Samsung is spinning out six new projects from Creative Lab (C-Lab), an in-house program that offers employees the opportunity to work on ideas separate from their core functions at the company.
C-Lab has been operating for more than four years, but it was only at CES this year that Samsung first showcased some of the fruits of the program, which permits employees to take a year away from their regular post to work on their idea. In June, Samsung revealed that it was spinning out five new startups as standalone entities. These included one based around quirky smart belts and an 'idea printer.' And a few months back, another spinoff turned to Kickstarter to help fund a new smart shoe for golfers.
Now, Samsung is shining a light on the next wave of C-Lab spinoffs -- some of which were demoed earlier this year -- and which are now officially on the fast track to becoming real products.
Fitt360
The Fitt360 is a completely new reveal from Samsung, and it doesn't appear to have been demoed at any point in the past. Samsung calls the Fitt360 a "360 degree camcorder" that is apparently worn as a headband and lets users record everything around them in all directions. Based on the first product photo, however, it doesn't look as though it literally captures video in all directions. But it promises hands-free controls, and should cater well to the burgeoning virtual reality (VR) industry.
"In comparison to existing 360-degree cameras, which are large and inconvenient, Fitt360 is hands-free and easy to use, allowing an individual to become fully immersed in VR content," Samsung says.
It's worth noting here that these are all still early-stage projects, and there is no indication when -- or even if -- they'll reach the public market.