The ring bearer
One Ring lets the wearer control things around them, just with a wave of a finger
Remember how the One ring in The Lord of the Rings was used to dominate the will of other people? Well, we are not there yet, given that the will of the people cannot really be controlled, but we are close. There has been a lot going on in wearable technology, and creating rings that control all sorts of things around us is just a small part of the jigsaw.
There are rings that unlock doors, mobile devices, show the time, and even act as a mouse. They can also show notifications from a mobile phone that is connected. But, Logbar Inc, a technology company based out of California, is taking finger – wagging to the next level with the Ring. The device, with Bluetooth Low energy connectivity, lets you control a whole lot of things – from your mobile phone to home appliances to making electronic payments – with a wave of a finger.
It is meant to be worn on the index finger, and has embedded motion sensors to identify the gesture made by the finger once it has been activated by tapping the touch sensor on the outer edge of the ring. This lets you perform almost every task – from simple up and down motions to control the volume of a paired device to composing text messages and writing letters. With GPS and Apple’s iBeacon, you can use the device to make payments at various points of sale with the gesture of marking a tick.
You can also switch between apps with the help of gestures that are already installed or you can customise your own gestures with the companion app or Android or iOS devices. The device can also be programmed to recognise your own air handwriting. Logbar is in the process of creating a store, called Ring Store, that will house various apps compatible with the Ring. It is releasing an open API/SDK to encourage third parties to develop such apps.
When you wear the device, you will be alerted of various status updates and notifications with the help of LED’s or a vibration pad in the device. Sadly, the inclusion of touch sensors and vibration pads takes away from its ability of being waterproof. But, Logbar claims to be working on a waterproof model. It takes its power from a rechargeable battery that works for around 1,000 gestures, and comes with a mobile recharging stand (being developed) that should work for five recharges.
Logbar says that they have tested the device with Android, Google Glass, iPad, iPhone, PC, home appliances, smart watches, and various web services like Evernote, Facebook, and Twitter. Smart devices can act as a hub to let the Ring control devices that work on Wifi instead of Bluetooth.
One Ring costs about $269.99. Go ahead and get your own wearable technology today! Know more at https://logbar.jp
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