Motorola's president and chief operating officer, Rick Osterloh, opened the day with a review of the company's work over the past year. He also teased the new Moto X and Moto G, products we would see more of later that day.
Motorola showed off various prototypes of the Moto 360, included square and rectangular watches. The lab had multiple units based on different wrist sizes and shapes.
Motorola uses a number of different 3D printers, from basic ones built with a Makerbot printer to higher-resolution industrial-strength printers, to test out potential new products. Above are a number of random 3D-printed objects, including several Admiral Ackbars of "Star Wars" fame. Fortunately, Motorola's invitation to its office was not a trap.
In addition to 3D printers, Motorola has tools such as lasers for cutting leather precisely. Pictured above is a Motorola executive standing in front of a computer numeric control machine, which can precisely cut material like steel or wood. Once the company has created the right model, it can take it to the manufacturer for mass production.
In this facility, smartphones are subjected to drop tests, button presses, and other forms of torture simulating the wear and tear one of its products faces in its lifetime. These tests aren't unique to Motorola; all of the handset manufacturers and many carriers conduct the same product durability trials.
Motorola's physics lab studies every part of a product and determines how it would react to the impact of a fall. The lab examines every angle at varying speeds and heights. It even has a high-speed camera to capture the impact to ensure its calculations are correct. The physics lab is also responsible for looking at heat dissipation and the use of different materials such as leather.
Motorola conducts rigorous sound tests to ensure that your voice sounds clear when you're talking through lots of ambient noise. There's also a mock wrist with a Moto 360 for voice commands.
