New tech to help the visually impaired or shift workers on show
88 views · Published 4 December 2018 · 6:14 · Indexed 4 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(29 Nov 2018) LEADIN A smart device to help the visually impaired, or glasses to provide sunshine for shift workers, are just some of the new devices on show at TechCruch Disrupt in Berlin. Another start up is showcasing a foldable electric e-scooter for modern urban living. STORYLINE These two men might look like they're putting on something from a science fiction movie. They insist it's for the present day. It works like a "wearable sky" according to Pocket Sky, an Austria based company that's developed the glasses. The device works the same way as a light therapy lamp by 'putting sunshine in your eyes'. It emits a light that is similar to daylight, and according to the company, this helps to suppress melatonin production on gray, overcast and dark days. This in turn can help people feel more energised during the dark winter months. Not surprisingly, the company is planning on launching the product in Scandinavia before expanding to other European countries. It will be available in 2019 for 169 euros. "We took a technique which is well known but we put it into a very convenient and smart design. And therefore, you can use it...so it helps against "winter blues" and because it is so small you can use it against jet-lag. It works for shift workers. It helps shift workers to help them through the day, to optimise their daily rhythm," says Mark Wallerberger, co-founder of Pocket Sky. Another company aiming for the wearable market is AiServe. Their small camera device, that clips on to regular glasses, is aimed at visually impaired people. The camera uses an algorithm to "see" what is going on in front of the person and will then give voice commands such as left, right or stop. "Similar to what the autonomous cars are doing, but in a small hardware. So it can be an assistant device for these people," says Gustavo Madico, the Spanish co-founder of AiServe. The Berlin-based company hopes to launch the AiServe product sometime next year. A price has not been set yet. Prague start-up company VRgineers is showing their 5K, virtual reality headset with voice command and inbuilt gesture control sensors. The VR headset can "see" the hands of the person wearing the headset, allowing the person to use the hands for commands and controls without using any controllers or keyboards. "In 3D the people, the human beings, are you know, designed to be more natural," says Vaclav Bittner, co-founder of VRgineers. "And to act naturally in 3D means you are doing things with your hands and you are doing things with your voice. And that is a much more natural way to interact in virtual reality. The 5000 euro VR headset is already used by car companies when training new workers and engineers for the car manufacturing machines. But VRgineers is hoping to bring the headset to a wider market soon. Estonian company Stigo is showing a foldable electric e-scooter. The scooter can travel up to 25 km per hour (16 mph) and has a range of about 40 km (25 miles). It weights 14 kilograms and takes about two seconds to fold up. "You can really easily unfold it, start driving, And then you can also fold it and it becomes almost like a luggage on wheels. So, you can really fit it anywhere. A coffee shop, in an office or a small flat," says Ardo Reinsalu, co-founder of Stigo. TechCrunch Disrupt is a start-up event organised by San Francisco based TechCrunch - an online technology website. The company holds Disrupt events throughout the world which have included London, Nairobi and Lagos. The TechCrunch Distrupt Berlin event runs for two days. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/6916fb23eb44aa26f6fbeb551d75909f
