Wearables is truly one of this year's CES buzzwords, with devices from Intel, Sony, Pebble, and more hitting the show floor. But why stop there? Epson, known best for its printers, is also jumping into the space with its second-gen Moverio smart glasses and a new activity tracker.
Moverio glasses are augmented-reality specs that use a miniaturized LCD-based projection lens system and optical light guide in each side of the glasses to overlay digital content onto what you see in front of you. They resemble a chunkier Google Glass, but operate more like the Oculus Rift.
"Enabling a seamless blend of the physical and digital world, the Moverio BT-200 technology platform makes a new world of augmented reality applications possible for consumers as well as commercial enterprises," Epson said.
The Moverio BT-200's 960-by-540-pixel resolution display projects a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 23-degree field of view, Epson said. A 360-degree panoramic experience is possible through third-party software that takes advantage of the glasses' head-tracking features.
A gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetic compass enables head-motion tracking for gaming and hands-free navigation, so you can look totally normal while ducking and weaving through a game. Use an Android-based controller for access to augmented-reality apps, or hook up to HDMI to stream high-definition video. A MicroSDHC card slot supports up to 32GB of external memory for offline use of photos, videos, and music.
The newest Moverio is slightly more affordable than the original $950 specs, but still pricey at $699.99. Look for them in March.
Coming in at a cheaper $129 to $199 are Epson's new PS-100 and PS-500 fitness band and watch. The gadgets are part of the company's new Pulsense line of wearables that can monitor and store heart rate, activity level, calories burn, and sleep patterns.
The Pulsense PS-100 band has an LED display that can be wirelessly connected to a smartphone to read and transfer data. The Pulsense PS-500 watch features an LCD display for real-time viewing of heart rate, steps walked, calorie burn, and date/time. Both devices have LED indicators for heart rate-based zone training for those looking to burn fat, and will arrive this summer.
Epson is not the only one showing off fitness and activity trackers at CES. Sony also tipped an upcoming range of "SmartWear" products, starting with the wrist-based SmartBand (pictured).
Basis, meanwhile, is updating its health trackers with a feature known as Advanced Sleep Analysis, and is now selling a 2014 Carbon Steel Edition of its health tracker for $199.99.
Then there's the Withings Aura, which records your sleeping environment to provide an understanding of your sleep patterns and positively impact your wake-up and fall-asleep experience. It arrives in the spring for $299.
Fitbit also announced that a recent app update means that its service can sync up via Bluetooth with 12 more Android devices: The Droid Mini, Ultra, Maxx, Razr M, Razr HD, Razr HD Maxx, HTC One, LG G2, Moto X, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and Nexus 7. They join the Samsung Galaxy S III, S4, Note II, Note III, and Note 10.1.
Also getting into the fitness game is Garmin, which is exploring other options in the face of a declining GPS market.