Tech mate

Gadgets are a man's new best friend in fashion.


P. Ramakrishnan
Mar 11, 2011

It's no longer the high-fibre thread count but the high fibre-optic thread count that's revolutionising the world of fashion.


Take the iWallet. It's a biometric, carbon-fibre piece that comes with a thumbprint scanner so only the owner can open this pocket Alcatraz. Potential pilferers can try to grab the cash inside, but as they swipe their finger-tips on the thumbprint scanner, the wallet will merely flash a red light and stay shut. Extra protection comes in the form of the wallet's Bluetooth connectivity - link it up to your mobile phone and if either prized pocket possession is more than 1.21 metres away from the other, an alarm will sound and the thief will be caught red-handed. To top all this magnificence, the company is adding a GPS tracker later this year, giving you another way to find back your pint-sized stronghold. The polycarbonate iWallet starts at US$299. (iwalletusa.com)



If there's a gadget that won't compress your bank balance, but your shirt, would you be up for it? The Under Armour E39 ("E" for electric) compression shirt is for the geek with an athletic proclivity. The T-shirt has a removable "bug" sensor that can measure the wearer's heart rate and breathing and records data of one's movement and performance in real terms, by tracking heart-rate, muscle movement, breathing rate and so on. Information that sports scouts, A-list coaches and trainers would love to have as they go hunting for the next big sports star. Sounds hyperbolic? Well, the American National Football League (NFL) has gifted its wanna-shine star athletes and players with the E39 shirts. In the not-so distant future, the results of T-shirt's recordings could potentially replace under-performing players on the spot, as the stressed-out coaches see what the players' hearts are doing in real-time. (underarmour.com)

Zegna Sport was the first in the market with its Ecotech Solar Jacket, a stylish windbreaker made from recycled plastic with detachable solar cells, but California-based fashion company Silvrlining has gone that extra mile.

The technology-embracing company recently launched its GO Collection, with a selection of rugged outdoor wear. The range features specially designed, extra-large pockets which each house independent solar panels. Stick the device in your pocket and let the healing power of the sun do all the work. The collection includes a variety of clothes for every fashion type, from a hip-length director's jacket to urban cargo pants, each patterned in an appropriate cell-print design. (silvrlining.com)

For those on the move, the SportVue from the Motion Research Corporation is a heads-up display that can be attached to most helmets and visors; the device provides critical data, including speed, distance and location. (motionresearch.com)

Similarly, from Zeal Optics and Recon Instruments comes the world's first GPS-enabled skiing goggles - made specifically for snow-based sports, it stands out from other display technology by essentially being a mini-computer embedded inside the eyewear. While tiny on the goggles itself, when attached the virtual projection micro-LCD blows up to appear as large as 1.8 metres to the viewer, displaying such essential information as speed, altitude, temperature, distance, location. It's enough to make a man want to take up a death-defying sport. (zealoptics.com)