In the future, we could charge wearables by chewing

Chew faster! We need more power! Smart Materials and Structures/IOP Publishing

Walking around with more devices, whether they're wearables or in your pocket, means more worries about keeping all those batteries charged. But you may not always need to hunt for an open outlet to pump some more juice into smaller devices, thanks to the work of some Canadian researchers. Instead you could just have lunch, preferably something chewy -- and don't hesitate to talk while you eat, too.

The researchers, from the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), an engineering school in Montreal, have developed a chin strap that can harvest energy from jaw movements, including eating, chewing and talking. Results of testing the device were published this week in the journal Smart Materials and Structures.

That's right game addicts, soon you may be able to keep your wireless Oculus Rift strapped to your cranium and stay in the game while you pound down that hoagie and know that you're actually extending your game time while you chew.

The chin strap is made up of piezoelectric fiber composites, a smart material composed of integrated electrodes and an adhesive polymer matrix that creates an electrical charge when stressed by jaw movements. Piezoelectric technology is nothing new -- we've seen similar smart shoes and even a proposal for roads that harness their own vibrations to create power -- but the stretchy power-generating textile is a novel approach that could make sense as we enter the bold new world of wearables.

By the way, we're not just talking about those new, hyped wearables like the Apple Watch or Google Glass. More practical applications might be to use this kind of tech to charge things like hearing aids and cochlear implants. But the researchers say there's still more work to be done before that becomes a reality.

"Given that the average power available from chewing is around 7 microwatts, we still have a long way to go," study co-author Aidin Delnavaz said in a release. "However, we can multiply the power output by adding more PFC layers to the chin strap. For example, twenty PFC layers, with a total thickness of 6mm, would be able to power a 200-microwatt intelligent hearing protector."

A single PFC layer currently costs about $20, which could make a 20 layer strap a little pricey, but the researchers say the device would also pay for itself in a few years by saving users the cost of expensive replacement batteries.

If this takes off, people might go back to using their phones for actual phone calls, if for no other reason than to charge their batteries through gabbing.

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Intel partners with Fossil for fashionable wearables

Intel has partnered with SMS Audio, Barneys, Opening Ceremony and now Fossil in its wearables push. Ben Fox Rubin/CNET

After unveiling its first luxury smart bracelet this week, Intel said Friday it's teaming up with watchmaker Fossil Group to push forward wearable technology in the fashion world.

The chipmaker said it plans to combine its technology and Fossil's design capabilities to create new products and support growth of new kinds of wearables. Additionally, Fossil will work with Intel Capital, the company's investment arm, to uncover co-investments and evaluate trends in wearables. Intel Capital is already invested in wearables startups, including Thalmic Labs, maker of an armband used to control computers with hand gestures, and Basis, a fitness-band maker Intel bought in March.

The Fossil joint project follows a series of announcements from Intel in recent weeks relating to wearables -- devices such as smartwatches and fitness bands that can run apps or sync with other devices -- as the chipmaker keeps up its expansion plans in that new market. Earlier this week, Intel unveiled its first luxury smart bracelet, called MICA, which was designed with fashion house Opening Ceremony and will be sold at high-end retailer Barneys New York. Last month, the company revealed new heart-rate-tracking headphones created with SMS Audio, rapper 50 Cent's headphones company.

Fossil -- which designs watches, belts and handbags -- will gain from Intel's tech and engineering expertise, and potentially allow it to jump into a wearables market already drawing in several major tech firms, including Samsung, LG and Sony. Apple is expected to introduce its first wearable Tuesday. Also, the partnership could help Fossil keep up with other traditional watchmakers, such as Timex, which already moved into selling wearables.

The Fossil effort keeps with Intel's strategy of partnering with product makers, instead of it selling directly to consumers on its own. That plan allows Intel to work off its partners' already established brands, retail presence and distribution networks, and focus instead on technology.

Intel has struggled to expand out of its core PC chipmaking business, so far failing to make a profit in mobile chips this year and agreeing to sell its young Internet-TV business to Verizon. Still, wearables are expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. Intel cited a 2013 study by researcher MarketsandMarkets that said the global wearables market will grow beyond $8 billion in revenue in 2018, up from about $2.5 billion in 2012.

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Samsung's Milk Music spills over to Web TV, wearables

NEW YORK -- Samsung Electronics is getting serious about its Milk streaming music service.

Samsung is pushing its Milk music service hard. Sarah Tew/CNET

The company unveiled an expansion of the service, which started on its Galaxy line of smartphones and will now be expanded to Web TV and wearables.

"It's effectively a big-screen jukebox for the 21st century home," said John Pleasants, executive vice president of Samsung Media Solutions Center of America, in an event held at its new offices here.

The Milk Music service will come preloaded with the Galaxy Note 4 and Note Edge, he said.

Pleasants said that each version of Milk was designed to specifically fit each screen. In addition to smartphones, Samsung has a lineup of Web-enabled televisions and smartwatches like the Gear S.

Milk competes with a myriad of streaming music services such as Spotify and Pandora, which work across multiple products and platforms.

Samsung also touted the "Artist Den" component of Milk, which provides listeners with access to artists and provide listeners with exclusive shows.

To promote Milk's curation abilities, Samsung trotted out Maroon 5's Adam Levine and James Valentine to as "the anchor curators."

"We're going to curate the heck out of that thing," Levine said. He also joked that he would be taking part in a "ceremonial iPhone burning" after the event, eliciting a handful of cheers.

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