Axio returns as Melon, an EEG headband that'll help you learn to focus

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Insert Coin meet Melon, a headband that'll help you learn to focus" data-src-height="347" data-src-width="620" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/melon.png" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">The quantified self movement's gaining steam, with companies creating all sorts of gadgets to track our activity levels, sleeping habits and even what's going on inside our heads. Melon's an EEG headband that taps into your brain's inner workings to show you how well you maintain mental focus. We actually saw Melon's prototype predecessor last year when it was called Axio, and while this new band packs largely the same components, the design's been refined to a much thinner profile. As before, its got a trio of electrodes for sensing brainwaves, a NeuroSky chip for filtering out extraneous electrical noise and Bluetooth 4.0 for offloading data wirelessly. It sends data to iPhones (Android's in development) running the Melon app, which translates that info into a focus graph -- generally speaking, the higher the neural activity in your pre-frontal cortex, the higher your level of focus. Users then input contextual data tags like time of day, type of activity and the surrounding environmental conditions to allow them to track variables that may affect their focus. </div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"> In addition to helping users learn what affects their focus levels, the app also provides tips for improving focus and a game to help you increase your mental powers. The game is simple: you start with a plain image of a piece of paper, and as you focus on that image, it folds itself into an origami shape. While the official app is all the Melon software currently available, the company has plans to launch a free SDK to allow devs to build their own apps for the platform. Additionally, the goal is to have Melon be compatible with other biometric platforms like Nike+ and Fitbit. For now, the app is iOS only, but an Android version is scheduled to launch in a couple months.</div></div>

Axio returns as Melon, an EEG headband that'll help you learn to focus

The quantified self movement's gaining steam, with companies creating all sorts of gadgets to track our activity levels, sleeping habit...

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Fujitsu prototype GPS cane hands-on: the future of monitoring and protecting the elderly

<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on"><hr dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" /><div class="image-container" dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Fujitsu prototype GPS cane" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/02/mwc2013fujitsugpscanemain.jpg" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Fujitsu's Stylistic S01 isn't the company's only attempt to cater to an older audience. It's also experimenting with a rather ingenius (and super glossy) take on the classic cane, that looks like something out of a sci-fi film. Inside the two-toned elliptical head-piece are a pile of electronics, including Bluetooth, GPS, WiFi and a cellular radio. And at the front of the grip is a small display, consisting of an array of multi-color LEDs. Those little bulbs light up, primarily in red or green, to communicate through simple pictographs. The primary function is to offer directions using the GPS. The LEDs tell you which way to head with simple green arrow animations and alert you to upcoming turns by flashing a red exclamation point. While we understand and appreciate the simplicity, the combination of relatively dim LEDs and the glossy design made it a bit difficult to make out direction under the harsh lights of the Fujitsu booth -- we can only imagine things would only get worse under a glaring mid-day sun.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">This isn't just a dumbed-down guidance device, however. The GPS can also be used to track movement, while other sensors on board can monitor temperature, humidity and heart rate. There's a small pad at the top where you place your thumb to get a BPM readout. Should the heat get cranking and grandpa's heart rate start to climb, a loved one could set a destination for him remotely and lead him to the nearest place to cool off. Fujitsu reps said the current prototype is capable of lasting between two or three hours on a charge, though we imagine much longer battery life will be needed for it to become a practical, everyday solution. There's no telling if or when this futuristic walking stick will hit the market, but we wouldn't be surprised to see some form of it in the next year or two. Technology moves quick and the healthcare industry is one of the quickest growing markets for the cutting edge. If you'd like a glimpse of how the system might work, check out the video after the break.</div></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="349" id="viddler-4eb9c6b1" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="//www.viddler.com/embed/4eb9c6b1/?f=1&offset=0&autoplay=0&secret=11771436&disablebranding=0&view_secret=11771436" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="545"></iframe></div>

Fujitsu prototype GPS cane hands-on: the future of monitoring and protecting the elderly

Fujitsu's Stylistic S01 isn't the company's only attempt to cater to an older audience. It's also experimenting with a rat...

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