifications advising them of the best course of action to improve air quality, with targeted messages to different types of vehicles that contribute most to the issue. Meanwhile, data collected by water quality sensors (or predicted by high-accuracy rainfall forecast) can alert the city to changing conditions. For example, runoff after heavy rain might cause localized flooding, issues for swimmers or water treatment plants. Alerts could be issued to citizens or treatment plant operators, with follow-up notices as soon as the sensors determine that conditions have improved.”

Easy to implement?

Ormerod doesn’t believe that implementing a city-wide environmental tracking system has to be a complex process, stating that he thinks the systems needed could be stored in cloud-based data centers and run with inexpensive hardware

“The sensors themselves can be located on existing infrastructure such as light poles, bus shelters, building exteriors and water pipes. Once in place, they require little or no maintenance and most can be powered by solar cells. The data they produce can be fed back for analysis via an existing network or 3G/4G networks,” he continues.

This system will be most useful once the monitoring and forecasting of environmental data is interpreted and communicated in a real-time format that allows decision makers to implement smart city solutions that can improve the quality of life in the cities they manage.

The post Check out a Down Under IoT solution to environmental quality appeared first on ReadWrite.

A new mobile payment device was recently introduced that can utilize a breathalyzer and fitness tracker-like band to help prevent people from spending too much money when they’re intoxicated.

DrnkPay is a new app that is able to track and monitor how much individuals have drunk, and limit more purchases if they’ve had too much to drink, by connecting the device to a user’s credit and debit cards through the app.

See Also: Will data analytics transform our healthcare system?

A financial services consult, iBe TSE, developed this new system, deciding to participate when research produced by OnePoll showed half of alcohol drinkers in the UK between the ages of 18-34 have wished they hadn’t made another purchase when they were intoxicated.

“This is a problem many of us have encountered, so we decided to create a simple solution which uses the latest technology,” stated Francesco Scarnera, CEO of iBe TSE.

“Once you’ve hit your self-imposed limit, the app will lock your card and prevent you making further payments. It’s up to you whether to block all payments, or just certain ‘weak points’, such as takeaways, clubs, or that flight that seems like such a great idea at 4am.”

Finally a pocket breathalyzer

Utilizing a breathalyzer to monitor how much someone has had to drink is not a revolutionary concept, but not everyone wants to carry one around with them.  That is why using the wearable, Quantac Tally, is a much more convenient choice for many people.  This device is capable of analyzing the alcohol content in a user’s bloodstream before sending information to the app being used.

iBe TSE is presently meeting with banks and card providers about sending the technology to their customers during the next 12 months.  Meanwhile, it is likely that the Quantac Tally will be sold independently, to be used with the app. Although this may not be something that everyone embraces, there is most definitely a market for this.

The post DrnkPay helps drunks make a few less bad decisions appeared first on ReadWrite.

Get ready New York City — Driverless cars are coming your way soon. Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced that a program to allow testing of self-driving vehicles is officially open to applications from manufacturers of cars or companies working for those manufacturers.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced that a program to allow testing of self-driving vehicles is officially open to applications from manufacturers of cars or companies working for those manufacturers.

Companies like Uber, Tesla and Waymo are sure to be excited about this opportunity. New York will be joining other states in the U.S. that are already in the process of testing the safety and reliability of autonomous cars.

See Also: Who is responsible for autonomous car regulation?

The legal timeframe to apply for and start testing has been open since April 1. The pilot program and the law allowing driverless vehicles on the road are set to expire on April 1, 2018.

Professor Chunming Qiao, Ph.D, at UB, is a computer science engineer working on the advancement of autonomous car technology.

“That technology is mostly still in the lab and being tested, except for a few preliminary technologies, like autopilot of a Tesla, it really has not been commercialized,” Qiao said of where the general progression of the technology stands now.

When you see these vehicles on the road, it is important to realize they aren’t yet the norm. Right now, companies want to analyze how these vehicles respond to New York’s climate and variety of roads.

The biggest concern with autonomous cars is safety, and that is the issue many people doubt.  Qiao realizes that there are still risks associated with this new technology that needs to be studied.

The way of driverless future

However, “Autonomous vehicles have a lot of potential in improving safety and efficiency of the transportation system,” explains Qiao.

He believes the future is ultimately heading that direction, though it may take people a while to get used to sharing the road with autonomous cars.

“This is why it’s important not to just test an autonomous vehicle on a closed track, but on an open road where you can study the reaction from the human drivers,” Qiao said.

The post I’m riding here! New York City prepares for autonomous cars appeared first on ReadWrite.

Imagine having a wearable that is capable of warning you when you are about to start a fight and can provide you with alternate behavioral solutions.  The study of biometric data in prediction models for human behavior is an interesting peek inside what the future of wearables may be like.

See Also: Check out Michael Kors’ fitness and fashion wearable mashup

One topic of interest for these wearables is that of marriage.  Being able to incorporate machine learning technology into a wearable can help warn individuals of increasing emotional responses using physiological data, and can consequently offer a form of intervention by either party. For example, as your temper rises due to your spouse leaving towels on the floor, your device vibrates in direct response to your heart rate increasing and sends a message to take a deep breath. This assistance can potentially stop an argument from occurring and remove the pressure of conflict resolution.

This technological revolution can play a big role in the fitness and health industry, where microprocessors record several physiological parameters, including body temperature, heart activity, and amount of sweat. People thrive off of available information, readily reading the data in an effort to improve, compare and share through the many platforms available.

Researchers at the University of Southern California have made astonishing progress in applying this technology to human behaviors. A recent study has used a non-controlled testing arena where test subjects tracked hourly emotional reactions, along with the biometric data gathered, which was then assessed by innovative machine learning technology. To more accurately study real-life scenarios, researchers avoided presenting the subjects with problem-inducing situations, instead opting to let conflicts occur naturally.

This information was studied along with audio recordings to detect content and speech intensity. The results showed an 86 percent accuracy in determining conflict.

These promising test results encouraged the extension of the study to include the application of algorithms that could possibly predict conflict based on biometric and speech input. The overall goal is to determine a possible conflict five minutes before it actually happens, based on biological data.

How do we control emotions?

This ground-breaking technology has far-reaching and interesting implications. However, this technology also raises several moral questions, such as whether or not this technology takes the “human element” out of life. Is conflict perhaps a necessary part of life?  

Dr. Larry Nadig, a Clinical Psychologist says that conflict is a critical part of a relationship, and without it, relationships cannot develop. He further explains that, “Conflicts can be productive, creating deeper understanding, closeness, and respect.”

Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center in California, presents a different opinion.

“By making users aware of unhealthy patterns and then helping them convert that information into action, the devices have the potential to positively impact mood, stress levels, and behavior,” says Rutledge.

Despite differing opinions about this new technology, these developments in wearables gadgetry are certainly spectacular, and they are moving the world into an entirely new technological direction at a rapid pace. Who knows what will be next?

The post Can we use wearables to predict your future? appeared first on ReadWrite.

The Smart Cities for All initiative, led by G3ict (Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs), with the support of Microsoft, has helped to produce a new toolkit to assist cities with implementing smart city programs that can help all community members.

In a recent survey of more than 250 experts worldwide, research has found that 60 percent of people feel that smart cities are failing persons with disabilities and older persons.

See Also: Asia tipped to be the global smart cities leader

“Our discussions with city CIOs worldwide tell us that once they become more aware of this digital inclusion issue, of disability and accessible ICTs, they are strongly interested in addressing it–but they also know they need help and guidance in doing so,” explains James Thurston, G3ict’s Vice President for Global Strategy and Development, to Cities Today.  “As part of our new toolkit, we have created the smart cities for All Database of Solutions for Digital Inclusion to help solve that very problem.”

Although cost is an issue for the global south, research proves that it isn’t the main barrier, more broadly speaking.  

“The biggest barrier to making a cities digital services accessible is the lack of awareness,” states Dr. Victor Pineda, President of World Enabled and Co-Chair, Persons with Disabilities, on the General Assembly of Partners. “Cities that do incorporate ICT accessibility end up benefiting in surprising ways, such as lowering the cost of localizing content, as well as maintaining or updating their website.”

The toolkit offers a model accessible ICT procurement policy along with an inventory of ICT accessibility technical standards.  Also included in the kit are a database of smart city solutions and a communication tool that shares the benefits of ICT accessibility.

Looking hard at strategies

The toolkit highlights six strategies that are in need of implementation if cities are to make serious progress towards digital inclusion. These strategies include providing direct technical assistance to smart cities, driving accessible technology innovation in smart cities solutions, changing the global narrative, expanding tools offered to smart cities, evangelize ICT accessibility at a global scale and growing capacity via training and providing more knowledge.

As Thurston and Pineda prepare to work on phase two of their plan, they will be looking into building more strategic partnerships to support direct technical assistance to cities.

“In order to ensure that ICT accessibility is deeply embedded into these emerging norms, partnering with multilateral institutions and international NGOs engaged in smart cities work is critically important,” adds Pineda.

The post How to socialize great smart cities strategies for all urban centers appeared first on ReadWrite.

In a world where self-driving cars are rapidly hitting our streets, some argue that the benefits of autonomous vehicles, such as safer roads, will not be experienced until they make up the majority of vehicles on the road. The concern is that humans are capable of too many errors, causing a kink in the safety plan.

However, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign just shared a new study that shows that the addition of just a few autonomous cars can minimize congestion on our roads.

See Also: Who is responsible for autonomous car regulation?

In demonstrating a phantom traffic jam where cars drive in a circular motion in order to simulate the impact of a lone car slowing down on a road full of traffic, one car pumps its brakes for no reason, and all the cars behind it are forced to slow down. The University of Illinois research, managed by Daniel Work, demonstrates that introducing just a single autonomous car into one of these circular traffic simulations can reduce the effects of the phantom traffic jam.

The research results show that an autonomous vehicle controlling its speed wisely when a phantom jam starts to occur can make it possible to lower the amount of braking performed further back down the line. The existence of a single autonomous vehicle lowers the standard deviation in speed of all the cars in the jam by about 50 percent, and the number of sharp hits to the brakes is reduced from nine per vehicle for every kilometer traveled to a maximum of 2.5.

Savings are just an added benefit

Because fuel use increases when cars slow down and have to gain speed again, the presence of an autonomous vehicle also decreases fuel use. In fact, savings can be as much as 40 percent when averaged across all the vehicles in the traffic flow.

Even with just one vehicle in a flow of 20 other cars, these results occur. And this level of autonomy needed in order to have this effect isn’t the kind that Uber, Waymo and others are planning to build.  Rather, it is more like the adaptive cruise controls already integrated into many higher-end cars. So, though we may have to wait a while for all of autonomy’s effects to be felt, its ability to minimize traffic congestion may be here sooner than expected.

The post New study shows just a few driverless cars help ease traffic appeared first on ReadWrite.

A wearable electronic device that can dissolve in vinegar and is currently considered to be the lightest, thinnest electronic device, was recently unveiled by researchers at Stanford University. This technology can help reduce electronic waste while maintaining privacy.

See Also: How personal beacons can help keep women safe

The need for biodegradable tech in an era when new gadgets are constantly being introduced and quickly discarded, causing tons of electronic waste, presented the key concern and main focus for the team of researchers who have shared this new device. The team designed this wearable electronic device to totally dissolve when vinegar is poured on it.

Having a biodegradable wearable option presents an answer to the privacy problem that occurs when new devices are discarded in favor of new ones, hoping that the cautionary measures taken to erase old data are effective enough to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

The decomposing polymer that the device is made of ranks as one of the thinnest and lightest electronic gadgets that’s ever been made. The team has synthesized the biodegradable semiconductor by utilizing a molecule taken from tattoo ink, and has created a base by weaving plant fibers into a new, extra-thin film.  Inside the structure are embedded electronics. When placed in vinegar, or even a less acidic liquid, the entire thing melts away within a 30 day timeframe.

An answer to e-waste?

In the near future, this technology will likely be used for storing sensitive digital information that could rapidly and easily be destroyed and kept a secret. It can also possibly be used for biological sensors, and implantable medical devices.  Testing has been done with the device in mice to research whether this idea would work.  The device is currently still not safe for use in humans. But it may be in the future.

According to an ENDS Europe agency report about electronic waste, due to an increasing built-in obsolescence, in 2012 defective appliances were replaced at the rate of 8.3 percent, which is an increase from 3.5 percent in 2004. Recent studies share that a huge majority of young adults own smartphones, and approximately 30 percent of American upgrade their phones every two years. This helps add to a huge amount of waste that estimates show will produce more than 50 million metric tons of electronic waste by 2018.  

The solution to this problem looks as though it may be here, with this new biodegradable wearable. Electronic waste is a real problem, causing poisonous groundwater by leaching hazardous materials like mercury into the ground.

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Fitness and Activity trackers are on the rise, and now that the functionality has been figured out, many companies are looking to incorporate better designs that are more attractive and less sporty looking. With new competitors entering the market, smartwatches are beginning to be offered as fashionable accessories, rather than just basic health gadgets.  

See Also: IoT and fashion come together to properly accessorize

Apple, Samsung, Jawbone, Fitbit, and Garmin have all been in competition for some time, but now aesthetics are playing a role in the competition too. Jawbone’s most recent models offer a variety of colors, and Apple’s smartwatch provides several types of bands to choose from.  As the competition for a fancier looking smartwatch or fitness tracker increases, here are a few of them to look at.

The Fossil Gen 2 Smartwatch is powered by Android Wear and has a fitness tracker.  The sleek gadget with a round face sends text and social media alerts, along with calendar and app alerts. It allows users to control the music on their smartphones, and features Google Voice and Google Maps too.

A more minimalist-style activity tracker, the Nokia Withings Activité Steel, works with an application called Health Mate to monitor daily steps and sleep cycles.  It offers a dial that shares daily achievements towards accomplishing fitness goals. Designed to look more like an analog watch, this is a great choice for a more subtle look.  

What is great about activity trackers is that they don’t fully integrate touch-screen interfaces, which allows for a more simplistic look overall. These devices provide users with a more discreet wearable option for those individuals who have fitness goals but don’t want to compromise their fashion senses. That brings us to the Tory Burch Fitbit collaboration which blends monitoring health with elegance.  Her line of bracelets perfectly fit the Fitbit Flex 2, making them look like a statement jewelry piece.

For fashonistas, even more choices

Looking back at smartwatches, the Michael Kors smartwatch is powered by Android Wear and performs as a sleek timepiece as well as an activity tracker.  It has a rose gold band and offers all the standard Smartwatch features. Michael Kors does also offer an activity tracker that looks like a fancy bracelet.  It is called the Thompson Rose-Gold Tone Activity Tracker.  It provides LED notifications that inform you of your progress towards daily goals.

So, depending on what features you want, these are some fitness choices to consider. There are many other choices in the world of fitness bands available as well.  The fitness band niche is evolving daily to help meet the demands of users.  

The post Check out Michael Kors’ fitness and fashion wearable mashup appeared first on ReadWrite.

StreetDrone, a UK-based company believes autonomous vehicles should be easier for those in the education sector to acquire, complete with all the sensors and tech needed to provide a platform for research and study.

In an effort to accomplish this mission, they have created the StreetDrone ONE, an electric vehicle designed using the Renault Twizy including a suite of autonomous driving sensors.

See Also: Apple, Google call on California to change self-driving tests

Created in order to provide a hands-on approach to learning for students who would like to study the growing field of autonomous technology, the StreetDrone ONE offers several package options with different sensor load-outs and connectivity options. It has Velodyne LiDAR, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, a 360-degree camera, 4 lower resolution optical cameras and RADAR, but you can also adjust the configurations to include just a few of those, according to your needs. Students and researchers can also supplement their own parts and software due to its modular design.

Should be available soon

This car’s purpose is to make it more affordable for educational institutions to provide real-world learning opportunities about autonomous cars before students enter the marketplace. This vehicle is available for pre-orders right now, and will begin rolling out to UK university customers in August.

As colleges and universities continue to ramp up their educational programs in this market, other companies continue to try and capitalize on the growing demand for autonomous vehicle platforms.  However, StreetDrone is likely to rise in leader status with the introduction of StreetDrone ONE.

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In conjunction with 451 Research, Thales has released its second annual data security research brief.  The 2017 Thales Data Threat Report, Federal Edition indicates that 96% of federal workers believe they are “very” or “extremely” vulnerable to data breaches. This number is larger than all other sectors polled by the report.

Despite feeling extremely vulnerable , U.S. federal members are putting fewer dollars on security than other sectors, even though their expenditures have risen by three percent since last year. Small staff, strict budgets and lack of cyber expertise are given as the main reasons for data insecurity by 53% of federal respondents.

See Also: Hajime malware is turning 300,000 Iot devices into zombies

Federal workers feel insecure about the need to utilize advanced technology such as the cloud, Big Data, and loT, with 71 percent of them believing these technologies are being adopted without properly established security measures in place.

“This ‘perfect storm’ of very old systems, tight budgets and being a prime cyber-crime target has created a stressful environment,” says Garrett Bekker, the principal analyst for Information Security at 451 Research.

Becker also explains, “A major challenge in securing the far-flung systems in the U.S. federal government is the plethora of aging legacy systems still in place, with one example being a 53-year-old Strategic Automated Command and Control System at the Department of Defense that coordinates U.S. nuclear forces and uses 8-inch floppy disks.”

The report states that encryption is the top data security control, with 60 percent of federal employees claiming they’re using this method to guarantee data privacy.

The Thales report provides several recommendations to federal agencies that are needing to update to advanced technologies including, the deployment of security toolsets that offer services-based deployments, platforms, and automation and discovering and classifying the location of sensitive data within the cloud, SaaS, big data, IoT and container environments.

Focus needed on safety practices

Wayne Lewandowski, Vice President of U.S. Federal at Thales e-Security, compares data security to that of banks, in a recent interview with GovConWire. Considering the amount of cyber-criminals and their constant targeting, it’s a safe bet that there will be breaches.  However, the most important thing is to maintain practices that keep data and information safe. Only those individuals who really need access to the most sensitive data should have access, versus being available for all users.  

“The Thales Data Threat Report for US Public Sector demonstrates once again that federal agencies continue to be the largest target of any sector for criminal exploits. We are excited to partner with our government constituents to bring the recognized need for encryption, key management and policy controls to defend critical data,” Lewandowski explains to GovConWire.

The post Fed workers overwhelmingly feel naked…digitally appeared first on ReadWrite.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Verizon just joined a $10 million investment round in Renovo Auto, the autonomous vehicle startup that became famous after turning a vintage DeLorean into a self-driving vehicle.

Founded in 2010, this California-based company builds technology that combines self-driving software, safety systems, and data analytics. The company’s many sensors can supposedly generate multiple terabytes of data each hour, even in the most extreme environments.

See Also: How is the new age of digital transformation changing the utilities sector?

Verizon has made several acquisitions dealing with the telematics industry, which is a quickly expanding sector focusing on making autonomous cars more efficient and roadworthy. For autonomous vehicles to become a mainstream reality, high-end internet is needed, which is an area where Verizon specializes and is the current market leader.

The Wall Street Journal states that a normal autonomous vehicle produces 4 terabytes of data within 90 minutes, which is equal to 3,000 people’s internet usage during a three-year timespan.

Big moves by the wireless carrier

Last year, Verizon acquired a GPS vehicle trucking specialist, Fleetmatics, as well as Telogis, which is a cloud-based software firm. Once these deals were completed, it was reported that Verizon had launched to a top spot in the telematics market worldwide, controlling close to a quarter of it.

Verizon also wants to boost its role in advertising markets. The company’s acquisitions of AOL and Yahoo will be in direct competition with Google and Facebook,  the two dominant players in the blossoming digital advertising industry.

The post Verizon invests in Renovo to build on self-driving offerings appeared first on ReadWrite.

With the sudden increase in fitness smartwatches, primarily driven by Google’s Android Wear smartwatch software, the market has seen a big surge in wearables. And Acer Leap Ware is one of the newest watches to look at for your wrist.

See Also: Qualcomm discusses the future of smartwatches – and they’re bullish

Acer has played its part in wearables of the past, mostly in fitness bands. However, Leap Ware is a complete smartwatch, which is something new. It offers basic custom software that is compatible with iOS and Android.

Like Pebble watches, the Leap Ware watch has a round, reflective display and a one-touch heart rate option. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass SR+.  Extra sensors are attached to the watch: four metal plates, to be exact. Touching them causes extra health measurements to begin, including a stress monitor. Acer also claims that the watch can somehow measure blood pressure.  It can monitor heart rate, stress levels, and exposure to ultraviolet rays.  It’s also water-resistant.

Touching them causes extra health measurements to begin, including a stress monitor. Acer also claims that the watch can somehow measure blood pressure.  It can monitor heart rate, stress levels, and exposure to ultraviolet rays.  It is even water resistant.

But are there too many wearables to choose from?

Leap Ware will need to work hard to have its product stand out from the other tons of watches and fitness bands though.

With so many market entrants, from Fossil to Apple, the wearable market is packed and increasingly, consumers are getting more demanding about what they want their wearables to do. Fitness trackers and basic functionality may not cut it anymore.

Acer Leap Ware will arrive on American shelves by this July. The firm plans to price it at $139 at retail.

The post Acer Leap Ware enters the smartwatch market appeared first on ReadWrite.

Some lucky NFL Players were given the opportunity to check out WHOOP straps recently, at the NFL Players Association reps meeting. Ibraheim Campbell, the Cleveland Browns defensive back was so impressed by the gadget that he hasn’t stopped using it since then.

“I’ve seen my awareness of myself and how I’m doing increase. It’s been big on my sleep awareness and sleeping habits,” Campbell explains.  

See Also: Does sweat hold the key to the future of health wearables?

Campbell believes that taking care of his body is extremely important. At 24 years of age, this third-year pro’s role may continue to grow with the Browns.  The 5-foot-11, 208-pound strong safety puts a lot of focus on working out and staying in shape, which is why his interest in technology revolves around devices that help him to better recover.

As far as the WHOOP Strap goes, “I don’t take it off,” Campbell declares. “It’s pretty cool.”

The WHOOP Strap 2.0 has been named the Official Licensed Recovery Wearable Of The NFLPA. Each NFL player, along with incoming players will receive one, and Campbell has been able to enjoy his early.  

The straps measure recovery based on a player’s resting heart rate, sleep and heart rate variability in order for players like Campbell to stay better informed and more prepared for the strain to come.

Campbell says he has used other wearable devices too.  He has utilized the MYZONE heart rate monitoring chest strap during offseason to ensure that he’s delivering maximum effort while participating in the City Fitness’ #MyCityMoves challenge in Philadelphia.

Browns bullish on tech

The Browns also incorporate the Catapult Sports GPS trackers into their routine, to keep track of the players’ workloads.

“That’s been helpful, the ability to track your mileage,” Campbell states.

Staying in the know about the latest sports gadgetry is a smart play by the Northwestern graduate.  It can pay off well for Campbell during the NFL season,

The post Cleveland Browns get ready to WHOOP it up appeared first on ReadWrite.

A recent report from Adobe Digital Insights claims that augmented and virtual reality, along with wearable technology, will be the newest travel industry disruptors.

Mentions of wearable gadgets for traveling went up by 44% after the Ocean Medallion was introduced by Princess Cruises back in January.  The Ocean Medallion is a small device that can be worn in various ways to serve as a passenger’s digital identity.  It appears that consumers are eager to embrace the new wearable tech trend.

See Also:  Could connected shoes help tourists travel cities?

Sales of VR devices were up big time during the 2016 holiday season, capturing consumers’ imaginations and driving new ideas for how VR can be used for businesses too. For example, the hotel industry has also begun taking an interest in this new trend: Eight major chains have been experimenting with offering virtual reality experiences to guests during the past six months.

Car rental industry sees the downside

However, technology presents a downside for some parts of the industry. Car rentals made online have decreased by 14% during the first quarter, partly due to the success of Uber. Online reservations have decreased by 2% with each 10% increase in social media mentions. Last year, between March and December, Uber comments grew to 6 million, while car rental reservations were reduced by 28%.

Other traveling trends have affected the car rental industry too. International travel to the US was reduced by 6% during the first quarter, diminishing the need for automobiles. And as airfare increases, many families may decide it is more economical to drive their own cars, rather than fly. One-stop destinations, such as cruises and inclusive resorts, have also have lessened the need for rental cars.

Travel is a prevalent topic on social media, receiving about 14 million mentions every month, on average.

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For those struggling to learn the guitar, a new wearable startup, Vibes, may have just the way to help you out. Based in the UK, Vibes has been working on an ear training technology that is powered through a wearable forearm strap.  

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What Vibes has to offer is a change in the way you approach learning how to play. One of the early steps in learning guitar is getting your fingers in the right places on the fretboard, which requires constant practice.  But as you progress, understanding chords, scales and musical intervals by ear is the next big step.

This is the area where Vibes wants to step in and help. After studying the neuroscience involved in music instruction, Philip Spivey, founder of Vibes, decided to develop a gadget that focuses on the association, rather than repetition.

Still a work in progress

To assist with this process of ear training, one can use a mobile app that plays audible notes. Next, through a Bluetooth connection, the app triggers an accompanying wearable to offer a specific tactile stimulus on the inner arm.

“This association, with a small degree of repetition, will help your brain in the future to recognize the same intervals or chords when you hear them in your favorite song, or in your head when you are improvising,” Spivey explains.

The project is still in the development stages by Vibes, so further study is needed before knowing if this can actually help the guitar learning process.

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Microsoft appears to have something new and exciting in the works.  Looking to rejoin the wearables competition, after its Band 2 device didn’t go over so well last year, it has introduced plans for its successor, but with a twist.

This TrekStor-designed watch, which doesn’t have a name at the moment, is directed at B2B customers and will run with Windows 10 Core.

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With the ability to run complete Universal Apps directly from the wrist, with a connection to the cloud, this gadget is akin to having a first generation Surface worn on your arm.

According to Microsoft, this watch has WiFi and Bluetooth, plus, “plenty of storage space and has the processing power and battery life to perform its line-of-business functions.”

Other uses beyond fitness

Different ideas for use include guest service automation, retail inventory management, manufacturing, patient care, asset management and fleet management.

Specs are minimal at this stage in the game for this watch that measures 1.54in, but it uses Azure Cloud and Microsoft Cognitive Services, and offers Gorilla Glass 3 for an excellent screen.

“The TrekStor IoT Wearable allows various functions to be reported to the right place without any communicative detours, and messages can be transmitted silently in real-time or verbally via voice messages,” explains the announcement.

With the smartwatch industry not quite meeting the high expectations everyone thought it would, It looks like Microsoft and TrekStor believe they have found a niche market that can make a return to this sector more lucrative.

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Wearables are now a significant part of corporate wellness and remote patient monitoring programs.  However, long-term investment from seniors remains a challenge, despite an increasing need for seniors to have better healthcare options.

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Garmin and Tactio Health Group, two major companies involved in telehealth and wearable technology, are combining forces to provide a telehealth solution specially designed to monitor the daily health and well-being of seniors. This joint collaboration adds Garmin wearables to an increasing list of Bluetooth-enabled devices including glucometers, scales, blood pressure monitors and pulse oximeters that brilliantly integrate with Tactio apps, allowing for data collection without the need of third-party accounts.

More and more patients have begun to own smartphones, and as a result, pilot projects targeting senior homes and chronically-ill patients have helped Tactio recognize what key elements are important to successfully enter the senior market.  Important features include having a 1-year battery life and seamless connectivity to enable patients to forget they’re wearing a device, not needing third-party accounts by having apps that simplify processes and offering a single interface to connect all devices, gather data, answer questionnaires and speak to their providers with ease.

It was a group effort

These necessities brought engineers from Garmin and Tactio together to combine vívofit 3 wearables with TactioRPM patient apps. This new solution allows providers, payers, and pharmacies to provide health and wellness monitoring programs with a single dedicated patient-facing telehealth application while using the 1-year battery life of the vívofit 3.

“We have users in their 70s, 80s, and 90s helping us understand their issues with mHealth well. Our relentless pursuit of a solution for them has generated this tight integration of the Garmin vívofit 3 into our patient apps, making TactioRPM the best mobile solution for senior telehealth programs”, states Michel Nadeau, P.Eng., CEO of Tactio Health Group.

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See Also: Can wearable technology help the elderly?

The incidence of this disease is steadily increasing as the population continues to age. It is estimated that as many as 5.4 million Americans might have Alzheimer’s. The risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease increases with age, although it is not considered to be a normal part of aging.  If treatment is not found soon, it is expected that the national number of patients with this disease will almost triple by 2050.

Boston University researcher, Rhoda Au, has administered wearable digital devices to 2,200 elderly individuals, as a part of the study. During a three-year period, these devices will track patient’s balance, heart rate, sleep, cognitive function, and fall risk, along with other possible medical markers.

Currently, people who are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s are sent to a specialist. However, at that time, it is often too late to do anything to help the patient.

Plans for the future of wearables

“It’s really labor-intensive to bring people [into the lab],” said Au, speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston.

Eventually, researchers plan to move past wearable technology to in-home devices such as Amazon Echo and Google Nest. This may give more insight as to what parts of a person’s life may cause dementia.

“I’m pretty sure that I have collected data that is not useful.  But I am equally sure that I have collected data that is useful…it is very much about figuring it out as you go along,” Au said.

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