Google 'Lens'

Google's Contact Lenses are coming.

But right now, they're in the concept stage. At least, to a degree.

Google unveiled a contact lens that could measure glucose  levels for patients with diabetes. The announcement was exciting, because for the longest time have we been promised technology that actually looked simple and relatively easy (if you don't mind putting contacts on your eyes).

It's expected that, with Google's prowess in the market and vision to dominate their competition, that these will be marketed to the average consumer in five years' time. First, Google needs to release the Glass--which will most likely hit retail stores in the fall. However, only time will tell if the market will want this technology.

A big concern is privacy. Google recently patented miniature camera's that are expected to be placed on the contact lenses. Not only is that notion completely awesome, but it's also terrifying. Imagine a world where no one has privacy. You can be hanging out with a friend, and all of a sudden, your friend posts your entire hangout online for the world to see. Meanwhile, you had no clue he/she was even recording. It's going to be interesting following this rumor.

Only time will tell if this piece of technology will benefit us, or seek to cause more problems.

Heapsylon Sensoria Socks

We all know about those smart watches and fitness trackers that can collect various information such as heart rate, calories burned, and number of steps taken. But one company has taken it one step further. Being that sensor technology is the future of the our world, let me introduce the smart sock, made by Heapsylon. The sock is able to collect and transmit data through the the electronic sensors that are woven into the sock itself. But not only do they have this patent-pending technology made into socks; they also have t-shirts and sports bras that have the electronic sensors woven into them.

The sensoria socks, shirts, and  sports bras are able to collect and transmit info such as heart rate, activity type, activity level, pressure forces on the body, and more. The sensoria technology itself can be embedded in garments and pieces of clothing or used stand-alone for a wide range of applications, such as clothing, liners, bedding, and accessories. The technology is safe for the skin, machine washable and dryable, and is quite soft and comfortable.

The socks will transmit info by attaching an anklet to it and sending the information to your smartphone application via Bluetooth. The other types of clothing and garments that have this sensor technologywoven into them will work the same way the socks do. But I wanted to highlight the technology in the form of the socks because it has a sizeable potential impact on runners, athletes, and everyday people in our society.

According to Heapsylon, the company that has this patent-pending sensor technology, over 60% of all runners are injured at least once every year. Additionally, a staggering 70% of all people who run have a foot problem that requires attention. This technology can help improve their biometric performance, in terms of how they run and exercise. Sensoria will allow them to reduce the risk of injury and shorten overall recovery time if an injury occurs or is still present. Fitness fanatics will be able to improve their stride cadence and even their specific foot landing technique. Data is needed to improve performance, and sensoria technology does just that. It can do what smart watches and fitness trackers cannot do, and that is why this may be a game changer in the fitness and apparel industry.

The Lumo Lift

Earlier this year, at the 2014 International CES show, Lumo BodyTech showed off it's new gadget called the Lumo Lift. Essentially, what it does is it monitors your body position and movement. It clasps onto your clothing, and when your body starts to slouch or close off, the Lumo Lift senses it and will vibrate. The vibration it sends is meant as a warning/reminder that you should correct your body positioning by keeping your shoulders back and have generally open body language throughout the day.

The small gadget, which comes in numerous colors, can provide feedback and rewards through the use of the mobile application that goes with the product. Through the mobile application, you can track your consistency of good body language and positioning throughout the day, week, or even year.

The Lumo Lift is currently being crowdfunded on the company website, and it has been said that the product will officially launch and be available for purchase in late spring of this year. The Lumo Lift will retail for between $59 and $79.

The Lumo Lift has potentially huge impact on consumers and society. Many people, without even knowing it, give off poor body language. Having poor body language is a major communication mistake that affects every area of your life, and it has been said that body language provides up to 90% of all communication with others. This product is a small, but effective gadget that will improve every area of your life through a simple vibration. It can improve people's careers, relationships, health, and overall quality of life. The Market has not seen a product like this before, and it definitely has the potential to make some noise.

The Muse Headband

The Muse Headband, created by a Toronto-based technology company (InteraXon), is a futuristic product that uses brain-sensing technology to help you improve you improve in different areas of your life. The Headband itself, which is around $270 for pre-ordering, features seven EGG sensors that come into contact with your forehead. The consumer version is more flexible and has rubbery cushions. In addition, there is separate software that is compatible with IOS and Android.

The app, in which you see the results that the headband measures, starts with some calibration exercises. The most simple exercises are simple to make sure that the headband is fitted properly and all sensors are registering brain function. It also features some exercises that ask you to simply think about some topics in order for it to gauge what your noisy mind looks like. The last exercise features a beach scene that reacts to your state of mind. Then, a soothing voice asks you to close your eyes, concentrate on your breathing, and relax as much as you can.

The concept is simple: the more you are able to zone in with your mind, the calmer the beach scene will become, such as lighter winds and birds standing still. Your session gets timed, and it stops when you get into a certain level of relaxation. In addition, there is a game-like element in this process in which you can get points for how long you can stay in a relaxed and concentrated state. The more points you accumulate as you go along, the more features you can unlock in the app. In essence, you must achieve a certain level of success before you can move onto further stages.

This new technology product is like a fitness tracker for your brain, and its ultimate goal is to help you improve your cognitive function, memory, and stress levels. Now, in terms of its impact on consumers and society, it is definitely a type of technology that can have huge implications in the future. Most people do not specifically try to enhance their mental capacity. In fact, we only use a small percentage of our brains to begin with. We have untapped potential in terms of focus and controlling our state, but we have not taken advantage thus far. It remains to be seen how popular this product will get in the consumer market, but the technology itself is a look into the future. The ability to analyze our brains and calibrate it in such a way in order to be an improved version of ourselves is a must-have so that we can become a better society; a society in which productivity is greatly increased and stress is at a minimum.

Carrot fit app

For those of you who need a little motivation to get into better shape than you currently are, then the carrot fit app is for you. However, we must warn you, it can be a very judgmental app. So, if you are the sensitive type, this may not be a good choice for you. On the other hand, many people will find it quite humorous.

The fitness app, which is available on iTunes for $1.99, has you type in your weight. If your weight is higher than your original weight when you started, it will insult you n a very blunt way. Conversely, if your weight improves, it will compliment you. For example, if you lose weight, the app will deliver a line such as, "You are officially my favorite meat bag". The apps developer, Brian Mueller, says that the apps personality is based on the characters of HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey and Glados in the Portal Video Game. He also mentioned that the apps character has a combination of his mom, sister, and wife. He exclaimed, "we make fun of each other a lot". However, not everyone is amused with the apps "wise-cracking" ways.

Some people view this application as doing nothing except weight shaming and discriminating against those who are overweight. Well, in terms of its impact on consumers and society, I only view this as a humorous app that can possibly have effective results in getting people to work out and exercise more often. As a consumer, if you do not agree with the how the app works, you can simply not purchase it. This is a not a game-changing piece of technology. Rather, it is simply another arsenal that you can have in your hunt for a healthier lifestyle. Some may view the app as misguided, but it has already been downloaded tens of thousands of times since becoming available on iTunes. In terms of its impact on our society, I feel that this is a good app. We are the second fattest country in the entire world (thanks Mexico), and maybe this app is a step in the right direction. We need a society where, although looks aren't everything, being unhealthy is not embraced and looked at as a reasonable way to live.

Amazon Dash

Well, by each passing day, it looks more and more like Amazon is poised to dominate the new emerging food delivery and grocery delivery service market. Already with Amazon Fresh up and running, they have now come out with the Amazon Dash, that makes it simple and easy to add food to your electronic shopping cart.

The amazon dash is essentially a new front-end device for Amazon's same-day grocery service. The Dash, which looks like a little wand, has a barcode scanner built in it, so that you can just wave the wand over the food that you are running low in your household. The Dash also has a voice button, in which you can just say the food that you want to order. When you scan a food product or use the voice button on your dash, it automatically puts the item in your Queue on your Amazon Fresh account. So, basically, it does not automatically order the food for you, but rather just puts it in your cart for ease of purchase when you log into Amazon Fresh.

Amazon Fresh, which right now is only available in three major US cities, looks poised to take over and dominate the grocery business. The Amazon Dash can only enhance the experience of current and future users of Amazon Fresh. And although most of us still travel to Stop & Shop or A & P for our food needs, I suspect we will all be using Amazon Fresh and Amazon Dash at some point in the near future. This is mainly because food shopping is a pain. Most people hate having to go to the food store every week. You have to deal with crowds, long lines, and even some difficulty in locating exactly what you want inside the grocery store. Moving this process online, and having the food delivered right to your house takes steps out of the process. It will make consumers lives just a little bit easier, and for that convenience, I suspect people will be willing to pay the $300 yearly to be a member of Amazon Fresh.

Lyft App

Lyft, the new ride-sharing app that is only a mere twenty months old, has already expanded into thirty cities nationwide, and is currently going international as well. The app, which is rivaling the other companies such as Uber, has just received more than $250 million in funding from various investors. In total, the app has received over $330 million in funding over its lifetime.

The new app is trying to take advantage of the revolutionary new concept that helps people avoid traditional public transportation and get from point A to point B in a more comfortable and convenient way. Essentially, passengers looking for a ride link up with lyft drivers through the smartphone app. The lyft drivers are essentially taxi drivers, but use their own vehicles to drive the passengers around. The main difference between Lyft drivers and taxi drivers is that Lyft drivers have no set price for their services. Additionally, Lyft drivers usually have other full or part-time jobs. Whereas Taxi drivers make their living off of driving people around, Lyft drivers become involved when they just want to make some extra money for their savings or just disposable income.

Lyft drivers, who distinguish their vehicles as Lyft cars by the signature pink mustache on the front of their cars, have angered and upset Taxi drivers who depend on passengers to make money. The taxicab industry is highly regulated, and they want the same to be done for ridesharing apps, such as Lyft and Uber, as well. For example, In Seattle, legislators are close to passing a bill that would cap the number of Lyft vehicles that can be on the roads at one time. Lyft, along with the other ridesharing companies, will have a long fight with regulators and the taxicab industry. But either way, Lyft is one company that can change the way we get around for good.

Aside from having your own car, this is perhaps the best option to get around town or the city. Cabs and other forms of public transportation such as the bus and train are uncomfortable, and also inconvenient. Lyft is fast and efficient. And although these ridesharing companies can put a strain on taxi drivers, the benefits are plenty. It allows people to make some extra money in their free time, and also allows people to get around comfortably without having to drive themselves. We have yet to see if these companies become highly regulated like the taxicab Industry, but they seem to have bright futures ahead at the moment.