Tag Archives: honeywell

Honeywell Redesigned The Barcode Scanner To Fit On Your Finger Like A Ring Wearable

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If you close your eyes and think of a barcode scanner, chances are you’re thinking of that odd alien space-gun-shaped object that emits red light when triggered, helping scan that vertical grid of lines on your Doritos packet. The barcode scanner is a great example of form following function – it’s ergonomic, and can be used comfortably for hours, making it a boon for employees who have to spend half a day scanning objects at check-out… but what happens when technological innovation makes the hardware smaller? Well, you don’t need that gun-shaped object anymore, right? The folks at Honeywell China took to redesign the barcode scanner by compressing it into something much more compact and wireless. In fact, it’s small enough to fit on your finger.

Designer: Huo Sheng Industrial Technology Co., Ltd. (Honeywell, China)

The Ring Scanner, a winner of the Red Dot Product Design Award, is a tiny finger-worn wireless wearable that allows people to scan barcodes simply by pointing at them. Point your index finger and the Ring Scanner lines up perfectly with the barcode, scanning it in less than a second. “As it consumes little power and offers IP66 protection, it is ideal for a variety of scenarios, such as logistics or production lines, says the Honeywell China team. “The ring is made of skin-friendly rubber and is very lightweight, so it can be worn for many hours.” The Red Dot jury was also impressed by how they shattered the archetype of the gun-based barcode scanner, creating a new innovative product design template. Just the way the desktop computer was made into the sleek, portable, and beautiful laptop, the Ring Scanner aims at doing the same for barcode scanners, making logistics, inventory, and checkout scenarios more streamlined.

The Ring Scanner is a Winner of the Red Dot Award: Product Design for the year 2023.

The post Honeywell Redesigned The Barcode Scanner To Fit On Your Finger Like A Ring Wearable first appeared on Yanko Design.

Honeywell and rapper Will.i.am just debuted a futuristic face-mask with built-in wireless earphones

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I’ll be honest, nothing about that title is even remotely predictable. In fact, it gets progressively weirder with every subsequent word. You wouldn’t expect Will.i.am to release a medical product, more so, partner with Honeywell over it… but together the rapper and the OEM conglomerate collaborated over a mask that combines the best of both parties. Titled the XUPERMASK, the $299 face-mask comes with dual three-speed fans and HEPA filters, but also packs Bluetooth earphones with noise canceling audio and 7-hour battery life. I’ll be honest, the association with Will.i.am aside, the mask really looks pretty futuristic (it comes co-designed by Hollywood costume-designer Jose Fernandez, who also designed the SpaceX astronaut suits). The fact that it’s built by Honeywell lends it a good amount of credibility, and I can’t believe I’m saying this but I could actually see myself wearing one of these.

The XUPERMASK attempts at turning face-masks into a bit of a pop-culture item. It surely isn’t fluff… the mask is awaiting FDA approval, and it comes fitted with replaceable HEPA filters made by Honeywell – a company that’s built itself on designing the world’s greatest HVAC systems. The pop-culture element comes from rapper and Black Eyed Peas member Will.i.am, who aims to turn the XUPERMASK into a renegade pair of wireless earphones too.

As far as the face-mask part of the design is concerned, the XUPERMASK sports a universal fit, thanks to a silicone face-seal and a high-performance elastic strap that wraps around your head. The mask is outfitted with dual-fans that work at 3-speed settings to deliver purified air directly to your face as you breathe. Air is pushed through a set of pleated HEPA filters manufactured by Honeywell, and the filters are designed to be replaced every 30 days for optimal performance. The fans themselves run for an impressive 7 hours on a full charge, providing enough usage to get you through most of your day… and to seal the deal, the mask even sports glowing LED rings around each fan for that futuristic appeal.

Aside from being just a face-mask, the XUPERMASK (pronounced Supermask, if you’re still wondering) also packs a pair of wireless earphones too. The earphones emerge from the sides of the mask, and can be docked on the mask itself on designated magnetic panels. When you want to wear them, just pop the earphones off and place them in your ear. The earphones come with Bluetooth 5.0, pairing seamlessly with any smart-device. They come with active noise-canceling (pretty impressive for a face-mask), and even house an integrated noise-reduction microphone for things like answering calls or sending voice-messages. There’s no indication of where this microphone is located, but I’d be thoroughly impressed if it was within the mask’s enclosure itself. It would essentially mean you could talk while wearing the mask and not have your voice get muffled.

The XUPERMASK comes in two colors for now – one in pure black, and another in a white + orange combination. Just visually, it does look pretty impressive. The LED rings, metallic fan covers, and those magnetic earbuds, all set the XUPERMASK apart. The mask even comes with a set of controls built on either side, allowing you to toggle fan speed, the LED light, switch on/off the ANC feature, and do basic things like answer calls or play-pause music. Off the top of my head, a fan-powered face-mask with earphones does sound like a crazy idea that might just work, and with the XUPERMASK, Honeywell and Will.i.am are betting on a future where masks will still be a common outdoor face-accessory… in which case, having wireless earphones built into your face-mask just sounds a tad bit more sensible. The XUPERMASK is currently available in two sizes, and for a retail price of $299. The mask comes as a part of a XUPERKIT (I’m guessing the nomenclature was Will.i.am’s idea), which includes a carry-case, 3 months worth of replaceable HEPA filters, a USB charging cable, and replaceable earphone tips for different ear-sizes. The XUPERMASK hasn’t received FDA approval yet, but it has been granted authorization for emergency use.

Designers: will.i.am & Jose I. Fernandez in partnership with Honeywell

Samsung is using quantum computing to research better batteries

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Even the slightest improvement in battery technology could help you decide what gadgets you buy, and Samsung is hoping quantum computing will give it an edge. The tech firm and Imperial College London researchers are using Honeywell's System Mode...

BMW tries to get ahead of its supply curve using quantum computing

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BMW is starting to embrace quantum computing to optimize its supply chains. The automaker has started testing Honeywell systems to help it determine the best components to buy at the right time without disrupting production. While one supplier might...

Honeywell will let other companies tap into its quantum computer

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Honeywell's quantum computer is now commercially available after it was first announced in March. The company, best known in the US for making thermostats, says enterprise customers can access the machine either directly through one of its own interf...

Honeywell says it built the world’s most powerful quantum computer

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When it comes to quantum computers, we tend to think of companies like Google and IBM as the big players in the field, but there could soon be more competition in the space. Honeywell says sometime in the next three months it will unveil a quantum co...

Alexa can control your home security system

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It's now decidedly easier to control your home security system if you have an Echo speaker or another Alexa-powered gadget. Amazon has enabled a Security Panel Controller framework that lets you control security systems with your voice. You can arm...