As everything around us is getting “Smart” day by day, it was high time that the very thing to cover ourselves becomes smart too. Yes, you guessed it, smart clothing is around the corner, with the pioneer behind it by the name of Xenoma.
The smart clothing is a skin-tight shirt and along with it are 14 sensors. The shirt features a striking resemblance to Spider-Man too. Moreover, there is also a mini-game for you to play as well. We are sure, the mini-game, you shall find fun to play. Basically, the company unveiled this smart shirt at the last year’s CES. Dubbed the “E-skin” technology, the smart shirt tends to convert your torso into a motion controller.
Therefore, whatever movements you make, they shall be used as inputs to certain software like motion-based apps or games. For those eager to know how it works, there is a suitable explanation. There is a Bluetooth module attached to the center of your chest. The module then does most part of the job and sends data to a certain device, which is running Xenoma’s own proprietary software. If you want to recharge, there is also a micro-USB port.
As more was expected from the company than this, this year’s CES is set to mark the return of a more refined smart shirt. Not only this, but it’s also expected that two new prototypes shall be unveiled to the public. These prototypes are expected to be related to fitness and health care. Yes, there have been other advancements in the smart clothing field too, like the Google’s Project Jacquard jean jacket. Though, this smart shirt by Xenoma is found to be more fun than this and its other counterparts.
“Our e-skin is quite useful and insightful for recognizing what kinds of activities the wearer is doing without being constrained by a camera,” said Ichiro Amimori, Co-Founder & CEO. “We believe there are a variety of needs where e-skin can provide a solution to satisfy and help people.”
Taking the example of the mini-game, it’s downright plain and simple. There isn’t much fancy stuff, like graphics or VR related adventures. Yet, it’s still much more fun to play. It’s more like a mobile game which you can play at your leisure time. “This is because in doing so, e-skin apparel provides a new intuitive and immersive input for interacting with virtual reality content and games as well as means for analyzing exercise and athletic sports while maintaining the comfort, durability and machine washability of a regular shirt,” Businesswire reported.
It’s probable in the future that there will be sensors which will track your vitals as well. This shall be courtesy the EKG sensors. Furthermore, any contractions your chest makes shall also be used to analyze the respiratory system. Sadly, these fitness prototypes are still a concept, and it may take years to implement them successfully.
It’s also plausible that the company shall team up with VR tech giants in the industry. In turn, the VR headsets could easily hook up with E-skin products. Therefore, much costs on buying external cameras, or inside out motion tracking modules can be reduced to a lot less, since the best alternative in the form of a full-body motion controller shall be available.
If you intend to get your hands on one now, you would sadly have to spend a whopping $5000 for the whole developer kit, which we are sure has already set you back. Also, if you do buy, you would have to wait until March at least. With the kit, you would be able to design apps for the platform. So, if you find yourself an avid developer, get your hands on one for sure.