What is wearable technology?

Curious about wearables? You’re in the right place! Let’s explore how these innovative devices are transforming our daily lives. Tech wearables or wearables technology encompasses electronic devices that can be worn as accessories or integrated into clothing. The primary purpose is to provide users with real-time data, convenience, and connectivity without the need for constant interaction with other devices.

So, wearable technology not only provides useful information to the user, but it also becomes a new ally for being more aware of a healthy lifestyle. Even doctors are using this technology to monitor the vitals of their patients; this is where healthcare solutions become more important for treating several diseases.

So, how is this data collection possible? The answer lies in the Internet of Things (IoT), a technology that connects devices and allows them to communicate and share data seamlessly. The Internet of Things has opened a wide range of possibilities when it comes to designing and building new wearable technologies.

How does wearable tech work?

Wearable tech usually contains sensors, processors, IoT protocols, embedded firmware development languages, GPS trackers, and an application or software that allows the user to check the collected data from his phone (see IoT with Python); it may be something like an IoT monitoring dashboard, except the wearable has a simpler interface to understand the collected data.

There are many options of smart wearables in the market: smartwatches, fitness trackers, pet trackers (see Case study: Innovating pet tracker technology), VR headsets, smart jewelry, smart glasses, and Bluetooth headsets. 

The functionality and technology of each wearable will vary based on its category: health, fitness, sports, or entertainment. Certain wearable technologies use remote smart sensors, accelerometers, or optical sensors to monitor real-time data, including movements, speed, heart rate, blood oxygen, or glucose levels. This is why it is crucial to start with a good IoT framework, which will ensure the hardware design is properly carried out from the beginning. Thus, the IoT product development consulting will deliver outstanding results.

Types of wearables

Now that you understand a little more about this technology, let’s look at some types of wearables that you can find in the market and which provide different benefits:

1. Fitness trackers

Fitness trackers are designed to monitor physical activity, sleep patterns, and overall health metrics (see ways to reduce power consumption in smart gadgets).

Examples of this wearable tech:

Fitbit, Garmin Vivosmart, and Apple Watch (with fitness tracking features).

2. Smartwatches

Smartwatches go beyond timekeeping, offering features like notifications, GPS navigation, health tracking, and app integration.

Some examples are: Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch, Garmin Forerunner, and the Mi Watch from Xiaomi.

3. Smart clothing

Smart clothing integrates technology directly into fabrics, providing functionalities such as temperature control, heart rate monitoring, and motion sensing.

Examples: Gucci and Levi’s have partnered with other technology companies to offer exclusive clothes with wearable features.

4. Augmented Reality (AR) Glasses (Popular wearable tech)

This kind of wearable tech has become very popular in the last few years. AR glasses overlay digital information onto the real world, enhancing the user’s perception of their surroundings.

Wearable examples: Rokid Max, Inmo Air, TQSKY AR, XREAL Air, among others.

5. Health and medical devices

These devices monitor specific health parameters, allowing users and healthcare professionals to track and manage medical conditions.

Examples: ECG monitors like Apple Watch Series, pill dispenser, and glucose monitoring devices like Dexcom G7.

6. Smart Jewelry

Combining fashion with technology, smart jewelry includes devices that offer notifications, activity tracking, and even personal safety features.

Examples of this technology: Totwoo bracelets, Invisawear, and Ringly’s products.

If you are interested in creating wearable tech for the market, bear in mind that several IoT use cases can give you hundreds of ideas for developing new wearable technologies. You just need to investigate the market you like the most, and also, check some IoT device examples, which can show you success stories and how you can take advantage of those ideas for your project. Also, you need to analyze how they are built, and the different technologies and coding necessary (MicroPython definition).

Wearables are far from disappearing, they will continue proliferating the market. Entrepreneurs can still get a big portion of the market by innovating and creating new devices; what is electronic manufacturing services. If you have a great idea you would like to work on, be sure to click on the button below and book a consultation with our engineering team.