How Wearable Tech Will Change Your Life
With Google Glass, Apple’s Watch and FitBit-type products gaining popularity among consumers, it seems like every company is working on a piece of wearable technology. What can wearable tech do for you today, and what’s coming down the pike?
$53 billion
Projected market for wearable devices by 2019
Shipments of smart wearables by year (units)
2014: 27 million
2017: 116 million
Vision
View emails, calls and notifications
Turn-by-turn navigation
Internet access
Record video
Products and prototypes:
- Google Glass
- Innovega iOptik Contacts
- Telepathy One
- GlassUp
Hearing
Monitor vital signs
Play music
Products and prototypes:
- Intel InvenSense earbuds
- iriverOn
- Apple (patent application)
Skin
Netatmo’s June bracelet monitors your daily sun exposure and makes recommendations about clothing and SPF protection.
Electrozyme’s disposable temporary tattoos would gauge electrolyte and hydration levels, muscle exertion and physical performance.
Sleep
Monitor sleep patterns
Detect signs of sleep apnea
Gentle alarm
Prototype:
- NeuroOn (formerly Zizz)
Fitness
Movement tracking
Heart rate tracking
Skin temperature and perspiration monitoring
Tracking calories burned
Silent-wake alarm
Mobile phone compatible
Products:
- Fitbit
- Nike+ FuelBand SE
- Jawbone UP24
- Basis Peak
- Samsung Gear Fit
Clothing
Wearable Solar’s under-development products integrate solar panels, enabling the garments themselves to serve as charging stations.
Products on the market by Voltaic Systems include backpacks that come equipped with solar panels.
Fabric being developed at Purdue University (for helping make space-faring robots safer) could be used for “Back to the Future”-style automatic fitting clothing, as it uses pressure and friction to move itself.
FuelWear’s Flame Base Layer, a shirt still in development, would automatically adjust its temperature based on your body temperature.
Clean air
Hand Tree, a concept developed as part of an Electrolux contest, is a bracelet-style air purifier.
Feet
Taking fitness to the foot level, Sensoria’s Fitness Socks track activity and measure cadence, helping runners improve their form.
Behavior
Pavlok, a bracelet-style device, aims to help reinforce good behavior by delivering an electric shock when you do something you’re not supposed to do, like miss the gym too many times.
Sources:
http://www.cnet.com/topics/wearable-tech/best-wearable-tech/
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/computing-promotions/wearable-technology/pcmcat332000050000.c?id=pcmcat332000050000
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100853138/page/2
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-glass-alternatives/67018/
http://www.wearabletechworld.com/topics/wearable-tech/articles/390143-smart-wearable-device-shipments-more-than-quadruple-2017.htm
http://www.boston.com/health/health-tracking-devices-try/vVwdPnTNv9C8vf9Xq6K5CN/gallery.html
http://www.wearable-technologies.com/2014/04/hearables-the-new-wearables/
http://mashable.com/category/wearable-tech/
https://www.netatmo.com/en-US/product/june#view3
http://techcrunch.com/2013/09/14/the-zizz-is-an-intelligent-sleep-mask-which-helps-you-get-better-zzzs/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/intelclinic/neuroon-worlds-first-sleep-mask-for-polyphasic-sle
http://wearablesolar.nl/
http://www.voltaicsystems.com/
http://www.sensoriafitness.com/
http://medcitynews.com/2014/09/electrozymes-metabolism-monitoring-temp-tattoos-backed-mark-cuban/
http://www.wearabletechworld.com/topics/wearable-tech/articles/389725-automatic-fitting-jackets-more-possible-with-purdues-robotic.htm
http://www.crunchwear.com/pavlok-armband-gives-shock-something-bad/
http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/13/flame-base-heated-shirt/