Home > Nanotechnology Columns > The Future of Nanotechnology > Nanotechnology in Your Pocket: Samsung's New Smartwatch and More
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Amanda Richter |
Abstract:
Recent advances in nanotube technology are making it more likely we'll see consumer-grade nanotechnology within the decade. Samsung unveiled a new smartwatch in September 2013, that uses nanotechnology to provide phone service to a device no larger than a business card.
September 20th, 2013
Nanotechnology in Your Pocket: Samsung's New Smartwatch and More
Recent advances in nanotube technology are making it more likely we'll see consumer-grade nanotechnology within the decade. Samsung unveiled a new smartwatch in September 2013, that uses nanotechnology to provide phone service to a device no larger than a business card. The smartwatch, dubbed Galaxy Gear, links to another smartphone for the majority of its functions but can nevertheless function as a simple phone. Galaxy Gear extends the functionality of a smartphone by allowing users to connect calls without having to actually use their mobile device, as reported on CNET.
Samsung Galaxy Gear Comparison
Nokia's Hydrophobic Nanotechnology Resists Water
Nokia, in collaboration with Cambridge University, has been looking into creating waterproofed phones with the aid of nanotechnology. A nanotechnology coating could be the answer to avoiding many insurance claims, as it would ensure that water would simply be rolled off the device harmlessly. The product was demoed in 2011, at Nokia World, but hasn't been entered into production yet. Hydrophobic material isn't far off in other fields, either. Rust-oleum has already reduced its NeverWet product, which uses similar technology for home maintenance purposes. Waterproof coating isn't the only direction this could go in, either. Nanotechnology coatings could also be used to create scratch-resistant or even self-healing surfaces.
Samsung Creates a Bendable Phone Screen
In 2013, Samsung released a new bendable phone screen that can be folded, bent and rolled up. The technology could potentially be used to create a phone that has an expandable screen, which could increase the overall screen size available for future phones. The flexible screen technology has been reported by Android Community to be slated for the market in November of 2013, which will directly compete with the new iPhone 5. As of now, the flexible screen is simply being used to increase form rather than function, but the models released next year might show radical advances now that it has hit the consumer market. The flexible display is being tested out on some of Samsung's less popular models of phone before it's moved to their flagship products, which could mean that Samsung has big things in store for some of its favorites.
Wireless Power Goes Biological
Science Daily has reported on new nanotechnology that could potentially be used to convert the heat of one's body into power. This power could then be used as a charging device for a phone. Using a user's body for power isn't altogether a new thing — wristwatches have been automatically winding themselves this way for decades. This use of nanotechnology, however, could revolutionize the way humans power devices. It wouldn't just have to be used by phones, either. Accessories, including LG cell phone accessories, could be powered this way, too, given the minute amounts of power most of them require.
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| Samsung Galaxy Gear (right). Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Hi-tech@Mail.Ru |
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