How Wearable Tech Could Improve Your Life
In 2016, over 325 million wearables were connected worldwide and over 245 million wearable devices are expected to be sold in 2019 alone. The production, sale and use of wearable devices are increasing rapidly and findings from The Pew Research Center found that by 2025, wearables will be the norm.
But how can wearable technology be so useful to us?
A ‘wearable device’ as defined by Techopedia is; technology that can be worn on the human body. Wearable devices are also known as wearable gadgets, wearable technology or simply as wearables. But what significance do they have in our lives? The technology behind it is definitely interesting but what benefits do these wearable devices actually hold?
1. Wearables are convenient and improve connectivity
Wearable devices stand to being a sure-fire way to improve connectivity in society today. With the introduction of the smartwatch, any messages, notifications or alerts can all be dealt with. All without your phone being touched but keeping you in the loop. The smartwatch has definitely been a successful wearable as statistics have shown that in 2018, wearable wristwear devices accounted for at least 52% of worldwide unit sales of wearable devices and the prediction is by 2022 this will increase to more than 60%!
In our busy everyday lives, convenience is key.We want everything we need at the end of our fingertip’s wearable devices such as Google Glass and other smart glasses are helping to make that happen. The creativity doesn’t stop there. There are countless wearables being developed with the aim to make your life easier.
2. Wearables improve fitness and aid sporting ability
The obvious wearable that comes to mind for sports and fitness is again, the smart watch. Fitbit, has been the strongest leader in the wearable industry since 2014 and is far from being taken over by Apples Watch OS. Fitness trackers, running watches and general ‘sports’ watches are a huge hit with individuals from all walks of life, often they link to your phone and collate mass amounts of data from your workouts, daily steps, sleep even to water and food intake and provide you with clear reports on each.
However, wearables in this category have certainly advanced more recently from fitness wristwear to smart compression clothing. Smart compression clothing uses electromyographic (or EMG) technology, which detects the electrical impulses created in your muscles from the contraction of the muscle fibres. The workout gear then sends this data to your phone via Bluetooth and presents you with an array of data about your muscle’s performance. This article from Digital Trends depicts a first hand experience of this new kind of wearable.
3. Wearables can help our health and personal safety
From the not so technologically advanced panic button to underwear that comes with an alert system to inform carers of accidents. Wearable devices are becoming more useful for the health and personal safety of vulnerable adults.
Health monitoring is one major area that will thrive with the use of wearable technology. Take the example of the company Skiin. They are in the process of developing ‘smart fabric’ to improve the wearable technology for healthcare, from biometric measuring underwear to remote therapy knee braces and blood pressure measuring shirts.
There is even a smartphone-controlled pain relief patch (link to article) in development to add to the ever-growing list of wearable devices that will continue to improve the future of healthcare.Even take your personal safety up a notch with this mobile panic button from Wearsafe.
4. Wearables improve our productivity and work health
Regardless of what kind of wearable device is being used there is no denying that it improves communication. When messages are sent directly to the body there is little chance, you’re going to miss any information being thrown your way, especially if your role relies heavily on communication!
Wearable devices allow for streamlined time management through the use of time tracking and stationary alarms. Wearers of these devices can track the amount of time dedicated to tasks and time spent looking at screens in order to combat eyestrain, this can in turn improve task concentration. As past research suggests, short breaks from the desk can improve concentration and productivity, bearing this in mind, Apple Watch and Fitbit are just 2 smartwatch OS which alert stationary workers to get up and move around!
A recent study conducted by the University of London showed that wearable devices improved job satisfaction by 3.5% and productivity by almost 9%!
5. Wearables help us to relax and improve our happiness
From feeding us productivity and helping to reach your fitness goals. Wearables are also great for helping to improve our mood and general happiness. Take the Vi-Band for example.
Vi-Band is a hands-free head massager designed to help you to relax and give you a calming massage.
And keeping on the theme of relaxation, there’s a dream enhancing headband!
Auoura Dream Band, the dream inducing headband tracks your brainwaves as you sleep in order to detect when you are dreaming, it can then play subtle audio-visual cues in order to induce ‘lucid dreaming’ allowing you to attempt to control and enjoy it.
Wearable Devices and entertainment are definitely a source of happiness, and a VR headset is fun for everybody. Virtual Reality headsets allow users to submerge into the virtual world of their games, movies and more!
Check out some of the VR headsets available;
Its safe to say that with the way that the development of wearable tech is heading, it looks as though it will certainly be useful for the majority of us. It has the potential to boost any industry with the endless possibilities it can provide both individually and to the wider society around us. What do you think?