Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/765777
Consumer Electronics Daily News 5 3 Thursday, January 5, 2017 Home Audio/Video components. We will also unveil Air by Crazybaby, our revolu- tionary true wireless earbuds that received the Honoree award and raised over $2.3 million through our crowd- funding campaign. Finally, we will launch the world's first telescopic WiFi speaker Luna by Crazybaby with multi- room functionality and a customizable color wheel. CEDN: How do these products shake up the industry? AZ: All of our products offer industry firsts. Our true wireless earbuds, Air by Crazybaby, incorporates carbon nano tube technology which is a major indus- try breakthrough. It will allow Air to have a more comfortable, ergonomic design while looking, feeling and most importantly sounding spectacular. Mars by Crazybaby is the world's only auto-levitating Bluetooth speaker that offers HiFi sound, wireless charging, portability and an award-winning design. It sounds as good as it looks and we believe these are just some of the reasons it received the Best of Innovation award here at the show. Luna by Crazybaby also offers sev- eral industry firsts. With its telescoping 'Eye,' it can create additional space inside the speaker necessary for air flow, premium sound and reduced vibration. It also includes Meshnet technology that Crazybaby (Cont'd. from p. 1) allows up to 32 devices to be paired together at once and a Party Mode that gives multiple phones access to Luna at the same time to share the DJ controls. CEDN: Why did you create Crazybaby? AZ: Music is part of my everyday life. I'm an audiophile at heart with a passion to design and innovate. I saw a need in the marketplace where many audio prod- ucts were falling short. Some of these products offered either good sound qual- ity, cool design or an affordable price, but none were delivering on all three. I want- ed to bring the consumer a premium product that they could afford and be proud to own. Since that time, we have strived to innovate visually captivating products at a low cost with an unparal- leled listening experience. CEDN: Why the name Crazybaby? AZ: I've always admired a certain quote from Steve Jobs: "the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." Crazy. The word baby comes from watching my own children explore the world with curiosity and without boundaries. Baby. I combined these two words to form Crazybaby and represent the crazy, inno- vative and unrestricted ambitions of our brand. For more information, visit booth #20206. compromising sound quality or comfort – so that's exactly what we researched, developed and delivered," said Thad Olson, President of Hearing Components. "Already we're hearing positive feedback from customers who are thrilled to get the best of both worlds in a truly wireless, high-tech fashion." Enhanced Audio Because the Truly Wireless Premium Foam Tips are designed to create a cus- tom ear canal seal to block out outside noise and environmental distractions, wearers can enjoy music and phone calls without raising the volume to compensate for outside noise. With a perfect ear canal seal, Comply tips funnel pure sound directly into the ear, maximizing the lis- tening experience and enhancing the bass. Custom Fit, Soft Comfort Using proprietary memory foam technol- ogy, the Tw Series premium tips are body- heat activated to conform to the unique shape of a person's ear canals. This dynamic, custom fit stays put, while seal- ing in all frequencies for a fuller sound. Plus, the breathable memory foam provides all-day comfort by eliminating in-ear irritation and fatigue often associ- ated with traditional silicone tips. They also are 30 times softer than traditional silicone tips. The comfortable, snug fit allows sensor contact with the ear for fitness tracking and biometric devices, like heart-rate monitors, so fitness enthusiasts can benefit from cordless convenience, too, without holding back. Comply Foam plans to release a SweatGuard™ version to protect earphones from moisture dam- age in early 2017. Comply (Cont'd. from p. 1) Comply Foam features the new Truly Wireless Premium Foam Tips along with its other audio accessory inno- vations in booth #20648. Comply Foam Truly Wireless Premium Foam Tips are compatible with The Dash and The Headphone by Bragi, Samsung Gear IconX, Jabra Elite Sport and Motorola VerveOne, among others. For more information about the Comply foam tips and the full line of Comply products, visit www.comply- foam.com. About Comply Foam Hearing Components, manufacturer of Comply products, was founded in 1990 to identify and create unique, innovative foam solutions that enhance and protect hearing. The U.S. National Institute of Health has awarded several grants to Hearing Components to study the ear and mechanics of hearing, with the intent to improve and protect hearing. Comply technology is used in con- sumer electronic products; military, secu- rity, law enforcement and industrial com- munication devices; audiology devices; commercial aviation communication devices; and for critical communication and/or noise isolation in high-noise envi- ronments. Comply is an R&D company focus- ing on dramatically improving the physi- cal connection between a person's per- sonal audio and ears. With more than 20 years of clinical in-ear experience, and Ph.D.-level knowledge of and expertise in biochemistry and comfort-focused sound technology, Comply has improved the quality of listening. For more information, visit www .complyfoam.com. REYEDR HUD FOR MOTORCYCLISTS: HEADS-UP DISPLAY FOR SAFER & SMARTER RIDING REYEDR, a start-up from New Zealand, has been furiously developing its HUD for motorcyclists. It adopts a unique retrofit approach – the device when fitted to a full face helmet converts it into a smart AR device. REYEDR's (pronounced rider) mis- sion is to connect motorcyclists with their machines in a way that transforms the ride experience. The way in which we view information on motorcycles has not really changed since being developed a century ago. AR combined with smart- phone computing now provides the abili- ty to improve safety by delivering key information at eye level. By eliminating distractions from looking down at the dash, motorcyclists can now ride safer by keeping their eyes on the road at all times, to look out for hazards. The REYEDR HUD (with universal helmet mount) and REYEDR smart- phone app deliver key information about the bike, route and ride group. Leisure motorcycling is a popular recreational activity in the developed countries; the social aspect of the app is designed to connect bikers to this large community and discover new routes, through those who have ridden in the past or to experi- ence with those in their ride group. Motorcycling is a risky sport. By keeping riders geo-connected with their group and the ability to alert emergency servic- es, it gives riders and non-riding loved ones peace of mind. REYEDR has attracted interest and support for its venture from the outset. A born-global firm, with operations in Auckland, New Zealand, REYEDR is now seeking distributors, IoT collabora- tors and investors for its venture. It was a finalist in the University of Auckland Spark Entrepreneurship Challenge 2015, and Alumni of the Lightning Lab Digital Accelerator 2016. AUGMENTED REALITY & SMARTGLASSES LEADER CLOSES SERIES A FUNDING Osterhout Design Group (ODG), leading developer and manufacturer of mobile AR/VR smartglasses, announced the closing of a $58 million Series A funding round. Shenzhen O-film Tech Co., Ltd., Vanfund Urban Investment & Development Co. Ltd. and several indi- vidual investors participated in the round alongside principal outside investor and strategic partner 21st Century Fox, previ- ously announced in January 2016. ODG will use the funds to accelerate its exist- ing production capabilities, complete its new products, which are being intro- duced at CES, expand its patent portfolio and significantly grow its team world- wide. "For eight years, we've taken a very systematic approach to designing and refining our smartglasses for specific applications from the U.S. government, industry and enterprise customers in a wide variety of markets, and that will not change," said Ralph Osterhout, Chief Executive Officer of ODG. "We careful- ly picked investment partners who not only share ODG's product vision and growth strategy, but also have the reputa- tion and reach to expand ODG's global presence and market recognition." Continued Osterhout, "People are realizing the potential for mass adoption of high-end mobile devices with the power to transform and simplify their lives. This funding round, our first ever, ensures we are well positioned to intro- duce our latest designs at CES, which will likely form the largest category of smartglasses worldwide." ODG has been pioneering the next generation mobile computing platform and bringing forth a new frontier in visual experiences with its smartglass- es. Already award winning, the compa- ny continues to push the boundaries with AR/VR 'mixed reality' and mobile technologies. Shipping to specialized customers since 2011, ODG has seen rapidly growing demand from a broad base of industries for its fully self-con- tained, computerized glasses with their photo-realistic, "see-through," 3D dis- plays. All of its models are fully inte- grated, small, light and sleek. Their onboard GPS/IMU-based navigation gives users the ability to experience telepresence, tele-maintenance and tele- repair everywhere. ODG will continue to refine and advance its technology and will transform the way we create, view and consume content in a form with the familiar size and comfort of sunglasses. About Osterhout Design Group San Francisco based Osterhout Design Group (ODG) was founded in 1999 as a technology incubator and today is focused on revolutionizing wearable technologies and headworn computing for government, enterprise and ultimate- ly, consumer markets. The company is privately held and as of October 2016 has over 80 employees. For more information, visit www.oster houtgroup.com or follow the company on Twitter at @osterhoutgroup.