ZTE launched CSX Project last month in order to design a smartphone or other consumer product based on input from the community. People submitted ideas last month, and voted for the best ideas at the beginning of September, and the results are now in. There used to be a popular proposal to make a ZTE Ubuntu phone, but for some reasons since they may make one anyway, this has not been selected by the jury, and instead the three winning ideas are:
- Self-Adhesive Smartphone with Optimized User Interface via Eye Tracking System and Split Screen Technology
- Powerglove (Android application control of hands)
- VR – Interactive diving mask
The first solution had by far the most votes, and the main purpose is to use the phone without touching it. Two laser-focused front cameras would track the eye movement to let the user scroll the screen with eye, while it’s been stuck to wall via its self-adhesive polymer back. The phone would also implement a split screen with a dual directional viewing LCD showing different content to the left and the right angles, except for the user himself, which would be protected from eavesdropping.
Powerglove would be a Bluetooth connected, programmable robotic glove to help users to learn tasks such as playing piano, or soldering, and if fitted with extra sensors, it could also be used for rehabilitation, or patient’s with Parkinson’s disease or/and arthritis.
The last project, a submersible virtual reality headset, would let you swim with sharks or see corals reefs while under water in your own swimming pool. There’s also a front camera, so it can be used for augmented reality application. Maybe chasing marine Pokemons?
Now ZTE expects the community to build on those three ideas, or even submit completely new ideas, with some concept images for the hardware and if relevant the user interface, and possibly some explanation about it could be built. The deadline is September 30, 2016, after two more round of voting will take place, and ZTE will start implementing the crowd-sourced idea by the end of October, and hopefully deliver a commercial product in 2017.
Via Liliputing.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Here is the email informing about the drop of the Ubuntu idea (which was highest in user rating):
“The CSX winners of Phase 1 will be announced tomorrow. Before they are announced, I do want to let the members in this thread know that Ubuntu was seriously considered – especially since it had the greatest number of votes. Per the rules, the voting phase narrowed the list to the top 20 ideas for the judges to select the final three. Ultimately, the panel made from members of ZTE and select media, determined that Ubuntu could be placed into an existing phone from ZTE, such as Axon. So we determined that we would keep a potential Ubuntu project separate from CSX, as we are trying to crowdsource the next great mobile device.
This does not limit the potential for ZTE to build Ubuntu into one of our phones. We have listened to this community and it will be considered in a future project. We will also be studying and monitoring the progress of Ubuntu and we welcome any updates from all of you to keep us educated on such progress.”
@C
Thanks. Still a good news then.
Public voting is open with two new options: Stock Android phone, and smart covers @ http://www.projectcsx.info/
The eye tracking phone won -> https://community.zteusa.com/community/csx/blog/2016/10/20/congratulations-winner-of-project-csx