After a few hours of sun exposure, the necklace starts to beep. It's time to seek shade, to avoid sunburn. Unfortunately such necklaces are not yet available in the shops. But a handful of prototypes do exist. Made by Swedish Imego, they will be demonstrated at the electronics trade fair Elektronik-EP in Stockholm in January.
"We have made a sensor which measures UV radiation and indicates how much radiation the wearer has been exposed to during for instance a session at the beach. Now, we hope to find a company interested in producing and selling it," says Jan Wipenmyr, who is responsible for optical sensor development at the research institute Imego.
The prototype is about 50mm in diameter and 8-9mm thick, and Jan Wipenmyr believes the retail price could be SEK200-400 ($20-40). A special feature is that the sensor will withstand as well as interact with both sun creams and water.
The sensor is Imego's own idea and the research company has financed the development. The aim was threefold, Jan Wipenmyr tells Elektroniktidningen. Apart from being a genuine commercial idea, Imego wanted to show what they are capable of, and thirdly they thought the sensor would be a nice gadget for attracting visitors at the fair.
Technically, Imego has mastered the art of putting optical filters on diodes so that it is possible to manufacture sensors for different wavelengths. The sensor's display is developed specially by Swedish LCD-Center in Borlänge.
The prototype is about 50mm in diameter and 8-9mm thick, and Jan Wipenmyr believes the retail price could be SEK200-400 ($20-40). A special feature is that the sensor will withstand as well as interact with both sun creams and water.
The sensor is Imego's own idea and the research company has financed the development. The aim was threefold, Jan Wipenmyr tells Elektroniktidningen. Apart from being a genuine commercial idea, Imego wanted to show what they are capable of, and thirdly they thought the sensor would be a nice gadget for attracting visitors at the fair.
Technically, Imego has mastered the art of putting optical filters on diodes so that it is possible to manufacture sensors for different wavelengths. The sensor's display is developed specially by Swedish LCD-Center in Borlänge.
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