While attending the AIMExpo motorcycle convention in Orlando on Oct 16th, I had the opportunity to visit a company that piqued my interest by using the words Bluetooth and motorcycle gloves in the same sentence. It’s not mystical but it is pretty impressive to see how some creative minds came up with a patented design for motorcycling and snow-skiing enthusiasts to more effectively control smart phones, music, and video while they are moving down the road or slope.
BearTek Gloves are an evolution of wearable technology specifically designed for outdoor enthusiasts to make their adventures safer, more enjoyable and uninterrupted by integrating Bluetooth capabilities into a premium glove. The gloves launch globally on October 21st.
The gloves give skiers, snowboarders, and motorcyclists the Jedi control of their smartphones to access their cell phone, music, helmet Bluetooth communications, and even a helmet-mounted Bluetooth video camera. This built-in technology allows anyone participating in action sports that require gloves to focus on the sport, not their device. The gloves operate by tapping the thumb to various finger touchpads embedded along the sides of the fingers, to send a signal to the Bluetooth module that is safely tucked away in the glove. This means that your fingers remotely control and operate a phone and music whether on the mountain or on the open road, and it’s no longer necessary to fumble around or to stop your activity in order to maneuver the phone. The gloves work with two interchangeable modules: the patent pending Bluetooth/Wireless Sync Module technology and the Camera Module, designed for use with GoPro products. It offers wireless control of your phone, music, media, and camera – letting you answer calls, play/pause and skip music tracks, and capture your ride in video or photos.
The gloves are made with high-quality waterproof liners and provide warmth and protection from the elements. Inside the cuff of these gloves is the patent-pending Bluetooth wireless sync module technology that is the core of the finger-touch control system. A fully charged module provides up to 80 hours of battery life.
Some safety tips are included with the instructions and one is certainly important for motorcycles — don’t use the Bluetooth devices when you are in a potentially explosive atmosphere such as a gas station, or where the air contains chemicals, grain, dust or metal powders.