GPS World

Tag: CES

  • CES 2016: 3Plus launches smartwatch, connected wearables

    3Plus, a developer and manufacturer of smart wearable devices, will introduce four new connected products at CES 2016. The huge Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will be held in Las Vegas Jan. 6—9. The new 3Plus wearables line will be on display at CES 2016 in Tech West Sands Expo Booth  no. 72745, and the ShowStoppers press event on Jan. 6.

    From basic activity trackers to advanced smartwatches, all of the new 3Plus wearables track and record daily activity and sleep. They also use Bluetooth 4.0 to provide smartphone notifications such as calls, e-mails and text messages. They are compatible with both iOS and Android platforms and have corresponding mobile apps.

    “Today, a wristwatch is more than just a means to know what time it is and the day’s date,” remarked Jerry Galya, 3Plus vice president of sales. “Digital technology has taken wristwatches in a whole new direction and 3Plus is right at the forefront with many innovative technologies. Our newest wearables are available at a variety of affordable price points depending on what features you are interested in. From the most basic smartphone notifications and fitness tracking, to advanced heart rate monitoring and call answering, 3Plus offers it all.”

    The following 3Plus IoT wearables products will be introduced at CES 2016.

    3Plus Lite: This connected fitness wearable tracks steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, duration of sleep and sleep cycles. It has daily life reminders such as when to wake up or take medicine. The 3Plus Lite features a power-efficient OLED display and has an IP67 rating, meaning it is totally protected against dust and water immersion up to three feet.

    3Plus Swipe HR: The 3Plus Swipe HR combines smartwatch with an activity tracker. It tracks steps, distance, and calories burned. It also keeps track of daily meals via MyFitnessPal, as well as sleep quality, including periods of deep sleep and restlessness. Other features include a 1.1-inch touchscreen display; heart-rate range alert; and automatic data sync to a smartphone without plugging in or pushing buttons, providing real-time access on a mobile app and notifications on the wrist.

    3Plus Touch Smartwatch: Activity tracking includes steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, heart rate, quality of sleep, and sleep cycles. It even reminds the wearer when to take their medicine or when to eat. The OLED touchscreen display shows the time and date, and smartphone notifications including the name or number of incoming calls, with a built-in microphone for direct answering. Other features include a lightweight lithium-polymer battery with a two-week standby time.

    3Plus Time: The look of a traditional timepiece is coupled with digital capabilities. The dial of the 3Plus Time smartwatch measures time with big, bold Roman numeral hours, old-school hour and minute hands, and a digital OLED display for text, call and other smartphone notifications. Tracking activities include steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, duration of sleep and deep-sleep time. It is available with a choice of a leather or stainless steel band.

  • What to expect from the Consumer Electronics Show

    What to expect from the Consumer Electronics Show

    A scene from the hectic and high-tech show floor of CES 2015.
    A scene from the hectic and high-tech show floor of CES 2015. (Photo: CES)

    It won’t be long until the January Consumer Electronics Show (CES) overwhelms us, so I want to ensure that we don’t overlook innovation occurring now, both in mapping and in automated vehicle technology. And if you are attending the show or following its news, I will provide you with a heads-up that will help orient you.

    what3words. GPS has revolutionized mapping and burst open a host of technologies. We have lived through a transformative age, but today, new features are mostly iterative, just a bit better than last year. A UK startup, what3words, is providing an intriguing perspective on geolocation, mapping the world by words instead of long number strings of location coordinates.

    what3words has divided the world into 57 trillion nine-meter square tiles, each randomly assigned a unique string of three words and, yes, that’s a big vocabulary. For instance, Strawberry-Cart-Walk might be the name for a patch of soil in Africa, and Flower-Hay-Pen might designate a square on the sidewalk in Manhattan. The words have no context, but provide the advantage of being easier to remember, communicate (particularly vocally) and may be less prone to error.

    The advantage of worded geolocations is more apparent in places that are mapped poorly, and have inadequate addressing or limited technology. This describes most of the world, where water wells in remote places can’t be found and aid has trouble reaching people that lack a way to communicate their location. Even in well-mapped areas, worded geo-location can be helpful by identifying specific locations at a traditional address, such as goods and vehicle entrances as well as front doors. How many times are we told by a nav system that we have arrived at our destination when the entrance or driveway isn’t in sight? what3words has recently signed a deal with Esri and has received a Series A investment round.

    Google’s Latest Patents. The race to owning the connected car has been a marathon, and the smartest companies have focused on developing intellectual property that can be patented. Google is in the lead, and most recently the company was granted a patent regarding the interaction between a vehicle and a pedestrian. Self-driving vehicles by necessity are overly cautious or may overreact to road “obstacles.” They are disadvantaged by not being able to interact like a human driver, who might nod or frown or gesture to a pedestrian to indicate intent. Google was recently granted a patent for automated vehicles to communicate intent with a pedestrian, via a physical signaling device, an electronic sign or lights, or a speaker for providing audible notifications. Signage on the vehicle might illuminate to indicate that the vehicle will stop at a crosswalk and that it is safe for the walker to proceed.

    Innovations Unveiled. The CES Innovation Awards are given prior to the show. Bosch is a 2016 winner for a new in-vehicle touch screen that provides haptic control. The screen recognizes the pressure applied by fingers and activates functions accordingly. Having recently announced that it is entering the auto component market, expect different offerings from Samsung. Anticipation is growing that Faraday Future, a new automaker planning to go head-to-head with Tesla, will unveil a concept car.

    Innovation will abound at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. Look for the most exciting technology announcements in automotive and virtual reality technology. CES in expanding automotive exhibit space by 25 percent to fit 100 automotive technology companies and nine automakers. Virtual reality and robotics will both have a much stronger presence this year. In addition, the evolution of smart homes, wearables, drones and mobile health technology will be interesting to watch. And if you want see the next trendsetters, check out the curated area of 500 startups. That is the real barometer of the future.

    If you are interested in the connected vehicle, attend the conference Driverless, the Business of Autonomous Vehicles, which will be held March 22-23, 2016, near the San Francisco Airport.

    This is the last issue of Wireless LBS Insider. For six years I have been the editor of GPS World’s newsletters Wireless Pulse and then Wireless LBS Insider, to provide perspective on location-based trends. My coverage started with the beginnings of E-911, telematics and location-based services (LBS) and expanded into connected vehicles, location-based advertising, and M2M.

    As an industry insider, I have a consulting practice devoted to helping companies shape new offerings, research new markets, take the temperature of customers, develop new business and communicate the value of their offerings. Let’s keep in touch. Email me at [email protected]. And if you happen to be at CES, we can meet and talk technology.

  • TomTom Offers Test Map Data for Automated Driving

    TomTom is making available Highly Automated Driving (HAD) map content in the metro Detroit area, where U.S. automakers are headquartered. Car makers and HAD-related companies can now use TomTom’s high-definition maps for precise vehicle positioning, enabling future self-driving cars to see beyond their sensors.

    The HAD map, covering the stretch of road network between Farmington Hills and Ann Arbor, including I-696, 96, and 275, US-23 and M-14, will be available in June. TomTom discussed the HAD map in a session at TU-Automotive Detroit trade show, held June 3-4.

    “By making high-definition map content readily available, we can make HAD a reality faster, enabling further innovation in Detroit, the heart of the North American automotive industry,” said Alain De Taeye, member of the TomTom Management Board. “Intense demand for high-definition maps is fueled by automated driving as a new growth driver. As an independent supplier with one of the world’s most sophisticated mapping platform, we are in a unique position to provide highly precise map content for all members of the HAD ecosystem.”

    For the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015 in January, the Audi A7 piloted driving concept car dubbed Jack used TomTom HAD prototype maps to complete a long-distance test drive, over 560 miles from San Francisco to Las Vegas.

  • Self-Driving Cars Find Their Way at CES

    This year’s CES featured the usual big TV screens, loudspeakers, wearables, 3D printers, drones and connected vehicles surrounded by 150,000 attendees over several Las Vegas meeting venues. What was interesting was the continued rise of autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles and platforms. Lost in all of the noise was a small, but important, location-based services enclave that consisted of GPS-enabled wearables and indoor positioning.

    LAS VEGAS—A big chunk of the estimated 30 billion worldwide connected devices will be those linked to vehicles, say industry experts at the International Consumer Electronics Show here. Nearly all automakers had a presence at CES — all with a long-term connected vehicle strategy.

    No matter how big and exhausting CES is, with long taxi lines and 150,000 attendees, there is good reason to come a day before the giant conference, as the Consumer Telematics Show and AT&T Developer’s Conference feature many industry executives and new developments. At the Consumer Telematics Show, speakers explained how and why connected vehicles are transitioning to autonomous capability.

    The connected car industry has matured to the point where technology and market points are coming together, said Thilo Koslowski, Gartner vice president and practice leader, automotive vehicle ICT mobility, at CTS. “The opportunity of connected vehicles are becoming the center of mobile and [Internet of Things] innovations. It has come from, in 1997, a pure telematics safety and security device to vehicle integration, digital lifestyle convergence and Internet of cars,” he said. “At the end of the year, there will be 25 million connected vehicles in the world, but most in mature markets. That might not look like a lot, but only in five more years, I think that number is going to 150 million vehicles.”

    In some cases, the newer outfitted vehicles will have only safety and security features, Koslowski said, but most will have two-way data communication, part of the 30 billion devices connected by 2020. He predicted last year that most automakers would have shifted general mobile applications to vehicle and customer-specific services.

    Koslowski says the top connected car features that consumers have asked for include automated map updates, real-time weather and news, parking spot finder and driving assessment and coaching. “Consumers don’t want application downloads directly into the car. In addition, in-vehicle media purchases are not there yet, as are in-vehicle social networking updates,” he said. “I predicted in 2013 that 25 percent of the automakers would monetize mobile commerce transactions in their connected vehicle offerings such as parking, buying gas, etc.,” he said.

    Self-Aware Vehicle Emergence

    Imagine sleeping, or reading, in your car during the morning commute. It may be a reality, but major technical, cultural and legal issues need to be resolved before fully autonomous vehicles hit the road. “There is going to be trouble if [automakers] don’t get consumers involved early on. Or allow governments and insurance companies telling people when to hit the button (to drive),” Koslowski said. “You press the [drive yourself] button and you pay 30 percent more in insurance. About 39 percent of those we surveyed are interested in some sort of self-driving car — that doesn’t mean fully autonomous vehicles. But 61 percent say they are not ready.”

    Koslowski says there is a lot of education that includes basic acceptance of the technology and trust that it really works. “There usually is a 30-second rule. The first 30 seconds is ‘holy moly, this thing drives itself’,” he said. “The second 30 seconds is ‘is this beneficial?’ There are real benefits such as reducing the cost of accidents, which amount to $900 per U.S. citizen.”

    In terms of cyber security and privacy, Koslowski said it’s a big deal for autonomous vehicles. “A couple of breaches will be a big deal. Still, consumers are not that paranoid. They are willing to share information, especially if there is a monetary or societal function,” he said.

    Cost is still big factor that will drive the adoption of autonomous vehicles. Koslowski says that consumers polled will only pay an additional $1,404 for autonomous capability. The cost of a test vehicle, right now, is about $85,000. “The good news is that number is coming down. It is shrinking to less than $6,595,” he said.

    At the Transportation Research Board meeting a week after CES in Washington, Chris Urmson, who heads Google’s self-driving vehicle program, said the Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket-looking gizmo on top of their car cost $70,000 alone.

    Cost aside, by 2016, three automakers will have concrete plans for upcoming autonomous vehicle launches, Koslowski said. “This is happening a lot faster from a technology standpoint than experts thought it would,” he said.

    Overall, Koslowski said that big IT companies need to step up to make autonomous vehicles work. “Governments are a little behind. The slowness of automotive companies also make them vulnerable to technology companies to step in and take over the industry,” he said.

    Indoor Positioning and Other Location Markets at CES

    Such companies as CSR were at CES and said the show was good for indoor location providers. “CES was good for us. We had good interest in our live demo of indoor location where customers were free to walk around testing the performance of our (solution). We also saw a lot of interest from the automotive market for an indoor/outdoor navigation (product), such as being able to find your way back to the car in a complex shopping mall and the best place to park for access to your indoor destination,” said Dave Huntingford, CSR’s director of product line for location.

    In 2015, the company believes that one of the key drivers for indoor location will be the ubiquity of maps for public locations, Huntingford said. “The availability of indoor maps for malls, airports and retail chains will help drive indoor location awareness with consumers for both utility value (not getting lost) and retail marketing applications,” he said. “We also expect to see a variety of social networking applications supporting indoor location, reflecting the fact that we spend the vast majority of time indoors.”

    Huntingford believes a key limitation of many indoor technologies is the requirement to have dedicated, or upgraded, infrastructure such as BT Smart beacons or updated Wi-Fi access points with new location capabilities, and a dedicated manual survey of the building to measure indoor Wi-Fi signatures.

    At CES, Magellan rolled out its line of 5-inch RoadMate Auto GPS Devices with 3D buildings and landmarks. “The units retail from $169 to $229. “We are surprised at the interest our PNDs are having in the market, particularly with back-up video,” said William Strand, Magellan associate director, product marketing. “The dash camera is a small market, but catching on to block insurance fraud.”

    In other CES news:

    • Audi pulled off a coup when it invited journalists to drive with its autonomous vehicle from San Francisco to Las Vegas.
    • Most location companies have wearables product lines that are making retail chains take notice.

    Transportation Research Board Meeting Becoming Big Autonomous Show

    WASHINGTON—The Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting here has grown to be one of the bigger autonomous vehicle meetings, with 12,000 mainly government execs and academics meeting.

    About 300 people showed up for a panel headlined by Chris Urmson, who heads up Google’s autonomous vehicle program. All was well and good hearing about Google’s self-driving vehicle technology except TRB had 100 chairs for 300 attendees…a lot of people left. But that is the level of interest autonomous vehicle is having in the government and academic community.

    “We are planning to find out how our car does with red lights flashing in front of it. The software will figure out, along with GPS and insertional and high-resolution maps,” Urmson said. “The world isn’t empty. Our vehicle has to know about the pick-up making a lane change, the bicyclist pedaling next to it.”

    Urmson said there are no sensors on the market that power the car — Google makes them in-house.

    In other TRB news, TomTom announced it is partnering with the I-95 Corridor Coalition. The company is using one of three main real-time traffic products in its portfolio, said Nick Cohn, TomTom senior business developer. “It is all about our TomTom Traffic Flow product, which provides speed information for individual road segments every minute, based on our mix of probe data sources,” he said. “This is one of three main real-time traffic products we have. TomTom Traffic provides one-minute updates of locations and delays of traffic jams and other traffic incidents. The third product is a set of APIs for providing, for example, travel times that can be displayed on variable message signs along roadways to inform drivers about delays.”

    The government market is a steady business for TomTom, which has seen traffic management success mainly in European cities such as Berlin, Rome and London, Cohn said.

     

  • Automakers No Longer the Neanderthals of Tech

    Automakers No Longer the Neanderthals of Tech

    Start of the 550 mile piloted drive from Silicon Valley to Las Vegas: Ricky Hudi, Executive Vice President Electric/Electronic Development, (left) and Ewald Gössmann, Excecutive Director Electronic Research Lab California (ERL), (third from right) drop the flag for the Audi A7 piloted driving concept car. Photo: Audi
    Start of the 550 mile piloted drive from Silicon Valley to Las Vegas: Ricky Hudi, Executive Vice President Electric/Electronic Development, (left) and Ewald Gössmann, Excecutive Director Electronic Research Lab California (ERL), (third from right) drop the flag for the Audi A7 piloted driving concept car. Photo: Audi

    In the wake of CES and the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it’s clear that times are a-changing. Self-driving concept cars filled three football-field-sized areas to show off what lies ahead. Verizon and Ford did a cosmic switcheroo, with Verizon morphing into the auto space and Ford starting a transformation into a mobility company. Automated reality/augmented reality isn’t as big as would be expected, and is suffering from a lack of content. Wearables continue to do remarkable things, notably in the health and fitness sector, and smart watches will become more exciting with interaction to vehicles and home.

    Janice Partyka
    Janice Partyka

    When Mark Field, current CEO of Ford, announced the Ford Sync from the CES stage in 2007, attendees found the presence of an auto company at CES to be out of place. The auto industry was considered Neanderthals of tech. Today, the most exciting mobile technology is vehicle related, and more exciting developments from the auto industry were seen in Las Vegas, rather than Detroit.

    Field was back at CES with a visionary perspective that Ford isn’t going to be just about cars and trucks. He is broadening Ford’s focus to mobility in preparation of the changes in transportation that will occur in response to global megatrends of urbanization, growth of the middle class, air-quality issues and evolving consumer attitudes. To test out new ideas of flexible user-ship and collaborative transportation, Ford is operating 25 experiments around the world to test out solutions for specific mobility challenges. Ford is looking to be a leader and enabler of a market where people may be sharing or swapping vehicles or relying on crowd-based transportation. It is refreshing to see out-of-the-box thinking from Detroit.

    Ford Mobility Experiment in London — driving-on-demand with Ford fleet. Photo: Ford
    Ford Mobility Experiment in London — driving-on-demand with Ford fleet. Photo: Ford

    Far from its beginnings in 2007, Ford announced SYNC 3, an updated version of its in-vehicle communication and information system. SYNC technology is already in 10 million vehicles on the road. SYNC 3 will be released in new car models this year and will include more conversational speech recognition, a more smartphone-like experience with a touch screen and easier-to-read graphics. In addition, AppLink 3.0 will roll out and give drivers the ability to access their navigation app — much as they do on a smartphone — on in-vehicle touch screens.

    Ford SYNC 3. Photo: Ford
    SYNC 3 has been designed to keep the drivers eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, even when controlling their favorite phone apps. Photo: Ford

    You may recall that GM had announced OnStar would be dropping Verizon for AT&T communications staring in 2015. The announcement of Verizon Vehicle, a new connected vehicle service that duplicates some of the features of OnStar, must be the impetus. The subscription-based service will be compatible with all vehicle models sold in the U.S. since 1996. The service will include GPS-directed roadside assistance, crash notification, emergency assistance with a live agent, a hotline to connect with mechanics on vehicle issues, maintenance alerts, and stolen vehicle location assistance. Notably, the offering doesn’t include navigation, a mainstay of OnStar, but readily available on smartphones. The service uses an OBD II dongle and a head unit that can attach to a visor and contains a Bluetooth speaker and call buttons.

    Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW all showed advances in self-driving vehicles. Mercedes-Benz demoed the F015 Luxury in Motion concept car, which is fully autonomous and completely powered by a battery and fuel cell. Audi impressed by having its own concept vehicle drive itself from Palo Alto, California, to Las Vegas. BMW offered demonstrations of its i3 electric car, with ActiveAssist technology, able to prevent collisions at speeds up to 15 mph.

    Delphi and Valeo technology suggest that current adaptive cruise-control systems may soon add self-steering. Drivers could allow the car to take over in stop-and-go traffic and on long highway segments. Although unlikely to see production in the short term, Delphi showed the full capabilities of its self-driving technology in an urban environment.

    The next big feature to be commercialized during our wait for automated driving is self-parking. As demonstrated by BMW, the driver arrives at a parking garage entrance, gets out of the car, and sends it to find a parking place. When ready to depart, the driver summons the car, which drives itself to a special pickup zone in front of a parking garage. BMW says it will be offering self-parking cars in one to two years.

    The Sony Walkman, now $1,100. Photo: Sony
    The Sony Walkman, now $1,100. Photo: Sony

    Unfortunately, augmented reality hasn’t quite lived up to the hype, but Hyundai is showcasing a production-ready augmented reality heads-up display concept. It’s an easy-to-understand system with animated information and warnings to describe road conditions ahead. For instance, it provides warnings when another car is about to unexpectedly enter the car’s lane, and shows arrows leading to exit ramps, highlighted street signs and one-way street markings. Hyundai has linked the augmented heads-up display to a wearable band that will vibrate with warnings. The band includes a heart-rate monitor that can notify 911 if a driver’s heart rate changes rapidly.

    I don’t want to neglect the things in life that don’t change. It is comforting to know that Palm Pilots, record players and Walkmans are back at CES. The new Sony Walkman will set you back $1,100. So things do change.

  • CES: Visteon Demonstrates Connectivity Gateway for Connected Car

    Visteon Corporation is demonstrating its latest vehicle connectivity system at the 2015 International CES being held this week in Las Vegas. Visteon’s system provides a secure and reliable gateway to advance the connected driving experience for drivers and automakers, the company said.

    A robust vehicle communication gateway is essential to ensure reliable connectivity that can keep pace with advances in 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, and vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) developments. Visteon’s latest solutions address personal and vehicle security, increased data complexity and vehicle architecture challenges.

    Visteon’s Wireless Gateway is a 4G-compatible connectivity module that manages a complex network of GPS, cellular, Wi-Fi and Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) inside and outside of the vehicle to provide seamless connectivity when mobile. The gateway incorporates a high level of security to protect multiple owners over a vehicle’s lifetime and is capable of handling future data bandwidth, wireless communication and security needs.

    Visteon’s V2X platform provides short- to medium-range wireless communications between similarly equipped nearby vehicles that permit very low latency data transfer, which is critical in communications-based active safety applications. The platform is designed to maximize communication range and provide the greatest amount of warning or notification time to the driver.

    Addressing the connected vehicle architecture, Visteon’s SmartCore integrated solution integrates traditional driver information, infotainment and connectivity through one seamless human-machine interaction (HMI). Multiple domains can run side-by-side on scalable hardware through different operating systems, greatly reducing complexity, Visteon said. The system actively prioritizes critical information for the driver on a situational basis and enhances driver information management on the road to autonomous driving.

    “With the increased complexity of connected services and applications, today’s challenge is not about providing a platform with extensive features, but creating a future-ready vehicle gateway that has the flexibility to adapt and accommodate evolving network technologies,” said Christian Feltgen, vice president, Visteon technology office.

  • GPS Watch Aimed at Children’s Safety Unveiled at CES

    GPS Watch Aimed at Children’s Safety Unveiled at CES

    The HereO GPS watch for children. Photo: HereO
    The HereO GPS watch for children. Photo: HereO

    The hereO cellular GPS watch for kids will be officially unveiled at the 2015 International CES, being held in Las Vegas this week. Designed for children ages three and up, the hereO works in sync with a mobile app to provide real-time location sharing, safe-zone alerts, and group messaging, allowing parents to monitor their children’s safety and whereabouts at all times directly on their mobile phones or desktop computers.

    The engineers at hereO miniaturized components to make the watch fit children’s wrists, the company said. The watch comes in a variety of bright and colorful water resistant designs to appeal to children. For parents, the hereO Family App for smartphones/tablets (iOS and Android) and desktops provides real-time location information on all family members and loved ones, plus location history, live-updates, panic alerts, safe-zone definition, and more.

    “CES is a crucible of amazing minds, emerging ideas, and groundbreaking new technology; it’s the Mecca for today’s most inspired innovators,” said hereO Co-Founder and President Daniel Ivesha. “After three years of developing and perfecting our prototype, we couldn’t think of a better place to debut hereO, the world’s smallest cellular-connected GPS tracking watch for kids, which we believe is not only a game-changer in child safety technology but in the way families stay connected.”

    Features include:

    • hereO LOCATION: Parents can locate their child anytime, anywhere. Historical locations are also available so parents can track where their child have been throughout the day.
    • Wi-Fi ENABLED: Wi-Fi allows indoor tracking whenever an indoor map is available. When indoor mapping is unavailable, an indoor confirmation will be sent to the parent’s smartphone.
    • SAFE-ZONE ALERTS: Parents can create Safe Zones for frequently visited areas (kindergarten, office, etc.) and are notified when their child arrives or departs from that location.
    • PANIC ALERT: In case of an emergency, children can use their hereO watch to send a panic alert that immediately notifies family members of their location.
    • TAMPER ALERT: Parents receive an alert when any authorized person tries to remove the watch.
    • EMERGENCY TRACKING: In emergency situations, parents can turn on real-time tracking to facilitate locating the child.
    • TIME DISPLAY: Time is displayed on a beautiful e-ink display.
    • USB charger: Built-in USB connector allows portable charging. Simply plug the hereO watch into any USB port to charge and to get firmware updates.
    • LONG BATTERY LIFE: With our standby mode, the hereO watch can last up to 60 hours.
    • BUILT-IN SIM: Each hereO watch is equipped with a built-in SIM card that works in over 120 countries, making it the perfect travel companion.

    The hereO watch retails for $179, which includes a three-month subscription to the hereO Family App. Thereafter, a monthly fee of $4.95 applies.

    At CES, the hereO watch is at booth #74545 (Tech West: Sands Expo at The Venetian).

  • CES: Hobbico Demonstrates Drone System for Aerial Photos

    The Hobbico ORA, a new drone system for aerial photographers, is being demonstrated at the 2015 International CES, running January 6-9 in Las Vegas. The camera-equipped drone displays captured aerial images on a seven-inch touchscreen integrated into the transceiver. With a 370-mm diameter and an onboard 1080p HD camera, the ORA also delivers high-quality images, reliability and long range through its recording method and choice of radio frequencies.

    Designed for taking aerial views of action sports, outdoor weddings, real estate, vacation vistas and more, the ORA delivers out-of-the-box aerial photo and video capture with no need for radio-control piloting experience. All images are recorded on an SD card built into the drone, providing higher resolution than systems that use the transceiver for data capture, Hobbico said. Use of the 5.8-GHz radio band instead of the typical 2.-4GHz or Wi-Fi ensures a robust connection and a 500-meter flight control and video signal range.

    The seven-inch first-person view touchscreen built into the ORA transceiver displays what the UAV’s onboard camera sees in real time, eliminating the need to use a cell phone, tablet or other third-party device to view captured images. Users can frame scenes exactly as they want them filmed by remotely controlling the camera gimbal. One-, two- and three-axis gimbal options are available, each designed also to accept GoPro cameras.

    The transceiver has an integrated Android device for programming ORA functions through the touchscreen. A separate OLED telemetry screen displays flight data such as GPS coordinates, altitude and battery power status.

    Other highlights include:

    • 30 minutes of flight time per battery charge
    • Built-in GPS programming that puts flight routes, speed and altitude on auto-pilot
    • Support for 32 separate GPS waypoints to execute complex flight patterns
    • The ability to hold a steady altitude and position via GPS to film desired scenes
    • The option to save coordinates and fly the identical path again any number of times.

    Selecting “Return to Home” brings the ORA back to its pilot with a single command. An “Actual Direction” option prevents control reversal confusion during manual flight — when activated, the quad always moves in the same direction as the control sticks. Additional failsafe systems watch for dangers such as low-battery power and automatically bring the ORA and camera home for safe landing.

    The Hobbico ORA is scheduled for early 2015 release at an MSRP of $1,500-$2,000 depending on the battery, gimbal and camera configuration. The package will include the drone, 10-channel touchscreen transceiver, gimbal, batteries and charger.

    The drone is on display at CES Booth #25214 in the Unmanned Systems Marketplace at the Las Vegas Convention Center’s South Hall 2.

  • CES: Magellan Launches RoadMate Auto GPS Devices with 3D Landmarks

    CES: Magellan Launches RoadMate Auto GPS Devices with 3D Landmarks

    The Magellan RoadMate 5375T-LMB.
    The Magellan RoadMate 5375T-LMB.

    Magellan has introduced its newest lineup of 5-inch RoadMate auto navigators at the International Consumer Electronics Show, being held this week in Las Vegas. To provide a more realistic view of a user’s surroundings, each of the GPS models comes equipped with 3D renderings of buildings and landmarks.

    The new models are: RoadMate 5322-LM, RoadMate 5330T-LM with real-time traffic alerts, and RoadMate 5375T-LMB with real-time traffic alerts, Bluetooth connectivity and portrait viewing mode.

    The units will be displayed at CES in the Magellan booth, LVCC South Hall 2, MP25441.

    “Our new RoadMate 5-inch GPS devices for 2015 have large, vibrant displays and include a vast collection of renowned Magellan navigation features,” said Stig Pedersen, Magellan associate vice president of product management. “Plus, each model includes 3D renderings of buildings and landmarks to make it easier and quicker for users to identify where they are. Whether driving to work, across country, or going to grandma’s, drivers can count on these Magellan navigation units to safely guide them to wherever their destination is.”

    Below are a few of the features that the three RoadMate GPS devices share.

    • 3D Renderings – Selected buildings and landmarks are presented in 3D for a more realistic view.
    • Lifetime Map Updates – Owners of these three models can download the latest map information (up to four times a year) for all 50 states and Canada.
    • Landscape Viewing Mode – Provides improved peripheral view.
    • Traffic Camera Alerts – Sends audible and visual warnings of upcoming red lights, speed cameras, and more; provided by PhantomALERT.
    • 7,000 POIs – Includes branded and highway exit POIs to conveniently search for restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and more.
    • OneTouch Favorites Menu – Creates shortcuts to favorite destinations and searches.
    • Multi-Destination Routing – Users can plan their entire day or multi-day trip in one route.
    • Junction View – Realistic images of freeway signs and arrows guide drivers to the correct lane.
    • SmartDetour – Provides immediate options when traffic suddenly comes to a halt.

    RoadMate 5330T-LM

    In addition to the features above, the 5330T-LM also includes:

    • Free Lifetime Traffic Alerts – Helps users avoid traffic jams and delays, suggests detours, provides travel times; no hidden fees or subscriptions.

    RoadMate 5375T-LMB

    In addition to the features above, the 5375T-LMB also includes:

    • Free Lifetime Traffic Alerts – Helps users avoid traffic jams and delays, suggests detours, provides travel times; no hidden fees or subscriptions.
    • Portrait Viewing Option – Provides extended view of the road ahead.
    • Bluetooth Compatibility – Turns this RoadMate model into a hands-free speakerphone, making drive time safer and more productive.

    The Magellan 5-inch RoadMate family of auto navigation devices will be available at retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as online in March 2015. MSRPs are as follows: $149.99 (RM5322-LM); $159.99 (RM5330T-LM); and $199.99 (RM5375T-LMB).

     

  • UAVs Featured at Consumer Electronics Show

    HEXO+, an autonomous flying camera system, by Squadrone Systems will exhibit at CES 2015.
    HEXO+, an autonomous flying camera system, by Squadrone Systems will exhibit at CES 2015.

    An Unmanned Systems Marketplace debuts this year at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), being held this week in Las Vegas. The marketplace highlights the burgeoning technology in drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and other unmanned systems controlled by onboard computers or remotely from the ground.

    Also, a session on drones will focus on safety and privacy of commercial UAV use.

    The Unmanned Systems Marketplace is at CES Tech East, in the Las Vegas Convention and World Trade Center (LVCC), South Hall 2. Tech East includes the LVCC, the Westgate Las Vegas , and Renaissance Las Vegas. Exhibitors at the marketplace include AirDog, Squadrone, Trace, DJI, iRobot, Trace, Torquing Group DBA ZANO, Ecovacs, EHang, Autel, Pelican Products, and other brands.

    According to the CES description of the marketplace, “Drones, UAVs and other unmanned systems have taken off as a unique tool for everyday life, regardless of whether flight is controlled by onboard computers or remotely from the ground. Unmanned systems have revolutionized the way we capture, monitor and assist our world. They provide aerial coverage for sports, travel and real estate; enhance search and rescue, law enforcement and disaster relief; and so much more. Experience the variations in design and functionality of this technology with these current exhibitors in the all-new Unmanned Systems Marketplace.”

    Drones in Session

    Also, a session titled “Drones: Consumer Technology Reaches New Heights” will be held January 8, 11:3o a.m.-12:30 p.m., in the North Hall, Room N254 of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

    The session description reads, “The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (a.k.a. drones) for mapping, surveillance, newsgathering, filmmaking, and recreation is on the rise. Drone experts explore commercial and consumer market opportunities — including using drones to deliver packages — and address issues about safety and privacy.”

    Moderator:

    Speakers:

    • Henri Seydoux, CEO, Parrot
    • Chris Anderson, CEO, 3D Robotics
    • Thomas Wilczek, Aerospace & Defense Industry Representative, Governor’s Office of Economic Development
    • Jim Williams, Manager, Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Office, FAA
    • Tony Carmean, CMO & Co-Founder, Aerial MOB, LLC

  • Wearables, UAVs Make CEA’s List of Profitable Emerging Tech

    Record-Breaking Year Ahead: Industry Revenues to Reach All-Time High of $223.2B in 2015

    Revenues for the consumer electronics (CE) industry are projected to grow three percent in 2015 and to reach an all-time high of $223.2 billion, according to The U.S. Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecasts, the semi-annual industry report released today by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The total revenues forecast was announced by CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro during his opening remarks today at the 2015 International CES, running January 6-9 in Las Vegas.

    CEA’s consensus forecast reflects U.S. factory sales to dealers and covers more than 100 CE products. The twice-annual report serves as a benchmark for the CE industry, charting the size and growth of underlying categories.

    Emerging Technologies

    The 2015 forecast projects that revenue for new, emerging product categories is expected to double, growing 108 percent year-over-year in 2015. These new technology categories include unmanned systems (unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned vehicles and home robots); wearables such as health and fitness devices, smartwatches and smart eyewear; IP cameras; 3D printers; 4K Ultra-High Definition televisions; and connected thermostats.

    While the emerging product categories represent less than five percent of the entire CE industry revenue forecast, they are expected to contribute almost $11 billion to overall CE revenue in 2015.

    “Our forecast underscores that consumers’ love affair with technology shows no signs of slowing any time soon,” said Shapiro. “Consumer technology is all about continued innovation. In the blink of an eye, consumer demand has taken off for emerging categories such as wearables, unmanned aerial vehicles and 4K Ultra HD — categories that were too small to track just three years ago. Expect to see these burgeoning categories, as well as innovations across the full spectrum of consumer technology, on display this week at the 2015 International CES.”

    The Wearable Revolution

    The wearable device revolution is a key category to watch in the coming years, and especially in 2015. CEA projects overall wearable unit sales will reach 30.9 million units (a 61 percent increase from last year) and generate $5.1 billion in revenue in 2015 (a 133 percent increase). CEA’s wearables category encompasses fitness activity bands and other health and fitness devices, as well as smartwatches and smart eyewear.

    Health and fitness devices: Led by the popularity of activity tracking devices, health and fitness devices will lead unit sales among all wearables in 2015 with a projected 20 million units. Revenue is expected to surpass $1.8 billion in 2015.

    Other mobile devices:

    Smartphones: As the sales leader of the industry, smartphone unit shipments are projected to reach 169.3 million this year, up six percent from 2014. Additionally, smartphone revenues are expected to generate $51.3 billion in 2015, a five percent increase from last year. Particular growth will be seen in screen sizes between 5.3 inches – 6.5 inches.

    Tablets: Unit sales of tablets are projected to reach 80.7 million this year, a three percent increase from 2014. Revenues for tablets will reach $24.9 billion this year, down one percent.

    “Mobile connected devices have reached an equilibrium, stabilizing the steep climb these products have experienced in recent years,” said Shawn DuBravac, Ph.D., chief economist, CEA and author of CEA’s soon-to-be released book Digital Destiny: How the New Age of Data Will Transform the Way We Work, Live, and Communicate. “Overall, improving economic conditions, consumer enthusiasm for new features and product categories, competitive manufacturer pricing and several other dynamics now at play should make 2015 an especially significant year for tech.”

    Other CE categories expected to enjoy positive growth in 2015 include audio, electronic gaming and laptops. Automotive electronics will see continued growth due to new vehicle sales in 2015, reaching $14 billion in revenue, a 3.3 percent increase.

    The U.S. Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecast 2010-2015 (January 2015) is published twice a year, in January and July, reporting U.S. factory sales-to-dealers. It was designed and formulated by CEA to be a comprehensive source of sales data, forecasts, consumer research and historical trends for the consumer electronics industry.

  • Audi Self-Driving Car Traveling 500 Miles to CES

    Audi Self-Driving Car Traveling 500 Miles to CES

    Start of the 550 mile piloted drive from Silicon Valley to Las Vegas: Ricky Hudi, Executive Vice President Electric/Electronic Development, (left) and Ewald Gössmann, Excecutive Director Electronic Research Lab California (ERL), (third from right) drop the flag for the Audi A7 piloted driving concept car.
    Start of the 550-mile piloted drive from Silicon Valley to Las Vegas: Ricky Hudi, Audi executive vice president electric/electronic development (left) and Ewald Gössmann, excecutive director Electronic Research Lab California (ERL), (third from right) drop the flag for the Audi A7 piloted driving concept car. Photo: Audi

    An autonomous Audi A7 is driving itself to Las Vegas for this week’s 2015 Consumer Electronics Show. The Audi is making the 550-mile trip as journalists sit behind the wheel for 100-mile stretches with an Audi official in the passenger’s seat.

    Audi previously sent a self-driving prototype up Pikes Peak in Colorado, which was featured as the August 2010 cover story in GPS World magazine.

    The car left Stanford, Calif., Jan. 5 and traversed real-world roads and traffic conditions on its way to Las Vegas.

    The long-distance test drive of the Audi A7 piloted driving concept car is designed to show that unprecedented performance can be achieved with series production technology, Audi said in a statement.

    “The test drive from the west coast of California to Las Vegas demonstrates our leadership role in piloted driving,” said Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi board member and head of technical development. The test drive in real world traffic and road conditions represents a joint effort by the  Volkswagen Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) und Volkswagen Group Research and Development, begins today in  Stanford, CA. The Audi A7 piloted driving concept will drive more than 550 miles, approximately 900 kilometers.

    The A7 piloted driving concept uses the latest technologically advanced systems developed by Audi. The concept relieves the driver of driving duties from 0 to 70 mph, or just over 110 km/h. The car, named “Jack” by the development team, can initiate lane changes and passing maneuvers. In addition, the A7 piloted driving concept accelerates and brakes independently. Before initiating a lane change to the left or the right, the vehicle adapts its speed to surrounding vehicles. If the speed and distance calculation is deemed safe, the vehicle initiates the lane change with precision and in a timely manner.

    The piloted concept vehicle uses a combination of various sensors, many of which are close to production ready. The long range radar sensors of the adaptive cruise control (ACC) and the Audi side assist (ASA) keep watch of the front and rear of the vehicle. Two mid-range radar sensors at the front and rear respectively are aimed to the right and left to complete the 360 degree view. Laser scanners are mounted within the Singleframe grille and the rear bumper skirt.  The scanners deliver redundant information to provide detailed recognition of static and dynamic objets during piloted driving. The technologies are production ready including their vehicle integration and cost structure for vehicle production in the near future. A new high-resolution 3D video camera, already integrated into the next-generation systems found in the new Q7, takes a wide-angle view out in front of the vehicle. Four small front and rear mounted cameras view closer surroundings. Navigation data is used for basic vehicle orientation.

    Before the piloted driving system reaches its limitations, in city environments for example, the driver is requested to take control of the vehicle to ensure proper safety. Multiple warning signales work in unison: colored LEDs at the base of the windshield, signals in the driver information display, a Central Status Indicator (CSI), as well as a acoustic warning indicator requires the driver to retake control. Should the driver ignore the signals, the system activates the hazard lights and brings the car to a full stop while minimizing any risk. In most instances the vehicle is stopped on the right emergency lane.

    The training for the jounalist test drivers taking part in the 550-mile trek took place several weeks ago at the Arizona Proving Grounds. Each journalist will drive approximately 100 miles using the piloted driving system. A trained Audi professional test driver will accompany the media from the passenger seat for added safety.