Wearable Technology

Discipline devoted to exploring and creating devices that can either be worn directly on the body, or incorporated into a user’s clothing or accessories.

Wearable technology will help us:

• Record the world around us• Nudge us into action• Communicate information between one another• Allow us to control our environments• Reflect our well being back to us

In the next five years we will witness rapid development and mainstream adoption of wearable technologies.

What is Wearable Technology

Estimated Market Value

Chips and batteries are getting smaller

Sync with broader ecosystem of

connected technologies

Evolution in interface, tracking and

responding abilities (gestures, biometrics)

Restoring and augmenting current

human senses

Sophisticated sensors and algorithms

Free flow communication across devices and platforms

Key themes driving wearable enhancements:

Forms

Consumer Demand

Architecture

Sensors

Displays

Computing architecture

A wearable device may include one, two, or all three functions.

Smart watch may contain sensors that gather data

about user and his environment, but it may

have limited display functionality and no computing power.

Computing may occur in the

cloud or on a multipurpose

device such as a smartphone

Display may be on a nearby screen or in a pair of smart glasses, or it may even use an

earbud or pendant for verbal response

Wearable over Mobile

• Introduces technology into previously prohibitive environmentso Safety, logistics, or even etiquette constrain traditional technology solutions

• Enable workers with digital information—especially where hands-free utility offers a clear advantage. o Using wearables, workers in harsh environmental conditions can access data without

removing gloves

• Enables user to take real-world actions by providing relevant, contextual information precisely at the point of decision making.

• Scenarios where using a laptop, phone, tablet, may not be appropriate as well as in making use of the data gathered by sensors

Design Principles of Wearables

Scope of Market

Heads-up Displays (HUDs)

• Contextually relevant information is presented via an accessible, but secondary, out-of-eye display.

• Think Kopin Golden-i and Google Glass.

Augmented Reality Glasses

• Real-time information and services is provided in the user’s view of the world

• Ideal for the heads-up, hands-free worker.

• Applications for manufacturing, logistics, and in-stadium entertainment are targets for future adoption where large numbers of people are engaged in similar tasks that require access to the same information.

Brian Ballard, CEO , APX Labs believes market is divided in two broad categories:

Use-Cases

• Improve supply chains, workflows, and processes to drive down costs and increase competitiveness

• Discard or refine current processes• Deliver specific instructions, for rarely needed procedures (eg: medical emergency), at the point of

impact• Access to equipment manuals while repairing an oil rig or bridge cable

Applications: Healthcare

Prescription & Medicine Tracking:

• According to WHO, approximately 50 percent of patients fail to take medicine correctly and more than 50 percent of medicines are prescribed, dispensed, or sold inappropriately.

• Proteus Digital Health has developed a system that includes both a body-worn patch and a small ingestible sensor that supports patients in tracking their medicine usage and health

Surgical Procedures:

• Philips Healthcare’ POC: Using a hands-free device (Google Glass) to improve the efficiency of surgical procedures. • Surgeon reviews numerous screens to monitor a patient. Now, by wearing a headset, a surgeon can monitor required

information while keeping both eyes on the patient. • Using simple voice commands, a surgeon can request to view a patient’s vital signs or medical history (electronic health record)• Also allows doctors to virtually be in two places at once. For example, if a doctor performing a routine procedure were called

upon to assist with another patient, he or she could review the vital signs of both patients to determine the more critical need

Applications : Wearable Wardrobe

Smart Socks:

• Sensoria smart socks by Heapsylon to track how much a user is exercising. • In future will help prevent and manage falls and foot injuries and to collect information

that health care professionals can use to provide better-quality care.

Head impact indicator :

• Reebok’s CheckLight beanie measures the intensity of blows to the heads of athletes participating in contact sports, sending an alert when a blow is moderate or severe

Diapers:

• Huggies announced prototype sensor-laden diapers that can tweet parents when their infants need to be changed

Fitness and activity tracking devices are predicted to top $1 billion in sales in 2014

Applications : Festival Fashion

Google Glass – No word of a UV-rated pair yet, but apparently there will be a version that can attach to your own varifocals LED Headwear – Created using a 3D printer, this 20s-style headdress is covered in LEDs that respond to head movementGlove Tricorder – Figure out exactly how drunk you are with this self-diagnosing, sensory glove from Med Sensation. Sadly, it won’t cure that hangover though RFID Wristband – With support software, this wristband, that uses RFID technology, can work as a paperless ticket, cashless wallet and a contactless way of updating Facebook Flexible Display Map – Most of the tech giants are on the verge of launching some form of flexible display. How about using one for a festival schedule that you could also use to watch video clips of the acts you missed Sensor Socks – These socks have embedded sensors within the fabric that can notify you of your balance via a mobile. We can’t guarantee they won’t smell though

The future

Connected Intimacy (Person to Person)Enhance our personal relationships by extending communication over distance

Long Distance Togetherness: Connects people over long distance, simulate togetherness and place precedence on the comforts that only another person can provide

Data Streamed Care Helps in continuously tracking and remotely monitoring wearer’s health and performance

Connected Intimacy

Connected Intimacy

Emotional Mirror: Conveys wearer’s reaction to surrounding and emotions

Eg: Cadburys Joy Jackets as well as The GER MOOD SWEATER interprets emotion and displays excitement levels instantly with an illuminated collar

Tailored Ecosystem (Person to Computer)Wearable devices will better define the human experience with technologies

Tailored Ecosystem

Bespoke Biotech 3D technology has enabled the way materials can be created to support individual needs and requirements

Biometrically Attuned Aims at collecting information to gather conditions suitable to wearer’s current conditions

Tailored Ecosystem

Responsive Coaching Aims at monitoring performance and providing feedback without impeding movement.

Co-evolved Possibilities (Person as Computer)Wearable technology can augment people’s existing abilities or evolving input interfaces alongside the natural inputs

Co-evolved Possibilities

Augmented Sensory Reception Hybrid technologies are being integrated with human bodies to augment existing abilities and in some cases overcoming personal challenges

Cloud Memory Automated tools are enabling people to capture and digitalize the current events and experiences for accessing them later.

Co-evolved Possibilities

Onboard Interface By tapping into existing human behaviors, such as using gestures and other natural human inputs to interact with devices, these solutions are reducing complex tasks into intuitive actions

Authenticated Self Embedded and wearable devices are being linked with individual users to expedite verification process

Best of London's Wearable Tech Show 2014

Reemo

• Gesture band • Aims to turn the real world into a point and click

environment• Recognizes simple pointing and waving gestures, with

receivers hooked up to appliances around the home.

Optinvent Ora

• Augmented reality glasses • Alternative to Google Glass and Vuzix smart glasses• Built on an Android smartphone with data but without

phone connectivity• Three-times larger screen than Google Glass,

overlaying information on your vision as you go about your day.

Best of London's Wearable Tech Show 2014

SnapWatch

• Bi-stable nature of the snap concept allows the SnapWatch to be used as both a long solid strip or as a bracelet.

• The concept, which currently uses an electrochromic display, has been built into prototypes of music players, watches and smartwatches

AiQ Smart Clothing

• AiQ is a smart clothing manufacturer, which has created super-thin stainless steel fibres that feel like wool

• It can measure a wearers EEG, ECG, stress levels, fat content, muscle strength or anything else that uses current applied through the skin

Best of London's Wearable Tech Show 2014

SunFriend

• Watch-like device that uses sensors to measure your UVA and UVB exposure from the Sun.

• Users can alter their skin sensitivity rating creating a personalized dosage meter, getting a warning when they have hit their limit.

Vrase

• Vrase is essentially an Oculus Rift that uses a smartphone for the display

• The accessory headset straps to the face with a slot for a smartphone – the iPhone and a variety of Android phones are currently supported.

• The smartphone is then used to display a split screen image, which the Vrase headset turns into a 3D picture

Best of London's Wearable Tech Show 2014

Glofaster

• Light-up jacket that pairs with sensors to detect your heart rate

• Gives the wearer instant visual feedback on while training.

SunSprite

• UV and light exposure meter that uses special filters to match the level of bright light entering your eye.

• Designed to measure bright light exposure for treating and monitoring seasonal affective disorder (Sad)

Best of London's Wearable Tech Show 2014

Kopin Golden-i 3.8D

• Wearable computer, built around an Android smartphone without the cellular connectivity

• Responds to voice commands• Useful for hands-free access to information while on

the job.

Source wearableappreview.com

Best Wearable Apps for 2013

Challenges

Uncomfortable display formats

Clunky maneuverability

Reliable network

availability

References

http://dupress.com/articles/2014-tech-trends-wearables/http://www.slideshare.net/PSFK/psfk-future-of-wearable-technology-report www.psfk.com/future-of-wearable-techiq.intel.com/future-of-wearable-tech http://www.theguardian.com/technology/gallery/2014/mar/20/london-wearable-tech-show-2014-pictures http://www.crunchwear.com/wearable-tech-festival-fashion-of-the-future/ http://ben-grossman.com/google-glass-brands-wearable-technology-landscape-pt-13 http://www.businessinsider.com/bii-mobile-insights-is-wearable-technology-the-future-of-mobile2-2012-11#ixzz2yNNwND67http://www.statista.com/statistics/259372/wearable-device-market-value/ http://blog.designersofthings.com/post/69693049955/best-wearable-apps-for-2013-selected-in-wearable