The shine of the wearables is really wearing itself out, with tired ole designs reiterating themselves on almost every electronic show. In such a redundant scope, the Blocks’ modular smartwatch stands out like a breath of fresh air – with its open-source credential that alludes to collective functionality. In other words, the smartwatch can be customized in accordance to the user’s multifaceted requirement; as aptly showcased by the early prototype and mock-up versions at CES 2015.

In tune with the modular design, the Blocks’ smartwatch will come with its range of variant hardware modules, like cameras, fitness trackers, health monitoring components, GPS and so on. These sensor modules are designed like watch links – which can be chosen by the user, and then snapped together to form a complete yet customized watch set. And, this is where the open-source ambit comes into play – with third-party developers creating and even retailing many such module ‘blocks’, all within the scope of the Blocks ecosystem.

Now, beyond the various self-contained systems, the core processing power of the Blocks’ modular smartwatch is expected to be fueled by an Intel component and an Android operating system (with Windows compatibility); accompanied by the device’s exhibit an e-ink or LCD display configuration.

As for the commercial side of affairs, the design had already made its debut in Intel’s Make It Wearable challenge, held in late-2014. And now, the designers are looking forth to a Kickstarter campaign – which would probably launch the final product at the end of this year. This is complemented by the encouraging news that many developers have already signed up for creating unique modules, while the Blocks’ team is working hard to further streamline the ergonomic layout of the ‘collective-inspired’ product.

The base module might cost around $150 (£100), and extra modules will have retail prices ranging from $20 to $40 (£13 to £26).

Via: ITProPortal