The latest generation of BearTek gloves offered by Blue Infusion Technologies, LLC (Dallas, TX) allows users to keep their smartphone in their pocket and their hands protected while remotely operating their smartphone and/or GoPro camera. The glove is controlled by a small module placed within the glove and that communicates with devices through a standard Bluetooth paring process.
A video illustrating the BearTek gloves in operation can be found at the end of this article.
The wireless control module is reported as simple and easy to remove from one BearTek glove and plug into a different BearTek glove. The fact that the module is interchangeable gives users the ability to add BearTek capabilities to “Powered by BearTek” gloves appropriate to any activity that requires a glove.
The Gen II wireless gloves work simply by having the user tap their thumb to a touchpoint on their fingers to initiate a variety of functions. The functions depend on the device being controlled by the BearTek glove.
- Functions for and iPhone include: answer, ignore call, hang up, call, change volume and activate Siri.
- Functions for GoPro cameras include: camera power, take picture, record and burst.
- Functions for music apps include: play, pause, change track and change volume.
- Functions for Camera App include: zoom in, zoom out, and take picture.
- Functions for Periscope App include: start and stop.
- Functions for Instagram and Facebook include: share last picture.
Given these control capabilities, it is possible to combine functionalities. As an example, the user can tap their fingers together to take a picture with a GoPro camera and then post the picture on Facebook or Instagram.
It is also possible for users to tailor the functionalities of their BearTek glove based on individual preferences and favorite activities. The new BearTek App can be used to customize touchpoint commands, switch between smartphone or GoPro camera commands and select favorite Apps.
At a more sophisticated level, developers can use the company’s software development kit to customize gloves to control apps, devices, equipment and machinery. The company states that they will “create the ‘Powered by BearTek glove’ in the task specific glove you need.”
The Developers Kit includes a pair of gloves, a module of choice of standard BlueTooth, Wi-Fi, or BTLE radio and 1-hour of company engineering time.
The company commented on a number of aspects of the Gen II glove.
- Gen I glove provided up to 80 hours of battery life before requiring a recharge. The Gen II can be expected to last even longer.
- The glove is water resistant. Although “You cannot take a bath or shower in them, but the water resistant pouches can keep the technology operating. Follow smart drying if you do get them too wet.”
- The current plan by which the styles of the BearTek Gen II smartgloves will be selected is to query company backers for their preferences.
Every BearTek Gen II glove kit will come with a left and a right a glove, a BearTek Gen II BTLE module, the BearTek App and an instruction manual.
To raise funds for the commercialization of the Gen II gloves, the company is conducting an Indiegogo campaign which can be found here. As of 02/09/16, 168 backers have pledged $53,468 against a goal of $40,000. This project will fund in about one month. -Arthur Berman
