14 DAY TRIAL // The Japanese wearable gadget start-up 16Lab developed a ring-sized gesture-based Bluetooth controller that will work with all your devices.
Called Ozon, the small ring-sized controller that was revealed by 16Lab at Ceatec electronics show near Tokyo has wireless charging and motion sensors that will allow users to control compatible devices from afar. Even though the device is effectively the size of a ring, the company apparently thinks it's still too bulky for what it's supposed to do and plans to built another slimmer prototype and place the product on sale.
Essentially, this is supposed to be a universal joystick that offers hand motion sensors abilities in order to let people access any Bluetooth-equipped devices. Positioning sensors will allow users to do up, down, left and right motion gestures, and they can also press the mini touchpad on its surface to control other interfaces. All these combined will enable users to accurately handle any compatible equipment that includes both iOS and Android tablets, smartphones, and basically anything that will be having Bluetooth.
It might quickly become integrated with the Japanese electronics industry
Apparently, 16Lab developed the ring together with Alps Electric, who is a Japanese electronics parts maker, and now is starting to work with Toyota and Yamaha on possible applications. What's interesting is that the Ozon can also work as an electronic key to open cars or house locks, and when paired with a smartphone, it can alert the wearer about incoming messages.
According to PC World, Tõnu Samuel, chief technology officer of 16Lab, said that “I feel that wearables are something that are not yet discovered. We don’t know what we can do with it, the use case is yet to be discovered.”
16Lab let us know that the ring will arrive sometimes in the future and it won't come cheap, but it will cost less than than a smartphone. The development kit will arrive in eight countries in order to allow the device to gain more universal use.