Trends in Wearables

There was a day many years ago when we watched in awe as the fictional character Dick Tracy talked into his watch. It was a future we could only imagine. But now that future is here, thanks to Apple and other companies that have created the “wearables” market where we can not only talk into watches and bracelets, but can view data, track our health, and communicate with loved ones.

Common types of tech you can wear besides on your wrist include clothes, helmets, shoes, glasses, and more. These devices can be used for healthcare by tracking heart rate, mobility, and activity. They can be used in the supply chain to track productivity, efficiency, and speed. And they can be used in sports to monitor agility, weather, and an athlete’s stamina.

But that’s how they are used today. What are some trends for how they could be used in the future?

Smart Clothing – This market is predicted to grow to over $5 billion dollars by the end of 2022. Things like smart socks and sleepwear are not far on the horizon. These would be able to track steps, temperature, speed and also the length of time slept, REM sleep patterns, and more.

Smart Helmets – They are about more than just protecting your noggin in the future. This headgear will have built-in sound systems, GPS, and phone capabilities. You will be able to track rhythm, calories, speed, endurance, and the best route to get from A to B.

Smart Glasses – These won’t give you bionic vision, but they do a wide range of things. And they can be found in various forms. The visual enhancers can be used for augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) purposes, including gaming and sports. This eyewear can also include a camera, Bluetooth, noise cancellation, and even facial recognition. The future of smart glass revenue is anticipated to be in the billions of dollars just on its own.

So, as you consider the future of tech, it goes beyond computers and phones. Technology will be built into just about everything we wear as well. And as you can see from this list of future trends, this could be a very good thing for all of us.