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The Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program is a one-stop-shop of experience and options, and a discussion board for wearables makers to collaborate.
That’s the phrase from these inside this system, who spoke to Wareable after the third WEAP Summit in Las Vegas in January 2023.
Constructing wearables is a massively sophisticated course of – with challenges on processor energy, sensor integration, and information evaluation, which all put huge stress on battery life.
And wearables nonetheless must be snug and classy to put on on the wrist, face, or different components of the physique.
The Accelerator Program is designed to simplify that course of for wearables producers – and produce collectively options from professional companions who’re already built-in into the Snapdragon ecosystem.
The Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program launched in July 2021 – and the third Summit came about in Las Vegas at CES in January 2023 the place Qualcomm introduced they surpassed 200 members all with one focus: serving to one another to nurture and drive ahead wearable know-how innovation.
We spoke to these concerned within the Accelerator Program, to learn the way this system is powering the subsequent technology of wearables.
Qualcomm – offering a wearables ecosystem
Ally Choi, Director of Product Advertising and marketing for Wearables at Qualcomm Applied sciences, Inc.
Qualcomm
“We do not need companions to spend time or cash on areas that aren’t their core strengths,” mentioned Ally Choi, Director of product marketing for wearables at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
It’s a easy thought, however one that may solely be realized you probably have a standard platform that your entire members are built-in into, enabling the sharing of concepts on a strategic, and technical stage.
The Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program is a list of all of the main options in a single house
“We need to present a sturdy resolution with an ecosystem that they’ll concentrate on their very own differentiation – they usually can spend their time and vitality bringing their very own differentiated general expertise in {hardware} and software program,” she continued.
Whereas some members of the Accelerator Program are wearables producers, resembling Fossil and Oppo, others embody {hardware} producers, cellular operators, cloud resolution suppliers, system integrators, know-how and resolution suppliers which can be centered on particular elements, resembling ECG, machine studying, gestures, or well being sensors.
That signifies that the Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program, and its annual summit, is a showcase for wearables innovation.
“The 2023 Summit was a very good alternative for all of those companions to come back in and showcase what they’ve labored on and the way they’ve optimized their options on the Snapdragon® W5+ Gen 1 Wearable Platform” she continued.
“It’s principally a list of all of the main options out there in a single house. With out this discussion board, it might be extra scattered and fewer environment friendly.”
Bella Bai, Affiliate Director of Wearable Product Advertising and marketing
Goertek
An instance of firms working collectively to get merchandise to market quicker is Goertek.
The corporate confirmed off its Gesture Management Band wearable, designed to be used in VR, AR, and the metaverse; Swell, its Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 powered glasses; and Hyperlink, its good band.
Getting its merchandise to market would have required an enormous funding in software program engineering. However it side-stepped this by tapping into the Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program group, and quickly accelerated its wearables’ launch.
“These days it takes a village to place issues collectively,” mentioned Bella Bai, Affiliate Director of Wearable Product Advertising and marketing.
“You assume wearables are small, however they’re truly very sophisticated. You want suppliers, and it is advisable construct a complete stack from part chipset providers and software program,” she mentioned.
We went from the thought to manufacturing in 8 months
“The Accelerator Program helps drive innovation. I feel it is since you put items collectively and other people begin to play with it and have concepts about one thing cool. It’s sharing knowledge and sources. It helps nurture innovation and construct partnerships in a extra environment friendly manner,” Bai continued.
“And I feel it is a synergy that the individuals you speak to have already got one thing to supply on the desk.”
“We began this mission about eight months in the past from zero. From there we accomplished design simulation, verification, after which manufacture – in order that’s a fast-track design cycle,” she mentioned.
LifeQ – Superior well being algorithms
Greg Newman, LifeQ director
LifeQ
LifeQ is a type of firms that may assist wearable makers convey top-level biometric options to their gadgets, with out hiring total divisions of well being tech expertise.
By combining its world-leading techniques biology experience with deep wearable engineering expertise, the corporate has been a significant participant in well being monitoring for 10 years and might convey its well being sensors, algorithms, and insights to the Accelerator Program members, due to its integration with the Snapdragon platform:
These groups have labored with each sensor, each platform, each working system, and have realized tips on how to get the most effective efficiency out of them
“One factor that actually excites us about Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 Wearables Platform is that Qualcomm has added a machine studying core. What that basically permits us is to straight run these complicated machine studying fashions, in what’s the most optimum location from an influence consumption and person expertise perspective,” mentioned Greg Newman from LifeQ.
And that signifies that LifeQ is ready to scale its know-how for all manners of wearable prospects – providing top-level evaluation of sensor information to an enormous vary of wearables gadget sorts.
“One of many distinctive benefits we convey to the desk is that these groups have labored with each sensor, each platform, each working system, and have realized tips on how to get the most effective efficiency out of them for steady sampling, and approaching medical grade accuracy,” continued Newman.
AliveCor – Seamlessly bringing ECG to wearables
Navneet Malpani, SVP at AliveCor Inc.
AliveCor
In relation to bringing cutting-edge options to wearables, AliveCor is without doubt one of the most blatant examples.
The corporate has a long-standing historical past in wearable ECG, and since AliveCor is built-in into the Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program already, it will probably assist producers shortly combine ECG into their smartwatches.
It’s the right match. It is essentially the most scalable wearable platform on the market, so we may make ECG out there to all Qualcomm’s OEMs
“It’s the right match,” mentioned Navneet Malpani, SVP at AliveCor Inc.
“We had been on the lookout for a scalable platform we may present our know-how on. Qualcomm has essentially the most scalable wearable platform on the market, so we may make ECG out there to all Qualcomm’s OEMs,” he continued.
As smartwatches more and more develop into well being gadgets, the street to getting acceptable information for regulatory clearance could be difficult for firms. And for many producers, an insurmountable one.
However AliveCor’s integration with Qualcomm through the Accelerator Program helps to speed up the general course of to commercialization.
“One other part we convey to the desk is that we’re very accustomed to the regulatory course of. We have now a number of merchandise which have already gone by way of regulatory clearance, we all know precisely what’s required, we now have the best experience, and can assist conduct these trials in a really cost-effective manner,” mentioned Malpani.
The momentum Qualcomm is constructing across the wearable ecosystem is thrilling and packages just like the Accelerator Program are a optimistic signal for issues to come back. It takes a village to construct a wearable. And the Qualcomm Wearables Ecosystem Accelerator Program helps convey the village collectively.