Sony announced a new research and development group called the Future Lab Program on Thursday, and a curious video gives us a glimpse of the initiative’s first project. A teaser photo suggests that the device will be worn around the neck.
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The Lab apparently “aims to co-create new lifestyles and user value in the future”, so it “will share concept prototypes with users while still at the development stage, and look to them for inspiration, leveraging their feedback to refine and evolve its projects”.
A video on the Future Lab Web site didn’t provide much detail about how N works, but some reports indicate that it’s similar to The Music Wrap, a wearable that uses highly directed sound to create what its manufacturer calls a personal sound space. This first product from the Future Lab Program will be shown at the SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas starting Saturday, March 12.
The Future Lab Program is part of Sony’s more engaging creative direction which it hopes will help conjure up popular creations for the company and avoid costly failures.
The design for the Future Lab Program concept logo is based on an “F” and “L” motif that resembles a frame honing in on a target, the company says.
Additional letters symbolizing different concepts will be added inside the logo to coincide with each new prototype launch.
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The company plans to release a number of concepts to the public in order to gauge customer feedback and opinions, which will then go towards the development of future Sony products. However, not only is it hands-free, but also wire free and does not require anything to be inserted in the users ears.
