21 Feb 2014
By Belle
A rude weight tracker for your phone, a brainwave-controlled video camera and more: Quantified Self weekly links
1. Contact lenses to test glucose levels
Earlier this year Google announced they were testing contact lenses to help people with diabetes manage their glucose levels.
The company says it is currently testing prototypes of this contact lens that use a tiny wireless chip and a miniaturized glucose sensor. These chips are embedded in between two soft layers of lens material.
They're still working on adding feedback for users, but the plan is to add tiny LED lights to warn you when your glucose levels cross a certain threshold.
2. Neurocam
The Neurocam still needs some work to make it wearable—in the video below it looks even more over-the-top than Google Glass. What it does is cool, though.
Using a brainwave sensor attached to your forehead, the Neurocam tracks your emotional state. It scores your interest in what's happening around you using an algorithm ranging from 0-100 based on the brainwaves it records.
Here's the cool part: when your interest level is higher than 60, the Neurocam automatically records a five-second clip and saves it as a GIF for you to view or share later.
3. Spree — fitness tracker in a sweatband
If wrist-based trackers aren't your thing, you might want to give Spree's new sweatband a try. It tracks movement, heart rate and body temperature using a tiny device that looks a bit like a Withings Pulse.
Wearing the headband keeps the device secured against your skin.
4. CARROT fit — an iPhone-only "judgemental weight tracker"
If you're familiar with CARROT to-do, you'll understand the attitude of CARROT fit.
It's a weight-tracking app that includes a judgemental AI called CARROT who wants to "transform your flabby carcass into a Grade A specimen of the human race."
Don't be surprised when CARROT ridicules or threatens you to achieve that goal.
5. Illuum — a journal with a hint of black magic
Illuum is an online journalling app to help you rate your day and add (optional) notes or photos. It then analyses your daily ratings to see which days are your best or worst, and what your average rating is.
This is something we're including in Exist, but if that's the only feature you want, Illuum is simple and free to use.
More:
- Rise: one-on-one expert nutrition coaching
- 280daily: private journaling with a 280 character limit
- Safe Runner: send automatic alerts to your emergency contact if you come across danger while exercising
- TellSpec laser scanner: tells you what ingredients are in your food
- How the iPhone 5S replaced my Fitbit
Image sources: TechCrunch, Neurowear, Engadget, meetCARROT, Illuum
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