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Give employees more agility by bringing these consumer technologies to work. 
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Scoop.it!
Think about this scenario: You see someone at a party you like; his social profile is immediately projected onto your retina—great, a 92% match. By staring at him for two seconds, you trigger a pairing protocol. He knows you want to pair, because you are now glowing slightly red in his retina screen. Then you slide your tongue over your left incisor and press gently. This makes his left incisor tingle slightly. He responds by touching it. The pairing protocol is completed.
Farid Mheir's insight:
A very good review of the human computer interfaces and what the future may hold for us.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT We cannot hold a mouse and keyboard in our hands to interact with physical world objects that have been digitized. Think of a warehouse employee that needs to interact with an automated shelves to fetch a specific product. Today we would use buttons on a mobile phone touchscreen. But would it not be simpler if we could simply interact with the shelves itself in ways that our body would recognize, then send appropriate commands to the devices we interact with?
In the article, the far fetched story about the couple in a bar may not be very realistic but it provides some very useful insights about how to leverage our bodies to do things we cannot with our devices today, for privacy reasons for example. Very interesting.
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Now anyone can make cool hardware and, thanks to Arduino, it is easier than ever to connect your devices to the Internet and take in data from the outside world. The ESLOV IoT Invention Kit is an official Arduino product that adds Internet of Things capabilities to your hardware products. Trying to build a connected fridge to beat Samsung? Go for it with the ESLOV. Want to knock Sony off its perch? Try popping an ESLOV unit onto your Arduino board and take on major manufacturers from your living room.
Farid Mheir's insight:
Describes a new set of hardware components to build IoT solutions.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT It is with hardware devices like these that the penetration of digital in our daily lives will grow. In recent years, we've seen Arduino, Raspberry Pi and other hardware toolkits that simplify the prototyping and innovation to move the web, sensors, cameras, and other digital devices that bridge the real world with virtual one.
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Today, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals wearable sensors and, more specifically, to a network of wearable sensors for recognizing and tracking movements and exercises. Instead of limiting athletic sensors to running shoes for joggers, the new sensor system will expand and support sensors that could be worn by athletes of all levels to measure important workout data related to floor exercises, weigh
Farid Mheir's insight:
Apple has filed a patent that describes a network to link to the various electronic devices we wear.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT Our body will soon become the center of a digital network, connecting the devices and sensors we wear but also I assume the ones we will have implanted in our heart, brain, muscles, etc. Much like the enterprise and the car have needed a network to enable and make communications seamless, this has the same potential.
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Recent ADA-related challenges raise questions over corporate initiatives designed to improve employees’ health.
Farid Mheir's insight:
Excellent paper examines the legal issues that companies can face when implementing voluntary or mandatory wellness programs in their organizations. Goes further by suggesting ways to prevent litigation.
WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT We wear all kind of devices that track our behaviour and can help us get in shape and improve our well being. The more these devices become accessible and cheap and the more companies realize that they benefit from having healthy employees, the more we will see a pressure to include such devices and services. Questions and solutions raised here should thus be part of every digital strategic plan.
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Stretchable ultra-thin device can be powered wirelessly by smartphones
Farid Mheir's insight:
A review of new tatoo-like devices that may soon replace wearable devices we carry with us today.
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A connected device concept will let your pooch go for a stroll, alone
Farid Mheir's insight:
I can't believe this one, must be a publicity stunt!
That being said, the video is hilarious even though the concept is absolutely ridiculous.
That being said, the idea of dog activity trackers is a reality, as exposed previously here:
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The new model has a larger Glass prism and can fold up!
Farid Mheir's insight:
Pictures have started to emerge but what I find most interesting when reading the patent application is that Google proposes to use magnetic material to change the shape of the device using a new kind of material to better fit the user head shape. Very interesting and promising. Also read the FCC patent application: http://pimg-fpiw.uspto.gov/fdd/67/950/091/0.pdf
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Farid Mheir's insight:
CES 2016 has introduce a plethora of wearable gadgets and other devices to track your health, improve your fitness and wellness. This is a list of those products including the Montreal based OMsignal.
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Wellness champions know that beginning and executing a successful wellness program isn’t about finding one cookie-cutter option. It takes careful planning, thoughtful communication, and understanding your employee base well. Really well.
Farid Mheir's insight:
a review of 9 companies that have sponsored fitbit devices for their employees. The result is a more active, productive and healthy workforce.
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2015: The Year Digital Health Hit Its Stride While 2014 was the year that digital health broke out, 2015 was the year it hit its stride. A slow start in Q1 did…
Farid Mheir's insight:
Another field where there is huge activity with the introduction of cheap, powerful wearable devices with sensors and Big Data analytics capability. Here again, expect huge growth in the next few years.
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Want to spy on bats or whales? Cochlear implants could enhance hearing beyond the human hearing range. Did you ever want to see like Superman or Star Trek’s Lieutenant Geordi La Forge? The Fraunhofer Institute might just be able to fulfill such fantasies since they are developing an eye equivalent which can distinguish between light …
Farid Mheir's insight:
More reading on transhumanism.
Ruth Robinson's curator insight,
December 10, 2015 12:00 AM
I wish not to be, but all the tech that's going on and experimenting can't tell!
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Farid Mheir's insight:
The price is the big news here because it shows just how cheap computing power has become. This is just an announcement summary. More details here: http://bit.ly/1QLypP8 WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT There will be a computer in everything very soon. Chairs, tables, food packages, name it, there will be a computer in there. Because it costs nothing - or close to it. This is what we call Internet of Things, and why everyone is saying it will be HUGE. Believe it.
Carlos Diego's curator insight,
December 2, 2015 12:55 PM
O RaspberryZero mal foi entregue pela revista MagPi e zerou nas lojas online. Bom, útil e barato vamos esperar a próxima remessa! 
Philippe Guillaume's curator insight,
December 3, 2015 7:15 AM
Si petit et si peu cher qu'il a été donné en goodies, vendu avec le magazine Magpi... Extra pour créer des objets connectés de plus en plus puissants...
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Early this year the staff at Epicenter, a Stockholm based high-tech company, were given a choice; they could either be issued a standard employee ID card for access to the building and office equipment, or they could be injected with a tiny radio frequency identification device, placed just under the skin of their hand – otherwise known as a subcutaneous implant. Surprisingly, a number chose the chip, on the promise that with a wave of their hand they would be able to access the building, open doors, operate photocopiers and even pay for lunch in the company cafeteria. No ID cards to forget at home or passwords to remember. In fact, the Epicenter case is hardly the first experiment of its kind. Going back as far as 2004, Barcelona nightclub owner Conrad Chase offered RFID chipping to his VIP clients enabling access to special lounges and payment capability. Via André Bélanger, Farid Mheir
Farid Mheir's insight:
I knew they did this for dogs but never thought they did it for humans. But come to think of it, makes perfect sense. Or it will become the biggest invasion of privacy ever.
Farid Mheir's curator insight,
November 11, 2015 7:50 PM
I knew they did this for dogs but never thought they did it for humans. But come to think of it, makes perfect sense. Or it will become the biggest invasion of privacy ever. Great insight from André! 
Luigi Cappel's comment,
November 21, 2015 2:25 PM
For me it would depend on what part of the world I live in. In New Zealand I would have no problem wearing a chip that I could use for ID for building access, customs, instead of passwords or finger scanners. Being a law abiding citizen in a relatively corruption free country, I'd be more than happy, providing as per the law, I knew how any information about me was being used and could revoke access where it was abused. If I was living in other countries, which may remain nameless, I would steer well clear, because being innocent and law abiding doesn't mean that you are safe.
Farid Mheir's comment,
November 21, 2015 5:33 PM
@Russell R. Roberts, Jr. @Luigi Cappel both of you thank you for insightful comments and reshare... as always!
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Early this year the staff at Epicenter, a Stockholm based high-tech company, were given a choice; they could either be issued a standard employee ID card for access to the building and office equipment, or they could be injected with a tiny radio frequency identification device, placed just under the skin of their hand – otherwise known as a subcutaneous implant. Surprisingly, a number chose the chip, on the promise that with a wave of their hand they would be able to access the building, open doors, operate photocopiers and even pay for lunch in the company cafeteria. No ID cards to forget at home or passwords to remember. In fact, the Epicenter case is hardly the first experiment of its kind. Going back as far as 2004, Barcelona nightclub owner Conrad Chase offered RFID chipping to his VIP clients enabling access to special lounges and payment capability. Via André Bélanger
Farid Mheir's insight:
I knew they did this for dogs but never thought they did it for humans. But come to think of it, makes perfect sense. Or it will become the biggest invasion of privacy ever. Great insight from André!
Luigi Cappel's comment,
November 21, 2015 2:25 PM
For me it would depend on what part of the world I live in. In New Zealand I would have no problem wearing a chip that I could use for ID for building access, customs, instead of passwords or finger scanners. Being a law abiding citizen in a relatively corruption free country, I'd be more than happy, providing as per the law, I knew how any information about me was being used and could revoke access where it was abused. If I was living in other countries, which may remain nameless, I would steer well clear, because being innocent and law abiding doesn't mean that you are safe.
Farid Mheir's comment,
November 21, 2015 5:33 PM
@Russell R. Roberts, Jr. @Luigi Cappel both of you thank you for insightful comments and reshare... as always!
Farid Mheir's curator insight,
December 9, 2016 3:22 PM
I knew they did this for dogs but never thought they did it for humans. But come to think of it, makes perfect sense. Or it will become the biggest invasion of privacy ever.
Scoop.it!
The strap is made of several modules, each with their own function. Choose the modules you want to build a smartwatch unique to you.
Farid Mheir's insight:
A kickstarter campaign for a watch made up of modular components that are interchangeable, promising to let your watch evolve with the times. WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT Apple sold 230M iPhones last year (http://bit.ly/1MDG5vH) each with a planned obsolescence of 5 years. This level of consumerism cannot be sustained and I assume we will see more and of these modular solutions, with parts that can be replaced by more recent ones, or repaired when they break, thus preventing the need to throw out the whole thing when one little thing becomes obsolete...
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This next step in the gameification of fitness already has some people hooked—but some worry it could have some unintended negative effects on others. That’s because it’s not just about collecting tech specs. It’s about competition—in public.
Farid Mheir's insight:
Gyms are changing with the introduction of technology that let's gymgoers - here bikers using the Flywheel solutions - see how they do and compare themselves to others. WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT Looks like we have just started to scratch the surface of what technology can do for humans and their wellness. To date, most digital technologies have been applied to office work - thinks MS office - or personal communications - think Facebook. More recent technologies that include sensors - think Apple watch - connected to the Internet are changing the game. Not only do these new techs provide you with bio-feedback - instant heart rate, number of steps, watts, etc. - they also mash it up with the data from thousands of others. And the Internet has shown the power and the transformation that can come when you interconnect seamlessly millions and billions of people.
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What I’ve been wrestling with now that I no longer quantify myself is why I don’t want to write the stories and take the pictures that made my diet blog compelling. I think it’s because it’s too detailed a mirror. I’m not in denial about the calories, or the snacking, or the judgments of the scale. I just don’t want to tell that story any more.
Farid Mheir's insight:
A very personal story on the use of trackers and quantified self to loose weigth. WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT More than ever, quantified self and wearables will provide very personal information to help guide us towards wellness - and allow people to share them with the world. Not everyone is ready and willing to do so.
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My talk at Planningness 2013. The worlds of hardware and software are colliding: from art to intelligent robots, our interactions with the digital world are mo…
Farid Mheir's insight:
A great visual review of everywhere computers touch our lives.
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From
qz
The healthcare industry thinks so—the next generation of fitness trackers will be able to continuously monitor a patient's vitals, from blood pressure to temperature. Here's how daily updates from these devices might eliminate the need for a yearly physical.
Farid Mheir's insight:
A review of the different type of wearable devices and software to track our fitness and wellness, and the shortcomings of many. WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT As we enter the new age of internet of things, quantified self and life logging, with our bodies and minds covered in sensors, our current information overload will grow exponentially. The need for algorithms that analyze all this data to translate the raw data into actionable information will become essential.
Ron Abate's curator insight,
September 21, 2015 10:59 AM
Technology will soon monitor our health....
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OURA is a revolutionary ring-sized wellness computer that helps you sleep and perform better.
Farid Mheir's insight:
A new sleep tracking device. WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT Ring size, no screen, very small, 3 days of battery life: the future of wearable devices will be more like this I believe. Unobtrusive, with you all the time, the benefits comes form data analysis, not a big screen or multi-app support.
Jake D'Imperio gis's curator insight,
August 25, 2015 10:26 PM
OURA is a computer that helps people track many different aspect of their health and is also the size of a ring. While the technology is new and expensive the OURA may end up helping people with sleep related health problems by alerting them to the problem allowing them to seek treatment and maybe even save their life. I feel as if this ring, if it gets popular enough may actually help the population by allowing them to keep better track of thier health. 
Tracy Harding's comment,
September 1, 2015 9:19 AM
You need to pick more obvious global news stories.
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Researchers are studying the health cost of being healthy on your commute.
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From
exist
Apple just announced they’re adding period tracking to the built-in iOS Health app, but there are plenty of apps for iOS and Android that have been offering in-depth period tracking for ages. Here are some of the best I found.
Farid Mheir's insight:
This is getting very personal. WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT? Most people would not even think about tracking their every move and data like the quantified self movement is promoting. However, we are providing more and more of our intimate data to our apps and websites, as evidenced by these apps, some of which come pre-installed on iPhones. This is bound to raise privacy issues in the future.
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According to CrunchBase, venture investors have spent nearly $2.6 billion backing 138 wearable companies since 2008. Over half of this total ($1.6 billion) has gone into 45 California-based startups.
Farid Mheir's insight:
Data on venture funding of wearables startups with links to other interesting posts.
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One day soon, your company could hand you a fitness-tracking device as a gift.
Farid Mheir's insight:
Appirio 400 employees were offered free FitBit device for free and in return they got a 5% reduction in their insurance premiums. Similar program for BP America 24000 employees and relatives. WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT Again here the debate is how much is your personal information worth to you? We'll get more of these programs in the coming years so we all have to start asking ourselves how much we are willing to pay to keep our personal data private...?
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Curated by Farid Mheir
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A short run down on personal technologies coming our way soon.
WHY THISI S IMPORTANT
I've been speaking about the impact of digital technologies to transformation our personal lives and the opportunities this brings to business for a while in my "me.com" and "we.com" conferences (http://fmcs.digital/conferences). Looks like there is even more to it than originally I anticipated with the convergence of InternetOfThings, AI, BigData, and wearables. Your employees in the future will be even more connected and digital and companies should take notice and leverage it to 1) improve productivity 2) support work-life-wellness balance 3) tap the social networks to their benefits (ie. social recruiting).