Japan's Wearable Expo: collars to monitor pet feelings, Toshiba's Wearvue

The World's largest exhibition for wearables has opened in Tokyo and it is already producing some headline news. Smart glasses, including ones that measure brainwave patterns and Toshiba's "Wearvue" that allows a user to watch a 13-inch sized screen from a distance of 1.25 meters, and fabrics, such as an electronic kimono, appear to be the most popular. One wearable expected to be of particular interest is a pet collar, developed by Anicall, that can analyse over 40 kinds of movements to discern our pet's emotions; owners will be able to tell if their pets are happy, relaxed, want to play or are annoyed by using a smartphone application that links to the advice. Anicall's gadget is different from rivals as it can be used on cats as well as dogs, which should tap into a soaring popularity of feline pets; the pet collar is due to hit the market in April.

year, the event has doubled in size, with 210 exhibitors this time

From electronic kimonos to sensors that know what your pet is feeling, the Japan's Wearable Device and Technology Expo promises to reveal some of this year's most creative - and oddest - technological innovations.

The world's largest exhibition for wearable devices and technology opened today, with over 210 exhibitors.

Smart glasses and fabrics seem to be the most popular exhibits - with even an electronic kimono on show.

A model displays Japanese electronics giant Toshiba's smart glasses 'Wearvue.' The lightweight device, weighing 50g, enables a user to watch a 13-inch sized screen from a distance of 1.25 meters and will go on sale end of next month

A cat wears a communication device called the 'Internet of Animals', developed by Japanese electronics venture Anicall. The device is equipped with sensors of motion, temperature and air pressure which can be display an animal's feelings on the owner's smartphone

Among the presenters will be DuPont and Toshiba, who will display smart clothing, headsets, and wristbands.

Smart glasses will be also popular across the exhibitions, with models coming from Hakugan and Brother, and more.

In a December statement, Yuhi Maezono, show director of Nepcon Japan and the Wearable Expo, said this year's show would bring in a larger number of fabric and textile technologies.

A Japanese traditional kimono made with printed electronics materials (left), and Brother smart glasses (right)

The expo, he explains, highlights the trends of this growing field. Wearable devices must be small, lightweight, and self-sustaining.

One of the major issues confronting this type of technology comes from contact with the human body.

A pianist wears special gloves with motion sensors and plays a keyboard to record finger work. Japanese music instruments maker Yamaha developed the gloves with 12 sensors of flexible nanomaterial consisting of aligned carbon nano tubes to monitor the finger movements of players

Japan's eyewear company Hakugan president Hiroyuki Sasaki displays a prototype model of eyewear with sensors of electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure brain wave patterns. The device, developed with high-tech venture NeuroSky, is the world's first EEG with eyewear as a stress free tool for brain wave tests

Toshiba's 'Actiband.' The expo, show director Yuhi Maezono explains, highlights the trends of this growing field. Wearable devices must be small, lightweight, and self-sustaining

Contact leads to corrosion, he says, and wearable devices must be able to withstand frequent contact with skin, sweat, and other human factors.

Conductive fibers will be the main exhibit of fabric and textile innovators, Yuhi Maezono says.

These devices will connect the human body to the internet using flexible materials, and data can be check with apps and websites.



The expo promises to display wearable devices for all walks of life, from business, healthcare, sports, and fashion applications.

Japan's textile maker Gunze employee displays a flexible piano, called textile piano, which has touch sensors and a digital sound source at the Wearable Device Technology . The device is flexible and made from a foldable knitted material with electric conductivity to play music anywhere.

An exhibitor shows a micro radio-frequency identification (RFID) made by TODA KOGYO Corp, pictured above and below.

The expo promises to display wearable devices for all walks of life, from business, healthcare, sports, and fashion applications

There will even be wearables for your pets.

The expo has doubled in size since last year, this time bringing on 210 exhibitors.

'Compared to last year, the number of exhibitors increased especially from wearable parts/materials manufacturer and fiber manufacturer,' said Maezono.

'It is a trend we see that explains companies [that] are exhibiting to catch the new market and together create the wearable industry.'

According to the show director, the expo will be the 'worldwide hub of the cutting-edge technology.'

Dupont printed smart clothing materials, for the feet (pictured left) and your hands (right)

An exhibitor shows a printed smart clothing material by Dupont. According to the show director, the expo will be the 'worldwide hub of the cutting-edge technology'