WingX Pro7 on Pebble Watch

Wearable Navigation and Alerting

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At Sun ‘n Fun 2014, Hilton Software, maker of the popular WingX Pro7, showed an interface between the iPad/iPhone app and the Pebble e-Paper watch.

WingX Pro7 for Pebble uses a Bluetooth connection to integrate the watch with the WingX Pro7 running on an iPad or iPhone.While the watch won’t display mapping graphics, WingX Pro7 for Pebble displays major navigation information including GPS speed, track, altitude, estimated time enroute (ETE), estimated time of arrival (ETA), desired track (DTK) and distance simultaneously to the next waypoint and the destination airport.The Pebble also has battery indicators for the watch and iPad/iPhone power, as well as a configurable timer for timing fuel or instrument approaches.

The interface for Pebble provides four types of vibration warnings to the pilot, including pre-selected altitude warning, when passing a fix in the flight plan route, when descending below 1000 feet above the airport elevation and when the timer has expired. The interface is complete enough to fly a full instrument approach, departure or arrival feature without having to rely on visual alerts on the iPad/iPhone display.

“One of the biggest complaints we hear about the iPad/iPhone is the reflectivity of the display. With the WingX Pro7 Pebble interface, pilot’s can place the tablet on the seat or on top of the glareshield, for example, and get valuable flight plan information and warnings directly on the watch,” said Hilton Software founder Hilton Goldstein.

Hilton believes that wearable devices provide a paradigm shift that may help make measurable headway in reducing accident rates.As we continue to expand WingX Pro7s reach into the system data bus of Boeing, Airbus and various military aircraft, I envision a new breed of aircraft warning systems based upon wearable devices.For decades, designers have studied ways of alerting pilots-few of which have had much success. The Pebble vibration warnings really get your attention,” he said.

WingX Pro7 for Pebble (which is free) runs on Pebble and Pebble Steel watches and is in the Pebble app store. The Pebble watch sells for approximately $150. For more information visit HiltonSoftware.com and watch the video demonstration from Sun ‘n Fun 2014.

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