Interesting Tech Gadgets for the Senses

In this era of technology, the focus of many is to acquire the latest smart phone, wearable technology, and even kitchen appliances that can make their day to day activities a whole lot easier or just give them the comfort they are looking for. It is likely, however, that many didn’t know that there are indeed a few gadgets designed specifically to enhance and/or complement what we sometimes take for granted – our beloved senses.

 

Here is a list of some of the more interesting ones:

 

 

 

Sight

 

Bionic Glasses

 

For centuries, people have learnt to cope with visual impairment, but it can hardly be argued that of all the senses, a loss of sight is one of the most feared. While diminishing eyesight would certainly not be welcomed, there is indeed a device that is able to remedy somewhat such an occurrence – bionic glasses.

 

 

 

 

The glasses have a unique design involving a camera and tiny lights embedded in the frame, which works to improve the poor vision of the wearer. It is unsure how far along this gadget is in terms of development and large-scale production, but what we’ve learned of it so far allows for a lot of excitement.

 

 

 

Hearing

 

ReSound LiNX

 

There have been many articles staking the claim that the ReSound LiNX is “the world’s smartest hearing aid”, and while there will (expectedly) be a few who have something to say about that, its not difficult to understand such a position. If there was any “downfall” at all to this device, it would be that it is only compatible with select iOS smart devices.

 

The ReSound LiNX allows the user to personalize just about everything for their listening pleasure. With the supported app, an individual can fine-tune sound signals to suit them – controlling the treble and the bass until it meets their ideal requirement.  The gadget also makes it possible for an individual to configure a hearing aid program specific to their location with a few relatively simple touches – a walk on the beach wouldn’t necessarily require the same program for being at a busy train station. Such is the functionality of the device that the user can “geo-tag” the various programs, enabling the device to automatically make the adjustments once they are within a particular location.

 

 

Normal Earphones

 

Unlike the gadget listed above, this listening device has more to do with comfort than anything else. For those who love to plug in and get lost in the music (or whatever it is that they are listening to), one of the most annoying things to be constantly putting the earphones back in their ears because they keep dropping out. Annoyance relieved.

 

 

The Normals (yes, that is the actual name) are actually earphones that are customized to each individual. Much like a fingerprint, earholes are quite unique, and with three easily taken pictures and the beauty of 3D printing, acquiring a pair of earphones that only one can enjoy is relatively simple.

 

 

Smell

 

Peres Nose

 

This tech gadget doesn’t directly influence an individual’s ability to smell, but that in no way takes away from its intended purpose. Through its design and mechanism, the Peres electronic nose’s functionality is to determine whether or not certain food items are safe for consumption.

 

 

There is nothing wrong with the traditional method of sniffing with your on nose of course, but not being able to detect a particular scent doesn’t necessarily mean that the food is good. Among other things, the Peres nose is able to detect whether or not a product has been left unrefrigerated for a particular length of time, and whether or not it is fresh. Notably, the gadget – which expectedly has a supported mobile app for both Android and iOS devices – is specifically engineered to identify the quality of beef, chicken, fish or pork.

 

 

 

 

Taste

 

Digital Taste Interface

 

This particular device may not have been patented for commercial use, but having discovered a story about it some time ago, it just had to be mentioned. It is reported that scientists in Singapore are working on a Digital Taste Interface that allows individuals to “taste” food that they see on the Internet.

 

How does it work? The individual would first select a particular food that they would like to taste, then place an electrode on their tongue. Doing this will trick the brain into believing that it is actually tasting food. Thus far it is able to provide bitter, sweet, sour, and salty sensations.

 

 

Touch

 

Bionic Hand

 

We started this list with bionic glasses, so it seems only fitting that we end it with a similar piece of technology – a bionic hand. For many amputees, acquiring prosthetics to replace the missing body parts is the route they generally take, but those who lose their hands in particular can now be excited about the possibility of being able to feel again, even without the hands they were actually born with.

 

The bionic hand connects directly to an individual’s nervous system, allowing them to control the movement of the hand, and by extension actually be able to feel whatever it is they are touching or holding. Still in the developmental stages, this could open up a new generation of sensory prosthetics that could possibly challenge the more traditional “wearable technology” in terms of popularity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting Tech Gadgets for the Senses