Difference between revisions of "IPal"

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developer_commentary=|
 
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announced=April 2014|
 
announced=April 2014|
announced_commentary=<ref>http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11778922.htm</ref>|
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announced_commentary=<ref name="prweb">http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11778922.htm</ref>|
 
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price=500|
 
price=500|
price_commentary=<ref>https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ipal-capture-pictures-and-videos-with-your-eyes-and-share-with-blinks-or-wink#/story</ref>|
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price_commentary=<ref name="indiegogo">https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ipal-capture-pictures-and-videos-with-your-eyes-and-share-with-blinks-or-wink#/story</ref>|
 
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iPal are glasses with two high-definition cameras and two eye-tracking sensors build into the frame. The device allows the user to capture pictures and record videos hand-free using only eye gestures. The glasses are connected to a processing unit resembling a smartphone via thin cable. The unit functions as a data storage, battery and can share the recorded content wirelessly with with other devices through Bluetooth.
+
iPal are glasses with two high-definition cameras and two eye-tracking sensors build into the frame. The device allows the user to capture pictures and record videos hand-free using only eye gestures. The glasses are connected to a processing unit resembling a smartphone via thin cable. The unit functions as a data storage, battery and can share the recorded content wirelessly with with other devices through Bluetooth. Two microphones are also present.
  
 
== Main characteristics ==
 
== Main characteristics ==
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The Pocket Control Module features a 3 inch touchscreen, 8 GB of data storage, USB connector, and a battery that is able to power the device for about 10 hours. The control unit can connect to Android, iOS or Windows.<ref>http://meetipal.com/specs/</ref>
 
The Pocket Control Module features a 3 inch touchscreen, 8 GB of data storage, USB connector, and a battery that is able to power the device for about 10 hours. The control unit can connect to Android, iOS or Windows.<ref>http://meetipal.com/specs/</ref>
 +
 +
i2i offers a development kit for their device, but the link on the official website is non-functional.<ref>http://meetipal.com/uses/sdk/</ref>
  
 
=== Purpose ===
 
=== Purpose ===
<!-- This is a very short description of the technology's purpose. What will it be doing, for what goal was it created, how it modifies human cognition. Keep this as brief as possible. -->
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 +
iPal is developed as a device that makes it easier for the user to capture important moments hands-free.<ref>http://meetipal.com/our-philosophy/</ref> Although i2i does not consider the device to be a wearable camera only. The aim is to create a personal assistant that "can see through your eyes."<ref name="ipalfaq">http://meetipal.com/faqs/</ref> It will be possible to further expand the functionality of the device with apps.<ref>http://meetipal.com/apps/</ref>
  
 
=== Company & People ===
 
=== Company & People ===
<!-- This is a list of important people behind the technology. Note: It is not necessary to list absolutely everyone. -->
+
 
 +
i2i, Inc. is an American technology startup company based in Dallas, Texas. It was established in 24 August 2012.<ref>https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/i2i-inc#/entity</ref>
 +
 
 +
Masoud Vaziri, Ph.D. - Founder and CEO
  
 
== Important Dates ==
 
== Important Dates ==
<!-- A list of important dates in the development and history of the technology. Use the information provided in the second half of the Main characteristics section and make it into a short, unnumbered list. -->
+
 
 +
* 2008 - Works on iPal begun.
 +
* 2013 - i2i creates a functioning prototype.<ref name="prweb" />
 +
* 22 April 2014 - IndieGoGo campaign begun.<ref>http://meetipal.com/news/page/4/</ref>
 +
* 20 June 2014 - IndieGoGo campaign successfully finished.<ref name="indiegogo" />
  
 
== Enhancement/Therapy/Treatment ==
 
== Enhancement/Therapy/Treatment ==
<!-- Describe in detail whether the technology aims to enhance human cognition, i.e. to improve human abilities beyond what is considered normal, and/or if it is also applicable as a form of treatment or therapy, i.e. it can serve to cure patients or restore abilities that do not perform as they would in a healthy person -->
+
 
 +
Enhancement. The device enhances the user's ability to take pictures or record videos merely with their gaze. The device is also planned to be a personal assistant. i2i also advertised the device as a driving assistant that will be able to warn the driver when he is falling asleep for example.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/nTl5b6rh8Z/?taken-by=meetipal</ref>
 +
 
 +
Treatment. In a Q&A session on the social website Reddit, Masoud Vaziri was positive about the prospect of using the device as a form of help for paralysed or similarly disabled users.<ref name="reddit">https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/25dd1l/hi_im_masoud_vaziri_engineering_phd_developer_of/chg4x61</ref>  
  
 
== Ethical & Health Issues ==
 
== Ethical & Health Issues ==
<!-- Provide detailed information (if possible or if available) about any ethical risks and related ethical topics, and also related health issues, be it already discovered and covered in literature, or just speculative ones, should be described and properly cited in this section. -->
+
 
 +
There are no ethical or health issues connected to this particular device.
 +
 
 +
For more general issues connected with smartglasses, please see the [[Smartglasses]] synopsis.  
  
 
== Public & Media Impact and Presentation ==
 
== Public & Media Impact and Presentation ==
<!-- Provide information about the impact the technology had on the public and how the technology is presented in the media or literature. If there was anything in the news regarding this technology, it should be noted and properly cited here. -->
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 +
Only smaller technology websites gave medial attention to iPal. Most of them focused on the IndieGoGo campaign beginning.<ref>http://www.coolwearable.com/ipal-wearable-computer/</ref><ref>http://www.gadgetify.com/ipal-glasses/</ref> We found no articles from the time after the campaign. This is perhaps due to the company not yet releasing the device to review, despite the release date being set in December 2014.
 +
 
 +
The articles reporting the start of the crowdfunding campaign called the device "revolutionary"<ref>http://www.wearabletechworld.com/topics/wearable-tech/articles/377535-revolutionary-ipal-smartglasses-jump-indiegogo.htm</ref>. Wearable.co.uk called it "a product that could well catch on and made a favourable comparison to [[Google Glass]].<ref>http://www.wearable.co.uk/blog/ipal-pal-eyes/</ref> Glass App Source raised concerns that recording with the device could be "creepy" (See [[Smartglasses#Privacy_concerns]]) though it sees the technology in a positive light.<ref>http://www.glassappsource.com/ipal/ipal-interesting-pair-eye-tracking-smart-glasses.html</ref> Dallas Business Journal focused on the fact that the device, in comparison to Google Glass, can utilize the user's gaze as a form of control. It did only informed about iPal and has not evaluate the device further, however.<ref>http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2014/05/02/i2i-inc-what-our-smart-glasses-have-that-google.html</ref>
 +
 
 +
It seems the company did not fulfil its promise to release the device around December 2014. The discussion on the IndieGoGo campaign page as well as the official Facebook page has a substantial number of users asking about the device they helped to crowdfund, yet there has been no answer from the company represetnatives.<ref>https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ipal-capture-pictures-and-videos-with-your-eyes-and-share-with-blinks-or-wink#/comments</ref><ref>https://www.facebook.com/meetipal/posts_to_page/</ref> The last event the company was seen on was the Internet of Things - West conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in November 2014.<ref>http://www.remotemagazine.com/IoTWest/</ref>
  
 
== Public Policy ==
 
== Public Policy ==
<!-- Information related to any regulations (law, patents, ISOs, government recommendations and so on.) -->
+
 
 +
There is no public policy that considers this device specifically.
 +
 
 +
For more information about policies related to smartglasses, please see the [[Smartglasses]] synopsis.
  
 
== Related Technologies, Projects or Scientific Research ==
 
== Related Technologies, Projects or Scientific Research ==

Latest revision as of 10:14, 9 December 2015

iPal
Ipal 1.jpg
Category smartglasses
Developer i2i, Inc.
Announced April 2014 [1]
Released Developers:
Consumers: December 2014
Price 500 USD [2]
Operating system (unknown)
Display none
Resolution
Field of view
Weight g (unspecified)
Controls

touchscreen, gaze

Data available good (no reviews)
Risk factor low
Standalone
http://i2iinc.com/

iPal are glasses with two high-definition cameras and two eye-tracking sensors build into the frame. The device allows the user to capture pictures and record videos hand-free using only eye gestures. The glasses are connected to a processing unit resembling a smartphone via thin cable. The unit functions as a data storage, battery and can share the recorded content wirelessly with with other devices through Bluetooth. Two microphones are also present.

Main characteristics

The device consists of two units connected together by a thin cable, glasses and a processing unit called Pocket Control Module. The glasses closely resemble regular glasses but the frame is equipped with four cameras, two 5 megapixels cameras facing forward in the corners of the frame, and two eye-tracking micro cameras in the bottom of the frame facing the user's eyes. The two front-oriented cameras have field of view of 120 degrees, are capable of zoom, and can record videos in 720p resolution.

The Pocket Control Module features a 3 inch touchscreen, 8 GB of data storage, USB connector, and a battery that is able to power the device for about 10 hours. The control unit can connect to Android, iOS or Windows.[3]

i2i offers a development kit for their device, but the link on the official website is non-functional.[4]

Purpose

iPal is developed as a device that makes it easier for the user to capture important moments hands-free.[5] Although i2i does not consider the device to be a wearable camera only. The aim is to create a personal assistant that "can see through your eyes."[6] It will be possible to further expand the functionality of the device with apps.[7]

Company & People

i2i, Inc. is an American technology startup company based in Dallas, Texas. It was established in 24 August 2012.[8]

Masoud Vaziri, Ph.D. - Founder and CEO

Important Dates

  • 2008 - Works on iPal begun.
  • 2013 - i2i creates a functioning prototype.[1]
  • 22 April 2014 - IndieGoGo campaign begun.[9]
  • 20 June 2014 - IndieGoGo campaign successfully finished.[2]

Enhancement/Therapy/Treatment

Enhancement. The device enhances the user's ability to take pictures or record videos merely with their gaze. The device is also planned to be a personal assistant. i2i also advertised the device as a driving assistant that will be able to warn the driver when he is falling asleep for example.[10]

Treatment. In a Q&A session on the social website Reddit, Masoud Vaziri was positive about the prospect of using the device as a form of help for paralysed or similarly disabled users.[11]

Ethical & Health Issues

There are no ethical or health issues connected to this particular device.

For more general issues connected with smartglasses, please see the Smartglasses synopsis.

Public & Media Impact and Presentation

Only smaller technology websites gave medial attention to iPal. Most of them focused on the IndieGoGo campaign beginning.[12][13] We found no articles from the time after the campaign. This is perhaps due to the company not yet releasing the device to review, despite the release date being set in December 2014.

The articles reporting the start of the crowdfunding campaign called the device "revolutionary"[14]. Wearable.co.uk called it "a product that could well catch on and made a favourable comparison to Google Glass.[15] Glass App Source raised concerns that recording with the device could be "creepy" (See Smartglasses#Privacy_concerns) though it sees the technology in a positive light.[16] Dallas Business Journal focused on the fact that the device, in comparison to Google Glass, can utilize the user's gaze as a form of control. It did only informed about iPal and has not evaluate the device further, however.[17]

It seems the company did not fulfil its promise to release the device around December 2014. The discussion on the IndieGoGo campaign page as well as the official Facebook page has a substantial number of users asking about the device they helped to crowdfund, yet there has been no answer from the company represetnatives.[18][19] The last event the company was seen on was the Internet of Things - West conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in November 2014.[20]

Public Policy

There is no public policy that considers this device specifically.

For more information about policies related to smartglasses, please see the Smartglasses synopsis.

Related Technologies, Projects or Scientific Research

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11778922.htm
  2. 2.0 2.1 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ipal-capture-pictures-and-videos-with-your-eyes-and-share-with-blinks-or-wink#/story
  3. http://meetipal.com/specs/
  4. http://meetipal.com/uses/sdk/
  5. http://meetipal.com/our-philosophy/
  6. http://meetipal.com/faqs/
  7. http://meetipal.com/apps/
  8. https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/i2i-inc#/entity
  9. http://meetipal.com/news/page/4/
  10. https://www.instagram.com/p/nTl5b6rh8Z/?taken-by=meetipal
  11. https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/25dd1l/hi_im_masoud_vaziri_engineering_phd_developer_of/chg4x61
  12. http://www.coolwearable.com/ipal-wearable-computer/
  13. http://www.gadgetify.com/ipal-glasses/
  14. http://www.wearabletechworld.com/topics/wearable-tech/articles/377535-revolutionary-ipal-smartglasses-jump-indiegogo.htm
  15. http://www.wearable.co.uk/blog/ipal-pal-eyes/
  16. http://www.glassappsource.com/ipal/ipal-interesting-pair-eye-tracking-smart-glasses.html
  17. http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2014/05/02/i2i-inc-what-our-smart-glasses-have-that-google.html
  18. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ipal-capture-pictures-and-videos-with-your-eyes-and-share-with-blinks-or-wink#/comments
  19. https://www.facebook.com/meetipal/posts_to_page/
  20. http://www.remotemagazine.com/IoTWest/