The Impecca Alert Band knows you’re feeling sleepy
What's more, it's going to do something about it
Is it a Wi-Fi-boosting Alice band?
No, and nor is it a Geordi La Forge-style image-enhancing visor. Did you know that during Star Trek filming, the prop visor that was supposed to give his character amazing multi-spectrum vision actually caused the actor to walk into everything? And gave him headaches? Them’s the breaks. Anyway, it’s not that. It’s a brainwave-detecting headband. When it senses that you are about three minutes away from falling asleep, it sends a notification to your phone.
What, to wake me up? That’ll be bloody annoying.
Yeah, but just think about how pleased your passengers will be when they find out their journey doesn’t take a surprise detour through two fields and someone’s living room. Reveal! It’s a driving device, to make sure you don’t overdo it behind the wheel and end up testing your car’s NCAP rating while already unconscious. In fact, the Alert Band was dreamed up by someone whose friend was injured after being hit by a dozy driver. But therein lies the problem with a gizmo of this kind: assumed responsibility.
Ah, because the driver who might consider wearing this is less likely to need it?
Exactly. A professional road warrior – such as Trucker Tobias or Regional Sales Sandip – might argue that their experience is superior to the Alert Band. Whereas the infrequent long-distance driver – Driving Home For Christmas Derek – might be more aware of their susceptibility, but will likely turn their nose up at the US$250 asking price. So, unless it’s made compulsory or built in to cars’ safety systems in the future, better file it under ‘interesting’. And in the meantime (and forever after), we dearly hope it doesn’t occur to our bosses to implement it at our desks…
READ MORE: CES 2015: Trends in wearable tech explored
Fraser Macdonald
consulting editor 
