Wearable technology is a rather new phenomenon which has been gaining traction, in recent years, especially in the fitness community. A recent report conducted by the Pew Research Center found that most experts are in agreement.
The general consensus is that web-connected devices that share information will dominate the way most people will live their lives by the year 2025.
The report’s author, Janna Anderson, director of Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center is quoted as saying, "Many experts say the rise of embedded and wearable computing will bring the next revolution in digital technology. They say the upsides are enhanced health, convenience, productivity, safety and vastly more useful information for people and organizations. The downsides: challenges to personal privacy, over-hyped expectations and tech complexity that boggles us."
It started with fitness trackers like Fitbit, which help a person track their fitness level, steps walked, and even their sleep. Fitbit One($99.99) is small enough to be hidden and can be worn at any time.
Another tracker that has come into this space, the Misfit Shine ($99.99), does not want to be hidden. It is wearable technological jewelry and is meant to be both attractive and useful at the same time. The Misfit Shine can be worn as a bracelet, broach, or even a necklace and also tracks activity levels, steps and sleep.
Now wearable technology has extended past just tracking fitness.
Endevr, a Utah-based company which produces innovative health and wellness products, has released a line of medical identification bracelets with scannable QR codes.
The MyID Sport ($19.99), MyID Sleek ($39.99), and MyID Luxe ($79.99), are all medical ID bracelets meant to provide first responders with the best, most accurate and up-to-date personal and/or medical information if the need arises. The first responder can scan the QR code with any mobile device and all the information will be transmitted to them.
Endevr sees these bracelets as quite helpful to extreme athletes who are constantly pushing themselves to their physical limits, to recreational bikers and runners, as well as to anyone who has allergies or illnesses a first responder would need to know about.
Wearable technology is not just for adults, though. Babies are getting in on the game!
The company behind the success of Fitbit, NewDealDesign, has partnered with another company, Sproutling, to produce the Sproutling monitor which should become available later in 2014.
The Sproutling monitor is a band that is attached to a baby’s ankle and collects information from the baby and the environment. It tracks everything from the room’s temperature, humidity and light levels, to the baby’s temperature, movement, and heart rate.
The Sproutling monitor is just one of several wearable baby monitors that may be designed to give parents peace of mind, but in the end, may give them more reasons to panic.
Wearable technology is something everyone should get used to seeing and using because it is here to stay. The idea is to figure out which devices give accurate, wanted, and useful information for each individual’s needs.
Sources:
Medcitynews.com. Web. 21 May 2014. “New health monitors for babies show wearables aren’t just for adults.”
http://medcitynews.com/2014/05/new-health-monitors-babies-show-wearables-arent-just-adults/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers
Mashable.com. Web. 14 May 2014. “Experts: Internet of Things and Wearables Will Dominate by 2025.”
http://mashable.com/2014/05/14/pew-iot-study
Endevr.com. Web. 4 June 2014. “MyID.”
http://www.endevr.com/id-bracelets/myid
Reviewed June 5, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith