At the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, which is due to take place in Las Vegas this week, it would appear a fair amount of the unveiled technology will be taking a more intimate route than in years past. We're referring, of course, to smartwatches, which (for the uninitiated) are essentially wearable smartphones. There is more to the smartwatch movement than simply shrinking an existing phone and slapping a strap on it though, indeed there are plenty of innovations being made in the field. Hyundai, for example, will be debuting the Hyundai Blue Link app at this year's show, allowing Hyundai drivers to connect to their cars using their smartwatches and smartphones.
There is more to the smartwatch movement than simply shrinking an existing phone and slapping a strap on it
Taking pole position in terms of innovation, however, is the Chinese electronics company Linktop Technology, who will be using CES 2015 as a platform from which to promote their U2 mechanical smart watch (a world first) and its “Graphene-based thermometer,” program, which has been designed to detect a child's temperature with incredibly high accuracy. Linktop CEO, Bill Xu, who is renowned for his innovative mind, said of the U2, “Technology and fashion are two forces that are driving the market of wristwatches today, why not combine them and make a different watch?” He calls the U2 a “Perfect combination of the traditional mechanical watch and smart watch.” He adds that he feels the watche's Graphene case is its USP, and that he believes “Graphene-based products will soon become a trend and change the world.”
“Technology and fashion are two forces that are driving the market of wristwatches today, why not combine them and make a different watch?” Bill Xu
According to the company's press release, the U2 is “More than a watch,” with a glorious transparent colour TOLED display sitting above the mechanical dial. The standby time of the display is said to be around 30 days without a recharge, with the mechanical dial continuing to function even if the battery has been drained. It acts as both a standalone device and a remote control and/or second screen for the users' Android or iOS smartphone. Linktop is the first company to use Graphene (the strongest, thinnest and most conductive material in the world) in a smartwatch, and the unique structure and physicochemical properties of the almost transparent material, means that it can be used for incredibly fast and accurate heat conduction. Linktop is so confident in the material, that they have made a rather bold statement; that with this new technology, “Digital thermometers will finally replace all mercury thermometers.”
Linktop is the first company to use Graphene (the strongest, thinnest and most conductive material in the world) in a smartwatch
The Graphene construction allows the watch to be used as a highly effective thermometer, with the company's own cloud thermometer installed on all devices. The program is designed for children, and is able to detect any little change of a child's body temperature. It is able to continuously monitor a child's body temperature 24/7 and alert parents remotely in the event of an anomaly. According to Linktop, the devices “Slim and lightweight design ensures no unpleasant body sensation when wearing it,” and it offers “Real time measurement data from an easy to use but highly sophisticated app,” which can be shared and uploaded to the cloud.
