In 2014, a video demonstration of an incredibly high-tech wearable gadget that could be used while riding a bicycle, riding or even in the bathroom was widely known. According to the video, the Cicret bracelet is "like a tablet on a skin." Users with a thin plastic wrist strap on their hands simply touched their wrists to trigger the projection of the Android touchscreen on their forearm. Allegedly, this image was created by a pico projector, and a set of 8 proximity sensors along the wrist simulated a touch interface. The gadget was crammed with invisible electronic components that have numerous features listed in the schematic diagram. Moreover, the video advertised 2 variants of the Cicret bracelet with 16 and 32 GB of internal memory, as well as 10 different color versions.
Is there a prototype?
The only problem is that there really is no Cicret projection bracelet. There is neither a choice of colors available, nor options with different amounts of memory, nor an advanced projection system that responds to touch on the skin. What was depicted in the video was a set of special effects superimposed in the post-processing process, and not a really existing high-tech product. Just because there is no such prototype.
The idea for a million?
After reading the information about the โproductโ and the group of its developers, as well as visually examining the video, it did not take a long time to come to the general conclusion that the Cicret projection wrist bracelet is most likely a large-scale scam.
The group requested 700,000 euros for the production of a single prototype, and the first 300,000 euros should have been spent on developing the application.
Today, when someone wants to develop a concept, he makes a presentation, shows it, and then does what all the other startups on the Indiegogo or Kickstarter websites are struggling to get funding. Moreover, each investor is confident that he will receive the product immediately after its manufacture. Cicret, on its main website, asks people to deposit their money into their PayPal account without any obligation on their part. One of the founders of Cicret, Guillaume Pommier tried to launch a campaign in Indiegogo, but did not achieve the stated goal of 500 thousand US dollars, raising only 1357 $. The developer had to close the project, because in this case he would not be able to produce and deliver the device to consumers.
History knows many examples of promising products that seemed too good to be true. For example, Healbe GoBe managed to raise $ 1 million, but overdue the promised delivery date for a product that was supposed to measure calories consumed with a skin contact sensor.
According to Guillaume Pommier, 3 other team members worked for other companies and hid their participation in Cicret "for fear of being fired."
Obvious contradictions
Most people who watched the video considered it conceptual. However, in reality it is not, especially given the low level of video editing. Among the most obvious omissions in the design of the Cicret projection bracelet, expert reviews cite the following disadvantages:
- When a light source is blocked (for example, with a finger), a shadow should be cast, but this does not happen magically.
- Projection light does not remain completely white when projecting a lack of white.
- Projection during the day requires a powerful light source.
- The Cicret wristband will not be able to work in the daytime, as it does not have a backlight. For the projection to be visible, it must be brighter than the skin illuminated by the sun.
- If you watch the video, you will notice that the interface often does not correspond to the kinetics of the bracelet or hand.
- When bending the wrist, the projection should disappear.
The dawn of wearable electronics
As wearable gadget technology continues to evolve and determine the present and future of mobile devices in general, there are many new ideas, at first glance very attractive, that never translate into a real product.
2014 could be called the "year of the dawn of wearable electronics." This was the year when more than just a few companies began to make efforts to provide such products to the consumer.
New ideas funded by crowdfunding could be observed for several years, so it has become customary how inventive and diverse they can be. In addition to the Google Glass glasses, which create a virtual surround image a few meters away, most of the other wearable electronics were connected to the wrist. Android Wear, Samsung Tizen, Pebble and Apple Watch are all made in the form of watches. Although this new equipment is not intended to replace a smartphone, the first generation of users has compiled a long list of wishes to improve their functionality.
Physically, there is another problem - the size of the equipment. Although the dimensions of smartphones have steadily increased, it is obvious that such an evolution is not possible for wrist electronics. Who wants to tie a 5-inch device to his hand?
Concept
Cicret (pronounced the same as the English word secret, which translates as โsecretโ) is located in Paris and is developing a bracelet equipped with a projector and many non-contact sensors. The projector projects an image on the hand, and when the user interacts with it, the proximity sensors detect gestures, and the device executes commands.
A pico projector and a series of 8 sensors are aimed at the owner's forearm. The Cicret bracelet works as a standalone gadget and after activating the rotation on the wrist projects the Android interface onto the skin, which is very similar to the study by Chris Harrison Skinput. The proximity sensors detect where the user's finger or fingers is located, which allows them to interact with the interface just like on any other Android device.
There are potential benefits of turning everyday objects (or, in this case, limbs) into mobile equipment, but projected touch screens usually do not have the responsiveness and visual stability of displays that users are used to. For example, the projection of the keyboard provides poor performance.
High requests
It must be fascinating to visually perceive how Cicret could use technology that meets the wishes of consumers. However, the design and technology of the device are still under development. In addition to a public fundraising campaign to create a prototype gadget, which will undoubtedly be accompanied by numerous delays, the company is looking for astronomically huge amounts to finance the development of the CICRET secure messaging application (whose beta version was available on Google Play).
Having reached the goal of 300 thousand euros, the company could create an application for all platforms. Attracting 700 thousand euros would make it possible to develop a prototype bracelet. The donation gets a place on the company's fame stand and thanks.
Cicret bracelet: price
If the gadget was created, then it would be expected that its retail price would be about 380 euros. In order for the Cicret projection wrist bracelet to work as a standalone mobile device, the proposed design includes an accelerometer, a memory card, a micro-USB port, Bluetooth, WI-Fi, LED, an internal storage device with a capacity of 16 GB or 32 GB, 10 color options.
At that time, Cicret was in the process of raising funds for the further development and production of the gadget, claiming that the gadget could enter the mass market within a year with a small one. The price of a Cicret bracelet should be $ 400 because, according to company research, consumers tend to pay just that price (although the rest does not seem to be very attractive to others).
It was assumed that a working prototype will be presented in a few weeks, and that Cicret will fill the niche left by Google Glass. The final design was expected to be supported by Android and iOS. Unfortunately, it did not happen.
A mistake or a breakthrough?
The concept of the Cicret arm bracelet is like a bold undertaking, which is hard to believe in the speedy implementation. The device may simply remain another mistake in the history of technology or will have a significant impact on the future of wearable electronics. Be that as it may, the concept aroused keen interest and a desire to comprehend how its final version would look.