Apple has filed for trademark registration for "iWatch" in Japan. While the countdown to the release of the new wristwatch-style device is a hot topic, details are finally being revealed about another wearable computer, a pair of glasses-style devices, as they approach their full-scale market debut.
Google released a prototype of its glasses-style device, "Google Glass," to developers in April of this year, and plans to release it to the general public later this year. Recently, social commerce service "Fancy" made headlines by announcing the development of an app, and Google is positioning "Telepathy" as a competitor to Google Glass.
On July 22, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners announced a business partnership for research and development of communication services, marking the start of the countdown to the full-scale adoption of mobile phones, smartphones, and next-generation wearable devices.
Telepathy was developed by Takahito Iguchi, founder of Tonchidot, who also developed the smartphone app "Sekai Camera," which sparked the AR boom with 3 million downloads worldwide. Iguchi left Tonchidot in November of last year and founded Telepathy Inc. in January of this year, becoming its CEO. Just two months later, in March, he unveiled the eyeglass-style wearable device "Telepathy One" at the SXSW Interactive Trade Show in Austin, Texas. "Japan's optical technology, battery development, and other technologies are among the best in the world. However, the recent slump in domestic manufacturing has left talented people with little experience and skills to occupy. In Japan today, hardware ventures are the way to go," Iguchi said. With a view to collaborating with domestic companies, he developed the device in a short space of time with a small team. The design was by architect and product designer Satoshi Itasaka, and the prototype was made using a titanium 3D printer. "Wearable computers have long been familiar to Japanese people, seen in shows like Gundam and Ghost in the Shell. Since I was developing my own, the ability to see was important, so I developed it using a head-mounted display," Iguchi said. Telepathy One, perhaps best described as a Dragon Ball scouter, features a slender, sharp frame that is worn on the head like glasses. Images are projected onto a 5-inch screen located in front of the right eye, and a built-in camera allows the wearer to share the view they see online via their smartphone. "We focused on simplifying (reducing steps) the process of taking a photo with a smartphone and sending it via email," says Iguchi, pursuing functionality as a communication device. As a wearable device, the design also demands careful consideration. Regarding Google Glass, which was featured at Diane von Furstenberg's New York Collection last fall, Iguchi said, "I'm not sure whether Google Glass will actually be accepted by the fashion industry in terms of design. It has a slightly geeky image. I believe Telepathy has an overwhelming advantage in terms of fashion and design."
Production of the product itself is scheduled to begin within the year, and "wearable computers are well suited to retail, so we hope to actively work with retailers," so there are high hopes for it as a multi-device that combines both sales and decoration in the fashion market.
