Tag Archives: self-tracking

The Sniffer, March 18th, 2013: Trends in Self-Tracking and Connectedness

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Nora| Comments Off

This time, our gal Cathi Bond mentions the Underarmour wearable band for runners that tracks your stats and your ‘willpower’ (via PSFK). Does wearing tracking devices like this improve your performance, or keep you motivated? We’d love to hear about it.

Nora refers to this cool visualization at the Smithsonian Magazine blog. Researcher Albert-Laszlo Barabasi found that any two pages on the web are connected by no more than 19 clicks. Quite cool to look at the hyper-connector ‘hubs’ in the visualization.

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Posted in Internet, Self-Tracking

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The Sniffer, May 31st, 2012: Trends in Video Sharing and Self-Tracking

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Nora| 5 Comments

In this trendwatching podcast, Cathi Bond expands on the POV video and video-sharing trends (see her related coverage on Spark, here) with a look at Vergence Labs’ Kickstarter project in social video eyewear. It combines video-enabled glasses with a video sharing service. Are we all going to be capturing everything that goes on around us all the time?

Meanwhile, Nora Young looks at another quirky example of passive monitoring: tracking your pet! Fujitsu is set to release a device that attaches to your dog’s collar, which will allow you to monitor your doggie’s exercise. Cathi and Nora ponder what data their pets would reveal (via Technology Review).

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Posted in Personal Devices, Self-Tracking

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The Sniffer, Dec. 2nd, 2011: Trends in Medical Monitors and Crowd Control

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Nora| 3 Comments

In this trendwatching podcast, Nora Young wonders who owns the data your devices generate? She started thinking about it because of a story about a man with a defibrillator implant who is trying to get access to the data it generates, in order to better understand what triggers his heart condition (via Technology Review). As more of us have implants or other devices that generate data about how we’re using them, is this the shape of things to come?

Looking for a gentle alarm for the guitar lover in your life? Cathi Bond brings you the Acoustic Alarm, a clock that awakens you to a strumming guitar (via Ohgizmo. Take a look at it here.

Cathi also discusses a new Segway-esque police vehicle, the T3, augmented with the ability to use non-lethal weapons such as rubber projectiles or dye bullets (via Gizmag). Smart approach to riots and crowd control, or gateway to overuse? What do you think?

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Posted in Personal Devices, Vehicles

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The Sniffer, Oct 21st, 2011: Trends in Apps and Health

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Nora| Comments Off

This time, Nora Young talks about the trend in peer-to-peer applications for tracking and sharing your health (via Technology Review). The trend appears to be growing, with tons of diet, fitness, and health sites and apps popping up. They’re a great idea, but users will have to be aware of their privacy, and make sure they understand what these services are doing with their data. The Wall Street Journal, for instance, has a story on insurance companies experimenting with checking out people’s social networking sites for signs of healthy or unhealthy lifestyles.

Meanwhile, Cathi Bond looks at the fun boom in apps for cats! (Via Gizmag)
This little kitty sure seems to be enjoying it:

Cats not your thing? Well how about Alpha Dog, from Boston Dynamics. They’re the people who brought you the Big Dog robot. Holy Uncanny Valley:

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Posted in Electronics, Fun Stuff, Self-Tracking

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The Sniffer, Sept 9th, 2011: Trends in Crowdsourcing and 3D

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Nora| 1 Comment

The Sniffer is back for a new season! Thanks for checking out the updated blog. In this episode, Cathi Bond and Nora Young open up the windows to catch a last bit of summer breeze (and the occasional fire alarm) and chew over some new tech trends. Nora looks at UCLA’s Urban Sensing lab as an example of a trend she’s been seeing pop up a lot: the move towards ordinary citizens contributing data about the environment around them (via Scientific American). For example, there’s Biketastic, where cyclists contribute frequently updated information about the quality of bike routes.

Cathi Bond always has her eye on what’s new in media and entertainment. This time, it’s Sony’s forthcoming, high end 3D headset, the HMZ-T1 (check them out over at Gizmag). It sound great for gaming, but tell us, can you see yourself slipping them on by yourself or with your family, sitting around the TV, or is this sort of thing just for gaming? We’ve had plans for these immersive goggles for ages (Cathi talked about some way back on an early episode of the podcast), but has their time finally come?

 

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Posted in Electronics, Personal Devices, Self-Tracking

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The Sniffer May 31, 2011: Sleep Special

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Nora| 3 Comments

In this podcast, Cathi Bond and Nora Young look at trends in one of their favourite topics: sleep! Have trouble waking up in the morning? Cathi brings you “The Skull” alarm clock, featuring an alarm that clocks in at 113db and a bed shaker! (via Gizmag). Nora, on the other hand, has trouble sleeping. She thinks Nyx Devices’ nightshirt with smart fabric sensors to monitor your breathing, could help diagnose sleep trouble (via Technology Review)

Please! Share your tips for getting a good night’s sleep (and waking up)

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Trends in Self-Tracking and Cool Concept Cars

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Nora| 5 Comments

In this trendwatching podcast, Nora Young talks about the new Hitachi Life Microscope, as yet another example of the growing trend in monitoring the body (via Medgadget). Are we set to take our tendency to be diarists of our lives to a new level? Do you track your fitness or other physical activities?

Cathi Bond shows off this cool concept car, the Yez, which is based on research into artificial photosynthesis via InnovationToronto). Are you thinking of buying an alternative fuel vehicle?

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