Wearable technology, wearable tech, wearables, tech toys, smart-style tech, clothing tech, cyber-tech, skin tech, i-tech, fashion tech, urban tech are buzzwords today all over the internet, television, radio and the world. Wearable technology includes everything from T-Shirts to watches. Wearables can also refer to any electronic device that can be worn to make you look ‘cool’. In short, wearable technology refers to electronic gadgets or devices that can be used on your body to make you look cool, or just plain cool.
With the term wearable technology being widely known nowadays, one may get the question: what is it, who’s it for, what’s the story behind it, etc? What is a Wearable Tech? Is it a new brand, new product or just an old technology recycled again? There isn’t much known yet, but Google has definitely jumped on-board and is researching, releasing, and expanding upon this cutting edge, high tech trend!
The term wearable technology actually means any electronic object that can be used to collect data, whether it be by capturing and storing data in your pocket, by processing information wirelessly through skin tags, or through obtaining oxygen by way of a data collection system worn by the wearer. Wearable tech can also mean virtual reality glasses, heart rate monitors, GPS/RFID readers, cell phone readers, cameras, wristwatches, t-shirts, bands, watches, hats, “smart straps”, and “smart jewelry”. Basically, wearable technology (wearable technology) covers pretty much every electronic product or object that can be used to collect data on human subjects.
If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, let me give you a quick primer: the wearable technology of today covers a wide variety of objects used for data collection. For example, if you’re worried about being left out in public, you could get on your Smart Ring and wear it everywhere so that any time you move, a notification will pop up letting you know that you’re being watched. If you’re concerned about people stealing your identity, you could wear a smart ring in public, or even behind closed doors. Also, if you have a medical condition, you could wear a band that records your electrocardiograph readings so that health professionals can look at them over time to spot trends or other potential problems. These and many more examples are why wearable technology is becoming very important to everyone.
What’s the story behind the rise of wearable technology? Since the 1980s, when computers first started becoming popular, there have been advancements in other aspects of electronic devices. Consumer electronics products have become smaller and more powerful. Laptops, desktop computers, tablets, phones… they’ve all become more flexible and are used in a number of different ways. This portable flexibility is one of the reasons why wearable technologies have only been around for such a short time.
Wearable electronics come in a wide range of forms. Some companies create entire lines of products just for people to wear around the body-just remember how early cell phones were used as a communication device (not to mention personal digital assistant). Other companies create wearables that fit over regular clothing, collecting data from the body that would otherwise be lost. Finally, other companies make wearables that work with the skin to gather data-sometimes from sensitive organs, such as the EKG sensors found in some people’s bodies.
Because this is a fairly new field, it’s going to take some time for wearable technology to reach its full potential. There are many areas of need for electronics-from health and safety to safety, from security to rehabilitation to entertainment. While this technology won’t completely change how we work, it will continue to grow, providing a richer, more personalized experience for everyone.
As we move into the future, there are going to be a number of different pieces of wearables hitting the market. The trend I see though, is that wearable technology will play a big role in the development of smartwatches. Smartwatches will be able to measure your heart rate, your temperature, and even record data from heart cells and oxygen molecules. These devices will allow you to get the information you need to get yourself back on track. We are already seeing this ability in some wearables-like the Fitbit and Jawbone bands-but I believe there will be more integration between these devices and the smarter wristwatches that will arrive in the future.