Covestro materials brighten user interface of Embr Labs’ thermal wellness wearable
PITTSBURGH, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Some people always seem to be freezing. Others often feel too warm. Now there’s an alternative to bundling up or removing layers of clothing to feel comfortable.
The Embr Wave is an intelligent bracelet that allows people to hack the way they feel temperature. According to manufacturer Embr Labs, the bracelet’s scientifically developed waveforms precisely stimulate a person’s thermoreceptors, leveraging the body’s natural systems to make the wearer feel cooler or warmer by 5 degrees in just a few minutes.
Embr Labs developed the product through years of iterative prototyping and customer testing. When it came time for the production design, the company wanted to use a frosted light pipe with LEDs as the primary user interface. “We turned to Covestro to help select the right material and optimize the design for optical performance,” explains Embr Labs cofounder Sam Shames.
Based on the requirements, Embr Labs chose Makrolon® 2407 polycarbonate, a UV-stabilized grade that offers proven performance for electronics, IT and communications applications. For the Embr Wave, diffusers and optical brighteners were compounded into the resin to achieve the desired visual effect.
This application follows Covestro’s foresight into the use of light as information, according to Joel Matsco, senior marketing manager, Polycarbonates – Electronics and Appliance, Covestro LLC. “Instead of using text or symbols, color and light are simple, minimalist—yet effective—means to convey information to the user,” he explains. “Covestro has deep expertise in helping brands and electronics manufacturers design with light.”
Covestro will host Embr Labs at its exhibit at the CES 2019 Conference and Exposition, January 8-11, in Las Vegas. Visitors can stop by the booth located in the Eureka Park Marketplace (Sands, Hall G – 52934) to learn more about Covestro’s materials and technical expertise for consumer technologies.
Please visit our CES landing page to obtain more information about all our activities at CES: https://www.lp.covestro.com/ces2019
About Covestro LLC:
Covestro LLC is one of the leading producers of high-performance polymers in North America and is part of the global Covestro business, which is among the world’s largest polymer companies with 2017 sales of EUR 14.1 billion. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, electrical and electronics, and medical industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics and the chemical industry itself. Covestro has 30 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 16,200 people at the end of 2017.
About Embr Labs:
Embr Labs is a “feelable” technology company focused on wellness that harnesses the power of cutting-edge technology to improve thermal comfort. The company’s flagship product, the Embr Wave, is an intelligent bracelet that allows people to control how cold or hot they feel. It leverages precisely engineered algorithms to deliver temperature sensation in waves, triggering the human body’s natural response to temperature change to help people feel more comfortable. Embr Labs was founded by four MIT scientists and is backed by investors including Bose Ventures and Intel Capital. For more information, please visit embrlabs.com.
Find more information at www.covestro.us or www.plastics.covestro.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
Makrolon® is a registered trademark of the Covestro group.
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