Wearables | The connected body
Kurt Neubauer
THAUMATEC TECH GROUP | WE TRANSFORM YOUR HEALTHTECH INNOVATION INTO A PRODUCT
Wearables, as the name suggests, are gadgets that can be worn on the body. These devices usually have smart sensors and are connected to the internet to transmit, log, or analyze data. Pulsar’s calculator wristwatch can be considered as the first consumer wearable device to have achieved global success. Some humble beginnings were the first Bluetooth headset in 2000, and the first GoPro was launched in 2004. Google Glass that was released in 2013 was the first voice-operated optical head-mounted display product to combine hands-free internet access with augmented reality and the ability to capture images.
According Forbes opinion with the ongoing global pandemic, wearable technology didn’t make as many waves in 2020 as it has done in previous years. This isn’t surprising, as many wearable tech items are designed to be worn when we were out and about.
But there are view exceptions from the Forbes report:
According Statista the wearable market is still very promising, with shipments reaching almost half a billion in 2020, boosted by the development of 5G technology; More growth is expected in the future, as the wearable market is still far from reaching the saturation point.
https://www.statista.com/topics/1556/wearable-technology/#dossierKeyfigures
2021 the market is around 110 billion USD and the world market forecast for 2026 is around 260 billion USD, and all used technologies will be a big part of this with 125 billion USD.
There are and will be a lot of wearables already on the market, some simple, some sophisticated and many innovative too. Here is a little more insight, examples and information about wearables. Many of them are used in HealthTech and are as well in the focus of smart ideas and innovations.
The following things are as well available as smart wearables:
- Rings
- Wristbands, Armbands
- Belts, Headbands
- Special glasses
- Clued biosensors
- Bags & Rucksacks
- Hearables
- Clothings, Protective Clothes
- Helmets
- Mobile Devices
The applications are used in most industries and domains, e.g.:
- Business & Operations
- Industry & Manufacturing
- Security & Safety
- Healthcare & Medical
- Wellness, Fitness & Sport
- Lifestyle & Homes
- Fashion & Glamor
- Computing & Communication
The essential base technologies for wearable products, solutions and applications are in the areas:
- power efficiency
- light weight
- usability
- reliability
- safety
- security
- connectivity
- location service
- analytics - immediate action
- analytics - long term observation and decision making
- data recording and storage
- computer vision
- machine learning/deep learning
The features of wearable devices, applications and solutions are e.g.:
- Element tracking
- Physical access control
- Digital access control
- Visual access control
- Sleeping data and quality control
- Fitness data collection
- Emergency alarms
- Health bio data collection and alarming
Wearable technology and health
Thaumatec is currently concentrating on HealthTech therefore this area is deeply investigated by us during our projects for HealthTech clients in the physical, mental, social and environmental domains of this area.
Mobile smart watches are designed specifically for sports and health functions, including a step counter and a heart rate monitor. Wearable technology is often used to monitor a user's health. Given that such a device is in close contact with the user,
It can easily collect data. It started as soon as 1980 when the first wireless ECG was invented. In the last decades, it shows rapid growth in research of textile-based, tattoo, patch, and contact lenses.
Wearables can be used to collect data on a user's health including:
● Heart rate
● Calories burned
● Steps walked
● Blood pressure
● Release of certain biochemicals
● Time spent exercising
● Seizures
● physical strain
These functions are often bundled together in a single unit, like an activity tracker or a smart watch. They are used for physical training and monitoring overall physical health, as well as alerting to serious medical conditions such as seizures (e.g. Empatica Embrace).
Currently other applications within healthcare are being explored, such as:
● Forecasting changes in mood, stress, and health
● Measuring blood alcohol content
● Measuring athletic performance
● Monitoring how sick the user is
● Long-term monitoring of patients with heart and circulatory problems that records an electrocardiogram and is self-moistening
● Health Risk Assessment applications, including measures of frailty and risks of age-dependent diseases.
● Automatic documentation of care activities.
● 24/7 patient observation
● Emergency alarming and rescue triggering
While wearables can collect data in aggregate form, most of them are limited in their ability to analyze or make conclusions based on this data; thus, most are used primarily for general health information. (An exception is seizure-alerting wearables, which continuously analyze the wearer's data and make a decision about calling for help; the data collected can then provide doctors with objective evidence that they may find useful in diagnosis.) Wearables can account for individual differences, although most just collect data and apply one-size-fits-all algorithms.
Epidermal (skin) Electronics
Epidermal electronics is an emerging field of wearable technology, termed for their properties and behaviors comparable to those of the epidermis, or outermost layer of the skin. These wearables are mounted directly onto the skin to continuously monitor physiological and metabolic processes, both dermal and subdermal. Wireless capability is typically achieved through battery, Bluetooth or NFC, making these devices convenient and portable as a type of wearable technology. Currently, epidermal electronics are being developed in the fields of fitness and medical monitoring.
Current usage of epidermal technology is limited by existing fabrication processes. Its current application relies on various sophisticated fabrication techniques such as by lithography or by directly printing on a carrier substrate before attaching directly to the body. Research into printing epidermal electronics directly on the skin is currently available as a sole study source.