Not to be confused with First Flight, the internal crowdfunding platform that’s designed to finance projects from internal Sony employees – Sony has a new research initiative called Future Lab Program that’s all about steering the company’s innovation in a very public way. As Mariella Moon writes for Engadget:

 Instead of treating the concepts that come out of the lab as closely guarded secrets, Sony plans to share the program’s prototypes with you. In fact, it aims to use your feedback to refine those prototypes and make sure the company’s heading in the right direction. Sony will show off Future Lab’s first prototype at the SXSW conference, which is scheduled to begin on March 12th in Texas. 

So what kind of devices are we likely to see here? Think more mobile and smaller in scale like the HUIS Remote and Qrio Lock.

 This first concept is codenamed “N,” and all we know about it at the moment is that it’s a wearable device with a hands-free interface. It promises a new way of experiencing music and sound without having to insert anything in your ear. 

Things not to expect to pop up here? Televisions, PlayStation, and camera products – you know, the more expensive sound where they’re truly competing on a global scale. After the jump, a very interesting teaser from Sony Future Lab for their upcoming product.

Discuss:

What do you think about the initiative?

[Via Engadgets]