Wearables

Donning a pair of headphones is great for immersing yourself in music, but you can feel a little closed in after a while. Open-backs allow in more air for a more spacious sound, and Sennheiser has just announced a new pair for budget audiophiles.

Back in late 2017, Bose launched an Indiegogo for a new pair of earbuds designed to help folks get a good night's sleep. The Sleepbuds went on general sale in mid-2018 and now the second generation is being readied for direct release.

Not everyone's hearing is the same, and the Xellence earphones account for this by offering real-time app-based sound profile tweaking. The buds also feature active noise cancellation, and are fine tuned by renowned DJ, songwriter and producer Kygo.

When it comes to tracking an athlete's performance, a single wearable sensor doesn't always provide much information, yet multiple hard-wired sensors restrict movement. That's a where a new sensor suit comes in – and it's powered by a smartphone.

Scientists at Binghamton University have made a breakthrough that could make wearable biosensors more comfortable to wear and the signals they produce a lot clearer, showing off a new type of porous silicone that allows for the evaporation of sweat.

For years, the noise cancellation prowess of the QuietComfort range of headphones from Bose has been at the top of the game. Now the audio gear maker has managed to miniaturize the tech and squeeze it inside a new pair of true wireless earphones.

Bose launched a new audio product in late 2018, in the shape of two pairs of sunglasses equipped with tiny speakers and a microphone. And clearly the company has had some success with them as three more flavors have now joined the Frames lineup.

Scientists in Australia have demonstrated a new type of haptic feedback device they say offers a more realistic experience than previous solutions, by making use of soft artificial muscles that more closely resemble our sense of touch.

Facebook's Reality Labs Research wing is currently working on a number of projects designed to help us cut through noisy environments and zero in on folks we're trying to hold a conversation with, or enhance our daily lives when used with AR glasses.

Face masks are here to stay for a while yet – so you might as well have some fun with them. The JabberMask is a voice-activated wearable packed with LEDs that move like a mouth in time with your speech, and can smile or display emojis on demand.

Though ditching cables for on-the-move listening can be liberating, ensuring a tight fit – which is vital when employing noise cancellation – can lead to discomfort. Qualcomm is looking to make a secure fit less of a pain with Adaptive ANC.

Ziiiro's Jupiter wristwatch takes minimalism to a new level by eliminating not only the numerals and markers but also the hands, in favor of magnetically-driven beads. It is named for its resemblance to the planet Jupiter as seen from its poles.