Different Types of Wearable Tech | Fitness Trackers and smartwatches

 Different Types of Wearable Tech

 

Within the course of a decade or so, wearable technological devices have become more and more integrated with our lifestyle. These devices, which are either worn or implanted in the body, have been designed to serve a multitude of purposes ranging from entertainment to healthcare. With this wide scope of the definition and the products that seem to be upgraded every day, it would be helpful to have a guide for the different types of wearable technology.

 

Fitness trackers and smartwatches

 

Perhaps the most widely adopted form of wearable tech, fitness trackers, has become a staple in most active individuals. Smartwatches have built on the foundation laid by fitness trackers and have expanded into offering a plethora of services that overlap with a modern smartphone. Companies such as Fitbit have been pioneering fitness trackers for the general consumer market. In contrast, tech giants such as Apple have released exceedingly popular smartwatches that managed to gather millions of sales. Popular features offered by these devices include heart rate tracking, blood oxygen level monitoring, and sleep tracking.

 

Smart Jewellery

 

A fashion choice for generations, jewelry has now become one of the latest focus areas for wearable tech developers. Smart rings have gained popularity mainly due to their subtlety as opposed to a more obvious device such as a smartwatch. Furthermore, smart bracelets and necklaces are also seen in this space. The demand for smart jewelry mainly lies with the demographic who prefer their technological accessories to be as discreet as possible. This has led to many innovative ideas in wearable technology, such as smart earring backings.

 

Smart Clothing         

 

Smart clothing has a distinct advantage in reading user vitals over the other wearable technologies as they are in contact with a significantly larger portion of the wearer’s body. We can already see this technology being used in shoes that gather data about a runner’s performance and can give feedback on the optimum form, as well as clothes that can vibrate and massage certain body parts that are prone to aches. In addition to being one of the most effective means of monitoring body conditions, smart clothing can also help individuals with disabilities in day-to-day tasks.

 

Implantables

 

This has been considered as the pinnacle of the industry by some, whereas it is highly controversial for others. Implantable technology devices are inserted into the body rather than worn from the outside and hence will be completely indistinguishable for an onlooker. This is the highest form of integration possible within the industry, and many researchers are currently involved in advances in this field. Companies such as Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, aim to develop fully implantable brain-machine interfaces that will assist paralyzed individuals in gaining access to computers and mobile devices. Smart tattoos are also another interesting aspect of wearable tech currently under development.

 

HMD - Head Mounted Display

 

VR headsets which are quite popular, especially among gamers, fall under the category of HMDs. These provided the user with the ability to immerse himself in a simulated environment and were in high demand as the pandemic forced most people to stay indoors.

More promising devices have come out recently in the realm of HMDs, such as smart glasses by Facebook and a competing product concept from Xiaomi. Though these devices target the wider consumer markets and thus serve more entertainment purposes, this technology has been used in more professional settings. A good example is the use of smart glasses used by surgeons to monitor patient vitals at a glance continuously.

 

 

The world of wearable technology is yet to reach its maturity. Even though some products such as smartwatches have broken through into the wider consumer markets, many of the other categories mentioned above are yet to reach the same widespread adoption rate. However, as evidenced by the billions of dollars being spent on research and development in these sectors as well as the entering of well-established companies, it can be safely predicted that this industry will continue to grow.