▲ Tomoyuki Yamamoto, Senior Manager, Research Division IV, Society Innovation Laboratories, Corporate Research & Development Group
In the "2025 Hit Predictions 100" selected by Nikkei BP's monthly information magazine "Nikkei Trendy," Shoulder-type Wearable Private AI, including Sharp’s AI SMART LINK, ranked first. Sharp won the award together with Fairy Devices Inc.'s corporate device, THINKLET, and SOURCENEXT Corporation's conversational AI device BirdieTalk.
Tomoyuki Yamamoto, Senior Manager, Research Division IV, Society Innovation Laboratories, Corporate Research & Development Group, attended the "Nikkei Trendy 2024 Hit Products & 2025 Hit Predictions Announcement Event" held at Otemachi Place (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) on Thursday, October 31, where Sharp’s AI SMART LINK was also exhibited.
▲ AI SMART LINK exhibited at the venue
The AI SMART LINK, announced on September 17th 2024 , is a wearable device developed in collaboration with Kyoto University of the Arts that enables easy and natural voice communication with generative AI simply by wearing it around the neck.
The "2025 Hit Predictions 100" comprehensively evaluates products and services expected to appear between 2024 and 2025 based on three criteria: sales potential, novelty, and impact.
The shoulder-worn type, unlike earphone or glasses-type wearable devices, does not interfere with the user's vision or hearing, has less weight constraints, allows for larger battery capacity, and includes other functional enhancements. Additionally, wearable AI devices are valued for their ability to support users' memory in various situations as a second brain.
Nikkei XTREND
Predicting Next Year's Trends: 2025's "Hit Prospects" and "New Consumer Trends" (Japanese)
Related Link
Development of Wearable Device, AI Smart Link (Japanese News Release)