These Health-Focused Glasses Track Your Eyes
Courtesy of AdHawk Microsystems
Eye strain and mental fatigue are familiar hazards for anyone who stares at screens all day, which is most of us. AdHawk Microsystems says its new eye-tracking glasses, the MindLink Air, can help. Available in three styles, various colors, and with prescription lenses, these glasses rely on tiny micro-electromechanical systems, or MEMS, to 3D model your eye and track its movements. No camera is necessary and the glasses weigh in at just 40 grams with a 290 mAh battery and sensors in the temples.
Your eye data is captured thousands of times a second and appears in a wealth of charts on the companion Android or iOS app. This data can be used to determine when a break is needed, flag mental fatigue, and highlight your peak mental performance periods. Dr. Neil Sarkar, the company’s CEO, told us the hope is that after establishing a personal baseline, the glasses will highlight changes in cognitive function or eye health that could help you seek any necessary treatment early, much the same way as your smartwatch or fitness tracker might flag a heart issue.
Until now, these glasses have been the preserve of researchers, and have been used extensively for things like pilot training and assessments. Eye-tracking also has major applications in gaming and the growing field of mixed reality. Intel, Sony, and Samsung have all invested in AdHawk Microsystems, and it’s easy to imagine these sensors being integrated into the next generation of smart glasses. But would you be willing to drop a few hundred dollars on eye-tracking glasses today? You can register an interest at the website and they are expected to start shipping sometime this spring.
TP-Link Unifies Tapo Smart Home Ecosystem With Revamped App and HomeBase
TP-Link has a massive and growing stable of smart home products and has revamped its Tapo app with a fresh new look to wrangle them. The Tapo app will now handle Tapo security cameras, robot vacuums, smart switches, and more. You can even add and control Kasa devices (TP-Link’s other smart home brand) in the Tapo app now. The new Tapo for Pad app enables you to mirror your in-home device layout and link gadgets for easier automation. TP-Link also unveiled the Smart HomeBase Tapo H500, a Matter-compatible smart home hub with onboard AI that can connect up to 16 cameras and 64 sensors. It has 16GB of storage (expandable to 16TB) for local recording and supports ONVIF.
Speaking of devices, TP-Link has too many new 2024 releases to mention, but a few highlights caught our eye. The Tapo C402 Kit, Tapo Wire-Free MagCam Kit, and Tapo C428 Kit are a range of security cameras with solar panels. The headlining C428 boasts 2K resolution and a larger sensor for high-quality color night vision, but all three cameras offer onboard AI. If you prefer to shed light on the scene, the Tapo C720 is a powerful floodlight camera that goes up to 2,800 lumens. Two new video doorbells on the horizon, the D225 and the D210, offer local storage and don’t require a subscription.
TP-Link isn’t resting there because the Tapo RV20 Plus and RV30 Plus are new LiDAR robot vacuums that can automatically empty themselves. And there is a whole line of Matter-certified smart switches, dimmers, and smart plugs. TP-Link also has new Tapo sensors to detect motion, water leaks, and track temperature and humidity.
Weber’s Got a Brand New Smart Grill
Courtesy of Weber
The Weber Summit Smart Gas Grill is an internet-connected smokestack that aims to take all the guesswork out of grilling. The gas-powered stove automatically adjusts the temperature to ensure proper rareness. You can choose to warm your meat with direct or indirect heat, and the Summit will show you exactly where on the grill to place it to achieve your desired results. The bulk of the unit is knob-free—control everything via a screen that’s sure to get BBQ sauce smeared all over it. A connected Weber app will send your phone constant updates about your meal. Also use it to monitor fuel levels and even switch the grill off from your phone. The Weber Summit comes in stainless steel or ceramic variants and starts at $3,899—a high price to ensure you never burn a brisket.
CES 2024: Year of the Mega Screen
CES has just gotten underway, but we’ve already seen some dramatic TV trends, particularly when it comes to screen brightness. First, TCL’s new QM8 TV flexed 5,000 nits of peak brightness, more than doubling the brightest TVs we tested last year. Not to be outdone, Hisense literally doubled down, unveiling the market-ready 110UX TV with up to 10,000 nits peak brightness. As we shade our eyes in anticipation of these new screens, there’s another point worth noting about both: they’re humungous.
As its name implies, the 110UX comes in at 110 inches, while TCL’s largest QM8, the QM891, is a whopping 115 inches. Those TVs aren’t alone. From LG’s 97-inch G4 and wireless M4 OLED TVs to Samsung’s run of 98-inch 8K and 4K Neo QLEDs, it seems virtually every TV maker is going big this year. That’s not to mention more traditional big-screen options like Samsung’s 150-inch compatible short throw projector, The Premiere.
Think 100-inch TVs are only for sultans and tech titans decking out their megayachts? That, too, seems to be changing. TCL’s new QM7 TV will be the first of the brand’s new mid-tier options available at up to 98 inches while its entry-level S Class TVs stretch to 85 inches. Similarly, Hisense will offer its middle-range U76N at 100 inches, claiming last year’s 100-inch U8K TV was one of its “fastest-selling models to date.”
That’s not to say this burgeoning era of ultra-sized screens will be cheap, mind you, and we’re still waiting on final pricing for most models. That said, if you’re willing to make some compromises on screen quality, 2024 is already shaping up to be the best year yet for those seeking a monstrous TV that doesn’t cost more than your car. Just getting it in your car (or through your front door) is a different issue.
