Smart flexible display maker Plastic Logic has teamed up with 878, the Hungary-based high-performance clothing brand to introduce Project One, the world’s first smart sailing jacket. The jacket owes its smart attribute to the small rectangular display in the sleeve that will show navigational and other information at all times.
The info is going to be sourced from the boat’s onboard systems and will be transmitted to the display via Bluetooth. 878 revealed the Project One is compatible with B&G and Raymarine boat systems with relevant navigation information transmitted in real-time onto the flexible displays. It’s like everyone on board will get to see exactly what the boat’s instrument cluster has to show. This will lead to better synergy among the sailors along with enhanced situational awareness.
Powering the display is a small system that is embedded on the inside of the jacket, complete with an integrated battery. The jacket needs to be charged though it is not known at the moment how long it can last on a single charge. Also, the system can be accessed via a mobile app that lets users choose the info they wish to see on their on-sleeve displays.
Further, the display remains discernible in almost any light and weather conditions. This makes such smart jackets the perfect accompaniment for almost any adventure into the seas and is going to be equally effective even during extreme conditions in the seas. No wonder, the jacket has already received excellent feedback, with at least five sailing teams already evincing interest in procuring those.
Johnson Lee, CEO of E Ink lauded the development and said flexible organic display tech that Plastic Logic provides offers a more robust smart yet flexible display solution compared to a-si or LTPS-based flexible displays.
Also, apart from its smart attribute, the other unique aspect of the jacket is the choice of material for the same – graphene. It is easily among the more advanced textile material ever made and offers high flexibility and weatherproofing while still being extremely lightweight as well. Of course, the choice of material for the jacket makes for a close fit for the display that too is known for its high flexibility and low power attribute.
Also, while such smart jackets are touted as tailor-made for sailors – both leisure and professionals – they can also find application in other sports activities as well. Those include cycling, or maybe for hiking or mountaineering activities too. It could well be the start of a new smart wearable segment that could end up having limitless applications.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
