‘Wearable Technology’ – Are You Wearing One Yet?

How often do you check your smartphone in a day? If you thought it is just a few times, you are in for a surprise. A study says an average person checks her device 85 times a day, spending a total of five hours browsing the web and using apps!

That might sound a bit crazy but not inexplicable given that our smartphones have moved well beyond the realm of mere phone calls and text messages. They have changed every facet of our life - from the way we buy things, book cabs, play music, pick food, take pictures, track appointments, navigate GPS, run business, to even how we connect with our family. And their usage has been overwhelming - thanks to the deluge of apps every passing day!

Of course these have promptly landed us in an exponentially connected world where there is an exceptional volume of data. Like the proverbial forbidden fruit, they are enticing us enough for a 24/7 access. As you move around with technology, how would your hand-held device (be it a laptop or a smartphone) enable a seamless access especially if you are busy driving or running or swimming?

Well, how about ‘wearing’ the technology in the form of a shirt or a watch? Or even embed it under your skin so you don’t have to remove it every day?

· Smart watch that tracks your steps and monitors your run
· Tech bracelet that knows when you are happy or stressed
· Contact lenses that measure your glucose level in tears
· Wearable patches that scan your location for UV radiation and toxic gases
· Wrist air bag that saves you from drowning... 

Sounds like a sci-fi movie? Welcome to the world of ‘Wearable Technology’.

‘Wearable Technology’ or simply ‘wearables’ refers to electronic technologies that are integrated into clothing or accessories which can be worn comfortably on the body. They are laden with electronics, software, sensors and connectivity so that they could exchange data with you or your smartphone without requiring human intervention. While the idea is to put them on and remove with ease, there are also implanted devices such as micro-chips or smart tattoos embedded beneath the skin. As technology increasingly becomes a part of our everyday life, it helps if it gets less intrusive and become a part of our body while enabling a stable, seamless and hands-free access to electronics and computers.

Wearable devices have therefore manifested into watches, glasses, contact lenses, smart fabrics, headbands, caps, rings, pendants, bracelets, earrings, shoes, and every possible accessory under the sun. And as you read this blog, a few more might be in the offing. Therefore I have covered just a few basic categories here.

Fitness bands and trackers: Wearable Technology first became trendy when fitness bands and trackers took the world by storm. Usually worn on the wrist or clipped to a belt, these comfortable and durable watches can perform anything from accurate step tracking, to sleep monitoring, smart alarm, waterproof swim tracking and 24/7 heart rate tracking. Pairing well with smartphones, the latest ones offer great apps that help to log your food activities, blood pressure, etc.

Smartwatches: These are wrist-worn devices that connect to your smartphone and update you on notification of calls, messages, emails as well as social media. Despite its poor sports features and the lack of GPS, the Apple Watch was one of the first wearables that delighted the user. The latest smartwatches with advanced sensors come with modes for hiking, biking and fishing, while certain models also aim at treating specific diseases for e.g. Parkinson’s disease by recording patients’ tremors, gait, sleep patterns and recovery.

Sports watches: For those who love running, swimming, cycling, and every other sport, a dedicated sports watch is doing wonders. Beyond simple tracking and pace information, the latest devices with GPS can provide feedback on your heart-rate  while helping out with your swimming and cycling needs. For e.g. the latest cycling watch could give you a live coaching on your pedal rotations and when to change a gear. If you ever get lost while running, the running watch will help you get back on track and find your way back home. 

Head-mounted displays: When you read about wearables, do you immediately imagine a cyborg wearing fancy, futuristic data glasses? Though Google disrupted healthcare technology by releasing a prototype of the Google Glass as early as 2013, interestingly these are the least practicable wearables. There are two categories - Immersive wearable displays block a user’s view of the real world, create a large field of view and can act as a user’s personal cinema or gaming display. See-through wearable displays can provide augmented reality experience with data and graphics overlaid onto the real world or simply provide regular updates such as weather, messages, and maps.

Smart clothing: None of the above accessories are as indispensable as your cloth. And slipping into one may need no special technology. Plus you could design a shirt in hundred colours vis-à-vis an expensive sports watch. No wonder experts are betting big on smart clothing as the future of wearable technology. It could either be a fashionable garment with electronics or normal clothing with additional functionality. For e.g. a smart color changing t-shirt could monitor your physiology and display it. Levis, the popular clothing brand has partnered with Google to offer smart denim jeans under a project named Project Jacquard. These smart Jeans will let the wearers control their phone features from the surface of the garment which means, soon you will be able to silent your phone call by just touching your jeans or remember a location of restaurant by pushing a button on your denim jacket.

Smart jewellery: Aimed at women for now, the next generation of earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings are embedded with fitness tracking and notifications to discretely notify the user of texts, calls or emails when her phone is out of reach. It also helps in contacting her friends or family during crisis. For e.g. Leaf wearables, a startup in India has introduced a specially-designed pendant, bracelet and key chain in a small circular device called SAFER. When a threat is perceived, the user double clicks the SAFER device that is attached to the jewelry which triggers the corresponding app. The app sends an alert to the wearer’s network which could be her family or friends. It also has a GPS function and includes a map showing nearest hospitals and police stations.

Implantables: These are devices surgically attached somewhere under your skin. They might be for medical reasons, like contraception or insulin pumps that automatically administers if blood glucose is running low, etc. Researchers at the University of Illinois have created an implantable skin lattice of computer fibers more slender than a human hair that can screen your body's internal workings from the surface. A Seattle-based company has created an NFC chip, which can be embedded in a finger through a tattoo-like procedure, giving you a chance to unlock or enter codes by simply pointing the finger at things.

Wearable Technology is still far from mainstream - may be because of privacy and security concerns thanks to its huge access of personal data (which might get worse if it is stolen or lost). Or because it is expensive and consumes a lot of power. Or for the simple fact that it is unfashionable and unattractive for now. 

May be that's why invisibles (where wearables need not be seen at all), ingestibles (yes, it is the smart technology that you could swallow) and hearables (smart earbuds that help you listen to messages and updates and relay voice commands to your smartphone) are expected to become the future trend. And if you are not wearing any of them yet, you could be wearing one soon! Good Luck!