SANTA CRUZ, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), a pioneer in wearable technology, today announced the company’s sponsorship of the Internet of Things Hackathon Series hosted by AT&T and Intel. The event will focus on the development of apps that are compatible with multiple devices including various mobile and desktop devices. At the events, Plantronics for the first time will provide qualified developers with its latest wearable concept device and APIs. The company is also contributing prize money for the top three teams.
The first event is in New York and starts on Friday evening, Sept. 27, 2013, and will run through Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013. The challenge for this series of hackathons is to craft new ways that the processor and “All-In-One PC” can be an integral part of the family experience. Ideas and interactivity models range from quantified self to multi-device, multi-player gaming and beyond. The series includes additional regional events in Colorado on Nov. 1, 2013 and Los Angeles on Nov. 15, 2013 with a national event in Las Vegas at CES on Jan. 5, 2014.
Those interested in participating can sign up for the AT&T Internet of Things Hackathon event here: http://iothacknyc-eorg.eventbrite.com/.
Plantronics will provide qualified teams with a wearable concept device built by the PLT Labs™ team (http://pltlabs.com). The wearable concept is a specially modified version of Plantronics flagship Bluetooth product the Voyager Legend®. The concept device provides a low-latency, nine-axis sensor which tracks head orientation in three dimensions, heading, pitch, and roll – in other words, the X, Y, and Z axes. It also features tap detection as well as free fall detection. The PLT Labs team has developed an API and sample applications that leverage the onboard MFI chip for ease of integration with the iOS platform over Bluetooth® as well as the Windows® operating system.
The PLT Labs team has built and demonstrated how a wearer could manipulate an avatar on an iPad in real-time based on their physical head movements. The company also has demonstrated an award-winning application that allows an individual anywhere in the world to share their view remotely via Google Street View and the Plantronics concept device.
The event will kick off with a round of lightening talks with speakers including Cary Bran from PLT Labs. Cary is the senior director of Innovation and New Ventures at Plantronics and will be joined by members of the PLT Labs engineering team to support developers with building integrations with the wearable concept device during the hackathon.
Plantronics has been a wearable tech pioneer for decades – developing and delivering personal audio solutions that are worn by millions to communicate. By making advances in on-board sensor technology and exposed APIs, the company has moved the classic headset beyond audio and transformed it into a wearable device and platform with possibilities only limited by a developer’s imagination. More information, including the SDK, is available via the Plantronics Developer Connection: http://developer.plantronics.com, which provides developers with the tools to bring aspects of a user’s physical world into applications.
About Plantronics - Simply Smarter Communications®
Plantronics is a global leader in audio communications for businesses and consumers. We have pioneered new trends in audio technology for 50 years, creating innovative products that allow people to simply communicate. From unified communication solutions to Bluetooth® headsets, we deliver uncompromising quality, an ideal experience, and extraordinary service. Plantronics is used by every company in the Fortune 100™, as well as 911 dispatch, air traffic control and the New York Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.plantronics.com or call (800) 544-4660.
Plantronics, PLT Labs, Simply Smarter Communications, and Voyager Legend are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
