Reliable exporters: find them and meet them

Wearing a VR helmet to virtually battle monsters, putting on a smart headphone that plays music according to the user’s mood… you can try these new gadgets at Global Sources Mobile Electronics show – the world’s largest mobile electronics sourcing event which kicked off at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo yesterday. Buyers can also experience and source the latest mobile devices and accessories, speakers, headphones, AR/VR devices and wearables from Verified Suppliers across the 2,800 booths at the show. The event will be held till April 21 and Shenzhen enterprises are the main cast of the show, accounting for 56 percent of total booths.

Some 170 booths of VR devices

Once you wear the helmet, you won’t feel the presence of crowds of visitors at show floor, feeling like a lonely hero fighting with monsters inside a grand palace. At this spring’s VR Experience Zone, HTC showcased a series of new VR hardware and service. Its latest VIVE Pro has been regarded by the market as the benchmark in the industry. Compared with previous headsets, this year’s version is equipped with bigger earphones. This bypasses the trouble of plugging in another earphones to the headset to enjoy the VR experience. Its sound effects bring a more life-like immersive experience. Some users might find it too frightening given the virtual impact of the experience. 

At present, the VIVE Pro has been adopted for test use and widely applied in different aspects such as education, medical and auto industries. There is a program that simulates a surgery setting at operating theatre where the game console works like human hands to carry out different treatments such as bandage and injection. 

Zeng, the person-in-charge at the experience zone, said: “Some doctors in Hong Kong use the game to conduct simulations of surgeries. Some schools also use the VR devices to let their students ‘enter’ the microcosm of cellular system where they can gain ‘first-hand experience’ on the process of cell formation.” Zeng further added that although VR is mainly applied in gaming at present, they will try to apply across many different aspects. 

Mobile Electronics is the second phase of Global Sources Electronics show where about 170 booths are showcasing VR products and devices. The fourth VR/AR/MR Ecosystem Summit will be held today and featured speakers from Qualcomm, HTC, EmdoorVR and Invisionate sharing the latest developments and personal insights into the future of the industry.

Sports headphones become more “intelligent”

Physical exercises has become a trendy activity recently, which has prompted sports headphones to be a highlighted product of the market. Have you ever heard of “bone conduction” earphones? This type of  earplug employs earphones that are placed near the bone outside tragus where it invokes a slight paralysis while music is playing. The user can hear the voice clearly even in a noisy environment. Shenzhen Haishengwei Electronic Co. launched the YAKLEE bone conduction Bluetooth headphone which is built on bone conduction of acoustic waves where sound is transmitted to auditory nerves via the skull and jaw. 

Jiang from Shenzhen Haishengwei explained that this kind of acoustic wave transmission won’t hurt the eardrum nor hinder incoming external sound. This type of headphone mainly targets sports players undergoing training or while running. As it will not block out incoming external sounds, users can distinguish traffic conditions and noises, enabling them to be more aware of their immediate surroundings and road hazards. The on/off and sound level control is designed for single-hand operation, and delivers a more convenient experience for sports users. 

The bone conduction technology is mainly used in medical and military equipment at present. Industry players are trying to promote it for wider consumption. “This type of product is suitable for athletes as well as elderly with deteriorating hearing ability,” added Jiang. Their bone conduction earphones cost only around US$30, much cheaper than hearing aids. Jiang further added that their products are mainly selling to Europe, the U.S. and Japan now. 

How to “free” the hands for athletes is a common topic for many sports product enterprises. Shenzhen Wuji Electronics Technology Co. launched headphones with a “magnetic” switch. When the two earplugs are separated, they turn on; when they are put together, the earphones turn off. Wei, the company’s engineer said the power consumption of this earphone is comparatively lower and it can play music for six hours continuously at the medium volume level. 

Can sports headphones become more “intelligent”? Cheung Chi Long, Assistant Marketing Manager of Hong Kong exhibitor Actwell Digital shared at the “Artificial Intelligence Outlook” Conference that AI could generate a number of possibilities for earphone designs in future. The “Hera Leto One” headphones they designed, received a Germany Design Award in 2017. This product is specially made for “child-centric” parents, helping them enjoy sports and music amid busy work and housework. 

The “Hera Leto One” headphones adopt a smart human conduction technology which can monitor heart rate, create a 15-minute jogging or 10-minute relaxing music using AI technology. Cheung added: “For example, if the device senses anxiety developing within the user, it will generate some leisurely music so as to hint that the anxious parent to relax. Similarly, while exercising, users tend to have a higher heart rate, the product will adapt to a faster rhythm to help attenuate their mood.” 

Tommy Wong, President of Global Sources Electronics Group, said that many exhibitors would like to understand more about the consumers latest behaviors so as to enhance their product specifications and fulfill such needs. Further, products that help to manage people’s health are growing in popularity. According to Wong, this spring Electronics show is expected to attract some 65,000 buyers from 150 countries and territories, including representatives from global leading brands and retailers such as Dell, Intel, eBay, Google, Huawei, Sony, and many more.