This week’s Smart World Series features the first autonomous self-driving vehicle prototype, new features to wireless speaker line, a 3D-printed bracelet that records shows as you fall asleep, and a year-end roundup of the most notable innovations in the wearable tech market.

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For those who missed last week’s Smart World Series, here’s a chance to catch up on the exciting developments in the connected world.  Each week, SiliconANGLE rounds up the top news trends regarding smart homes and cars, smart data centers and IT, smart infrastructure and all things related to the Internet of Things.

Google reveals first self-driving vehicle prototype

Search giant Google has revealed its first real build prototype, a working version of its self-driving vehicle. It is the first self-driving car from Google that was built from the ground up, and includes new features such as a steering wheel to adhere to California’s Department of Motor Vehicle rules, headlights and indicators.

What makes this new vehicle different from other autonomous car efforts is that the technology to make the vehicle drive by itself is not retrofitted to an existing vehicle, but is built from scratch so every aspect of the design is best suited for self-driving technology.

Read the full story here.

LG’s new W-Fi speakers respond to text messages

LG Electronics, Inc. unveiled new features to its line of Music Flow wireless speaker systems. The update includes a new battery-powered portable Wi-Fi enabled speaker, two new Wi-Fi sound bars and a streaming 3D Blu-ray Player.

It is compatible with both Android and iOS devices running the Music FLow app, allowing it to stream music from services such as Spotify, Rhapsody or TuneIn, directly to the speakers. LG will be showcasing this and other connected device at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2015.

Read the full story here.

3D-printed wearable records TV when you doze off

For those prone to falling asleep during interesting TV programs, there’s a new wearable device caller KipstR which acts like a DVR remote that you can program to either pause or record the show you are watching when you doze off. The 3D-printed device is currently compatible with Virgin Media’s TiVo box, but the teenage inventors are working on making KipstR compatible with other DVRs.

Read the full story here.

Best of wearable tech in 2014: Diabetes drives innovation

The wearable tech market left quite an impact on the health sector, as new inventions such as Google’s smart contact lenses emerged to monitor blood glucose levels. Several of this year’s biggest innovations were borne of necessity for diabetics seeking painless alternatives to finger-pricking, along with reporting tools to manage daily blood sugar.

This year-end roundup also includes a smart lighter that has the potential to help smokers kick the habit, wearable tech that makes healthcare more affordable and accessible to consumers, and nail polish that could help women avert rapists with roofies.

Read the full story here.

Tune in next week for more interesting stories, discoveries and innovations in the world of smart and connected things.

photo credit: Saad Faruque via photopin cc