Cicret: the virtual smartphone that stirs controversy – ZDNet France

On paper, the project is salivating. A French start-up works on the idea of ​​a virtual smartphone projected on the user’s arm from a simple bracelet. Cicret baptized, the project is based, among other things an online fundraising campaign and agitated Internets. First, because all technophiles dream about but because the project does not seem to stand up.

It is true that a strap with a pico-projector and sensors in order to display a virtual smartphone on the forearm is a concept straight out of science fiction novels that will excite any geek normally constituted. The French startup even claims have already convinced a wealthy Indian investor of the relevance of the project.

But for some observers Cicret is not ready to see the update. Our colleagues 01Net and link a team undersized for this type of ambitious project (5 people including one technician), lack of industrial partner or patent pending. Yet officials Cicret questioned by our colleagues promises a prototype in June 2015 before start of production “massive”. At the same time, the budget is far from being completed, with only 14% of 700,000 euros referred were collected.

Finally, the technological question can also be asked. In the current state, is such a project feasible? Again, there is doubt, especially concerning the pico-projector whose size, even for the smaller models, appears too large to fit into a simple bracelet. Same question for the battery that needs to be powerful enough to display the virtual smartphone.

In short, the project is really exciting and could even make a difference in the relationship between man and machine. Still, for the moment, it would be similar to a sweet dream at best, at worst a scam.