Summer may be coming to a close, but these
tech trends will last well past the season.
Tech Tips for the Playful
Augmented Reality – Achieved through the use of special glasses,
augmented reality, also called virtual reality, takes users into a world separate from their physical location.
Pictures and videos are placed on top of the real world to provide a different experience. While some youth use the headsets to play videogames, they can also be used to virtually experience things like bungee jumping or skiing without having to leave the couch.
Drones – These flying remote-controlled
aircrafts are perfect for the kid who never grew up. Some have attached cameras to allow the flyers to take sweeping shots across an area, but others are simply fun to steer.
Tech Tips for the Health-Conscious
Audicus Clara Hearing Aid – This hearing aid can boost
sounds. Most often used in loud places where speaking may get drowned out (i.e., restaurants, beach, parties) the Clara could be a good option to transition into daily hearing aid use. Use the easy
online hearing test to be sure it is customized to the user, but once tailored, it can greatly improve the user’s life.
Dreampad Pillow – Troubled sleepers benefit most from this therapeutic
pillow designed to reduce stress and increase relaxation. The pillow has a speaker that plays relaxing music and sends out vibrations that are meant to trigger the relaxation response from the nervous system.
Tech Tips for the Athletic
Smart Helmet – Bicycling is a great sport for people of all ages, and head protection is a must. Smart
helmets take things a step further by providing wearers with headlights, turn signals, GPS tracking, and even heart rate monitors. Some even provide speakers to play music to make exercising that much more fun.
Step Tracker – Monitoring daily step counts is a great way to maintain exercise and is easy on the joints. For competitive folks, step
trackers are a way to rival friends and see who regularly takes more steps. Trackers come in clip form or can be worn in a bracelet variety, and some even track heart rate, calories burned, and sleep quality.
Tech Tips for the Musical
Bluetooth Speaker –
Bluetooth is tech-speak for “wireless connection.” Most smart devices (i.e. computes, smart phones, smart televisions) have the capability to connect to each other through a short distance linking. For those who want to play music without having to physically plug in a music player, Bluetooth speakers are the best option. They join the device playing music with the speaker without any cords.
Artificial Intelligence – What used to seem futuristic is now a reality. Machines have the ability to speak, listen, and respond to users to make daily tasks simpler. Major players in this field include the Amazon Alexa/Echo, Apple’s Siri, and Google Assistant. By saying their “name” aloud, they turn on and interpret any following words. For example, saying “Hey Alexa, what’s the weather today?,” the Amazon speaker will light up, search the weather using GPS location, and speak a response.
Artificial intelligence usually needs an Internet connection to work and is changing the future of daily life.
What
technology will you use this summer?
By: Diana Michel
