BCon
Practice it works in
BCon is a motion-tracking wearable tool for built for gamers that acts as a supplement to the usual tools of a gamer- mainly the controller or the keyboard + mouse. The user ties the Bcon around his foot, which then enables him access to shortcuts by just moving his foot. At the moment, Bcon is still on Kickstarter and is scheduled for shipment in December this year.
Its specific use
Basically, it is another controller controlled by movements of your foot. By moving your foot in one of four ways – pitch up (toes up), pitch down (heel up), roll left and roll right, you can activate a certain key or a shortcut in your game. Users can map ANY keyboard key to the BCon gestures. For example, if I’m a playing a First Person Shooter game, I can pitch my foot up to reload, pitch down to sprint, roll left to throw grenades and roll right to use a med-pack.
Users can map up to SIX key presses to each gesture, which means you can have access to 24 different key presses with just one of your foot. The BCon measures the degree of movement/ rotation to tell the intended keypresses apart, all of which is fully customisable by the user.
Though intended for gamers, the developers at Gameforge also states that the BCon can also be used for other software like the Adobe Creative Suite or even Microsoft Office. This gives the user a quicker access to the various tools available.
Mobility
The BCons looks no larger than a matchbox and is claimed to be able to wrap around most footwear (even steel-toe boots!). It is definitely portable, easily rechargeable through a USB cable, and operates via Bluetooth connection. The foam cushioning at the underside of the BCon’s provides added comfort for the user,.
Utility vs Fashionability
It is only a gamer’s dream to be better at a game, and there are already tools like a gaming keyboard and mouse to aid gamers; but why stop there? The company claims that the Bcon can “improve a gamer’s speed by 17%, their precision by 23% and even reduce errors by 15%”. Undeniably, the BCon can be very useful to not only gamers, but even creative individuals. It is also worth noting that the Bcon can be a tool used for disabled gamers who are unable to game with their hands.
Fashion-wise, it looks sleek and stylish enough to avoid sticking out like a sore thumb. Though it is slightly strange to see one wearing a cube-like device on their foot, I think fashion would not matter as much because the Bcon would only be used during gaming – usually done behind a desk.
https://bcon.zone/what-for/
https://www.wareable.com/wearable-tech/bcon-wearable-gaming-controller-8584
Soundbrenner Pulse
Practice it works on
The Soundbrenner Pulse is dubbed as the world’s first wearable for musicians. It looks like watch and it can be worn anywhere on the body – wrist, arm, leg, and even across the chest.
Its specific use
In its essence, it is a wearable metronome to help musicians keep to a certain rhythm. It gives out vibrations on the beat, ensuring that musicians feel the beat and focus their full auditory attention to their music. Users can adjust the tempo either by turning the dial of the device, via their smartphone through the companion app, and even registering their intended tempo by tapping the device. Users can also synchronise the Pulse with 4 other devices, which would help those in bands or orchestras to keep in tempo.
Mobility
The Pulse looks just like smartwatch and it can be used as long as you’re connected to a device that has the app installed. Lightweight and portable, this eliminates the hassle of bringing a physical metronome around.
Utility vs Fashionability
In my opinion, the Pulse scores high in both utility and fashionability. In my musical experience, I’ve always found it difficult (for everyone) to always play on tempo. It’s even harder to multitask listening to the tempo/ looking at the conductor and focus on playing your part. Hence, I can see how it can be useful for musicians. Besides, their long list of testimonials from renowned musical acts speaks for itself as well!
There is not much to dislike about the look of the device. It looks conventional in the sense that it looks like a smartwatch, it emits an LED light around the face of the watch (which is super cool), minimal-looking logo right in the middle, and it just looks all-around cool.
https://www.soundbrenner.com/
https://www.trustedreviews.com/opinion/wearables-for-musicians-2932694
By: Muhammad Hazzry Bin Shafaruan (A0158578J)