Mixed reality glasses
Jio showcased its upcoming JioGlass, a mixed reality (MR) headset in the shape of an unassuming pair of spectacles at the gigantic Jio booth, along with a more affordable JioDive VR headset. This unobtrusive piece of wearable tech promises to bridge the gap between our physical world and the limitless possibilities of augmented and virtual reality.
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The JioGlass is capable of displaying content on a large ‘virtual screen’, allowing users to switch between AR and VR modes on the fly. The glasses are studded with two high-definition displays with a 40-degree field-of-view that combines to create a large 100- inch virtual screen to watch content such as movies and sports.
It stops short of being an independent device, with users having to tether it to a smartphone running either Android or IOs, or to a Windows or Mac computer. There’s also an integrated microphone for voice calls. The futuristic MR glasses were announced at the Reliance AGM earlier this year, but we still don’t have a launch date yet.
Satellite broadband
The landscape of internet connectivity in India is on the brink of significant transformation, with satellite-based internet services soon to become a reality. This development holds the promise of extending connectivity to areas that have hitherto remained beyond the reach of 4G and 5G networks.
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While regulatory hurdles remain, Jio showcased the instruments and interfaces behind its upcoming non-terrestrial broadband connectivity. Called SpaceFiber, Jio promises gigabit internet speeds to any corner of the country using medium earth orbit satellites in partnership with SES. In fact, Jio has already connected four remote locations in India with high-speed internet, as it showcased at IMC. Remote locations that were previously unconnected, such as Gir forest in Gujarat, Korba in Chhattisgarh, Nabarangpur in Odisha and ONGC-Jorhat in Assam could access the internet at an average speed of 800-900 Mbps. The technology is like Elon Musk’s Starlink, which will complement Jio’s vast network of fibre optic lines in its mission to connect the entire country with high-speed internet. Jio is yet to announce plans of a wider rollout but has said the plans are going to be affordable.
Autonomous suitcase
Also seen on the showfloor was a suitcase, tilted on its side, autonomously following a suit-wearing executive. Temporarily termed Buddy, this smart suitcase from startup Arista Vault drew a lot of attention from visitors who crowded around co-founder Atul Gupta to enquire about the product. The suitcase is designed to follow its owner around airports and train stations. Gupta said it uses AI to balance itself and remain in close proximity to its owner.
It’s also sturdy enough for someone to sit on and travel around the airport. The product is yet to hit the market. At its booth, Arista Vault also showcased its smart wallet that comes with an attached power bank and can be traced from a smartphone, a smart keychain, laptop bags, and more. All of them come with anti-theft functionalities, RFID protection and more.
Zero-energy 6G sweater
Inside Ericsson’s booth where it showcased a glimpse of a 6 G – connected world, a red sweater laden with zero-energy sensors could be seen inside a glass enclosure.
It’s a smart sweater that can send your body temperature data directly to your phone without having to be connected to any source of energy. The magic lies in a chip attached to the sweater that works without a battery or any other power connection.
It harvests energy from the radio waves around us. Ericsson says the adoption of zero-energy devices is crucial to reduce cost and power needed to run and maintain devices in the 6G era, where more machines are set to be connected to the internet. While it wasn’t as exciting as the remotely operated car Ericsson showcased at IMC last year, executives at the booth explained how this technology can have larger applications in agriculture, logistics and defence, among others.
Cockpit of connected cars
Known primarily for its smartphone chips, Taiwanese chip maker MediaTek has also forayed into the automotive space with a smart cockpit meant for the cars of the future.
Called MediaTek Dimensity Auto, it is an automotive platform to drive the future of intelligent, always-connected vehicles. That includes a range of technologies including 5G and satellite connectivity solutions, a chip to enable ADAS solutions in cars and a smart cockpit for multimedia needs inside the car.
At IMC, the company showcased the cockpit, which can connect up to 16 screens for a comprehensive in-car infotainment system. Applications such as 360 degree camera view, climate control, instant messaging, telemetry and more can be seen from the screens while driving. MediaTek is working with NVIDIA to leverage its GPU capabilities to deliver a semi-autonomous driving experience for the cars of the future.
A smart feature phone
While the rest of IMC spoke about 5G and 6G, Jio showcased a 4G model that is set to speed up the migration from 2G to 4G. This is a feature phone with WhatsApp, UPI, and live TV and music streaming capabilities. The phone is set to launch around Diwali and will be part of the Jio Bharat platform, with an affordable 4G plan with 1GB daily data. The phone works on KaiOS and has a 2.4-inch display.
VR Cricket
At the expansive booth of Vodafone Idea was a large section dedicated to VR gaming, a 5G use-case that the telecom operator is banking on for monetisation once it eventually launches 5G services.
The telco had two games in its showcase, a VR combat shooting game in partnership with Yudiz Solutions, and a VR cricket game in partnership with iB cricket.
With the World Cup fever on, the cricket arena was surrounded by kids eager to be at the virtual crease, taking on fast bowlers and scoring runs through the gaps.
Visitors were made to wear a VR headset to transport them to a cricket stadium amidst loud cheers and play strokes with a specialised motion-detecting bat to score runs, with the gameplay streamed live on a large screen.
