Recon Instruments, the Vancouver smartglass maker that is giving Google Glass a run for its money, has picked up an Ernest C. Manning Innovation Award.
The company – which will soon start shipping its Jet smartglasses for athletes – is among the 11 recipients of the 2013 awards recognizing excellence in innovation in Canada.
Recon founders Dan Eisenhardt and Hamid Abdollahi will share a $10,000 prize for the heads-up display (HUD) device they developed.
The first HUD is for skiers. It fits into ski goggles and gives skiers access – via a small viewing screen – to things like maps and GPS, and can be synched to a smartphone.
The company’s latest innovation is the Jet glasses, which are designed for other athletes – cyclists in particular. These sunglasses provide riders with GPS, maps, access to phone and text and also can take video and photos, like Google Glass. It also connects to sensors like heart rate monitors.
As reported in Business in Vancouver last week, Computer Giant Intel recently invested $4 million in Recon.
The $100,000 grand prize winner of the Manning Innovation awards was shared by Patricia Lingley-Pottie and Patrick McGrath of Halifax for social innovation. Their Strongest Families Institute uses telephone, video and websites to provide distance counseling for families dealing with behavioural problems in children.
The second place prize ($25,000) went to Henry Luo of Kitchener, Ontario, for his AntiShock Technology, which is used in hearing aids to detect and suppress sudden harsh noises.
Five Canadian teenagers also won Young Canadian awards.
“This Foundation champions Canadian innovators of all ages from across Canada,” said Jennifer Diakiw, president of the Ernest C. Manning Innovations Award foundation president.
“These are Canadians who inspire us with their imagination to innovate and the stamina to succeed. We want to shine a national spotlight on them as Canada works to build our knowledge-based economy.”
Awards recipients will be honoured at a gala in Calgary on October 16.
