The crowdsourced ideas that are part of ZTE's Project CSX are now down to the top three, and deserving of their spots, the lineup includes the self-adhesive smartphone, the Powerglove and the interactive diving mask.
At first, the company tapping consumers' concepts was thought to be a fruitless venture. At the time, it appeared that suggestions would've been limited to smartphone upgrades here and there such as bigger batteries, the perfect screen size and whatnot, which are factors that any manufacturers can figure out on their own.
Of course, in light of the submissions, that doesn't seem to be the case at all, as ZTE received some pretty nifty devices to consider.
The Self-Adhesive Smartphone
First up is the self-adhesive smartphone, and as the name suggests, it has a sticky rear to attach itself on walls. That sounds a bit gimmicky from the get-go, but it actually has a neat purpose. The device is loaded with eye-tracking technology, and because of that, users can operate it without their hands.
The Powerglove
Next up is the Powerglove. Basically, it's an Android controller for apps and games that wraps around the hand of the user. More than that, it can be used for rehabilitation and educational purposes, including learning how to play musical instruments via repetition and helping patients with Parkinson's and arthritis if it's fitted with flex sensors.
To do just that, users will have to download tasks with an app and run them. After that, it will move on its own, and depending on the task, it will guide the wearer's hand to develop fine motor skills accordingly.
"The glove performs the detailed hand and finger movement instructed by the application to run the tasks such as rehabilitation or learning instructions such as playing piano, throwing a curveball or learning to type," the developers say.
Before anyone says anything, yes, it does bear the same name as Nintendo's Power Glove.
The Interactive Diving Mask
Last but not least, the interactive diving mask is a mix of augmented reality and scuba diving. Essentially, it's a waterproof mask equipped with cameras and a display, allowing users to get an AR — not VR, as the developers claim — experience underwater.
What that entails is that wearers will get to see corals, dolphins or anything else like them in swimming pools.
Now, the fun's not over yet, as the people behind these three are now tasked with polishing their concepts. On top of that, a wild card will also be included in the roster. The participants have until Sept. 30 to finish things up, and the winning team will have its idea come to life thanks to a dedicated team over at ZTE.
What do you think of the top submissions in Project CSX? Feel free to drop by our comments section below and let us know, especially about whether or not you'd be glad to see any one of these available in storefronts here and there.
