British company ARM® has shipped a mind-blowing 50 billion processors to date. ARM designs and licenses processors built using cutting-edge technology, and the company's chips are found in a huge number of everyday products that we all take for granted.
ARM processors are, quite literally, everywhere. It is estimated that 60 per cent of the world's population, or 4.3 billion people, touch a device carrying an ARM chip every day. Most tech-savvy users know that ARM technology powers the vast majority of smartphones and tablets, granted, yet ARM is at the forefront of providing the processor design technology used in an ever-growing number of wearable-technology products.
Wearable technology is gaining huge prominence in 2014. Loosely defined as any technology that can be worn on your body or embedded into clothing, the worlds of fitness, sport, medicine and work can all benefit from the products available today. Here are a number of wearable-technology products we rate highly.
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Fitbit - fitnessDigital health and wearable technology are two key themes that are driving demand for small devices which offer data, feedback, goal-setting, and motivation for a healthier lifestyle. The Fitbit is one of the first clip-on devices that measures activity and then transmits it wirelessly to other devices - computers or mobile products - for examination and feedback in an easy-to-understand manner. Fitbit uses an ARM Cortex®-M3 processor to wirelessly sync activities and progress with other devices. |
Pebble Steel - workArguably the most attractive and sought-after smartwatch available, the Pebble Steel, powered by the ARM Cortex-M3 processor, offers impressive design, week-long battery life and a lovely display. With support for Apple iOS and Google Android, a wide number of applications can be run off the Steel, putting real smart into the watch. Now backed by a specific Pebble app store, this cool-looking watch has a sunlight-readable display, is waterproof and is arguably the best implementation of this technology to date Think clever, sophisticated smartwatches, think Pebble; we can't wait to see the next version of this successful line. |
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Misfit Shine - sportsThis coin-sized sensor is all the rage right now, featuring in adverts from very successful tech companies. Small and inconspicuous enough to go unnoticed, Shine can be monitor exercise activities such as swimming, cycling, basketball and football, as well as the quality of your sleep. Connected to an iOS or Android device via Bluetooth, Shine lets you know just how far, and well, you have performed during the day. Powered by an ARM Cortex-M3 processor and touting a battery life in months, this is perhaps the simplest and most elegant wearable technology to date. |
Google Glass - leisureNo wearable list would be complete without a mention to Google Glass. The most (literally) eye-catching device to date, powered by ARM Cortex technology, Glass provides an optical head-mounted display able to show information from apps and notifications just in front of the user's right eye. It works by creating a heads-up display (HUD) that appears, in users' words, to float in the mid-distance field of view. A built-in camera and microphone enables recording of video and audio, and this development eyewear is now available to the public... for a cool £1,000. |
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