WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY AND ITS FUTURE APPLICATIONS
Shreya S Amin
4MT22CS154
Section: H
ABSTRACT
The growth of innovation continues to change the limits of human contact with the digital world in an era
where technology is seamlessly integrated into the fabric of our daily lives. This technological revolution is
being led by "wearable technology," a stunning blend of fashion and functionality that aims to change how we
interact with information, monitor our health, and even enhance our talents. The first aim of this paper is the
categorization of wearable technologies into three categories: wearable consumer electronics, wearable textile
technologies, and wearable health technologies. The study's second objective is to illustrate how wearable
technology will one day revolutionize both the way businesses operate and how people live their daily lives.
KEYWORDS
Wearable technologies; Future applications; sensors
INTRODUCTION
Technology has advanced gradually since humanity first embarked on the path of civilization. The
development of electronic chips, GPS, Wi-Fi, internet access, gadgets, sensors, and developments in
nanotechnology, however, have recently brought about some revolutionary breakthroughs that have
revolutionized the entire globe at a previously unheard-of rate. One of the most significant areas to result from
these ongoing technical breakthroughs is wearable technology.
Edward O. Thorp, a mathematics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United
States, first introduced the idea of wearable technology in the 1960s. Since then, experts from all over the
world have paid close attention to wearable technology. Wearable technology has grown quickly in a number
of industries recently, including health care education and culture social networking, and the military, because
of the advent of the internet, intelligent hardware, and big data. Accessories like smart watches, smart
wristbands, armbands, and spectacles are examples of how some of these technologies are integrating into
people's daily lives. However, businesses and organisations are working hard to build more comfier,
dependable, helpful, integrated, lighter, smaller, aesthetically pleasing, and fashionable products in order to
increase the use and adoption of wearable technological equipment. As a result, the number of wearable
device sales will rise and more people will use them in daily activities.
The five major characteristics of wearable technology as a standard health care intervention are: (1)
wireless mobility; (2) interactivity and intelligence; (3) sustainability and durability; (4) simple setup and
miniaturization; and (5) wearability and portability. Contrary to popular belief, technology is defined by
"wearable" computing devices, as the term implies. The definition of wearable technology is quite broad and
ambiguous, and it is very difficult to pinpoint their traits and requirements. Therefore, it would be very helpful
to comprehend how wearable technologies can be categorized based on their fundamental qualities. The
wearable technology can be categorised into three primary groups, according to the literature. These segments
comprise wearable consumer electronics, wearable textile technologies, and wearable health technologies.
The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate via examples how wearable technologies will bring about a
revolutionary transformation in society and business in the future.
DEFINATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF WEARABLE DEVICES
There is no precise definition of wearable technologies in the literature. However, several relative
terms-even synonyms for wearable technologies have extremely similar meanings. These are "wearable
devices," "wearable computers," and "wearable machine." Except for wearable computers, it is clear from the
definitions that all of the terminology has the same meaning and may be used interchangeably while being
distinct. Although the distinction between wearable computers and wearable technologies is unclear, Wearable
computers support and carry out complicated computations, and they are a subset of wearable technology.
The term "wearable technology" describes a broad category of electronic and mobile devices that can be worn
on the body as portable measurement tools and are built into implants, accessories, or clothing. In order to
make it clear we can say that wearable technology is an application-enabled computing device that accepts
and processes inputs. To collect data, process information, and communicate with other devices or networks,
these gadgets often have sensors, central processing units, and wireless communication capabilities.
The specific qualities of wearable technologies set them apart from other technical equipment. First, it's
important to look at the qualities and features of wearable technology in order to comprehend its applications
and potential impacts. The hands-free function is the primary feature of wearable technology. From this
perspective, even the Hands-free function allows users and employees to access the data while carrying out
regular tasks and job duties. There are certain other characteristics which include integration, transparent,
seamless, pleasant, mobile, multi-functional, advantageous, and economical.
Wearable technology, on the other hand, have at least five primary purposes. The user interface,
communication, handling of data, energy management, and integrated circuits are among these features.
Wearable technology has been developed and is being used in numerous fields and sectors. Wearable
technology has unique features, qualities, and applications for every scenario and industry. In order to
properly examine wearable technologies, it is vital to group them according to their individual uses and
features.
TYPES OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGIES
According to the study, there are three major categories of wearable technology.
A. Wearable health technology
In recent times, the health industry has perhaps made the most widespread use of wearable
technology. The majority of research on wearable technology focuses on health-related applications.
The ability to continuously monitor a patient's health status and acquire information about the patient
in real time is the most significant contribution of wearable technologies to the health industry.
Numerous health parameters, including heart rate, blood pressure, sleep patterns, steps taken, and
calories burned, can be continuously monitored by wearable technology. This information offers
people and medical professional considerable insight on a person's general health and wellness.
Chronic illnesses including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease can be managed with
wearable technology. Patients can be constantly tracked, all thanks to wearable technology, especially
those who have chronic conditions or need extra care after surgery. Therefore, In the health industry
nowadays, wearable technologies are mostly utilised for data collection, health problem diagnosis, and
monitoring
Fig.1 System diagram of wearable technology for health monitoring [2]
B. Wearable Textile Technologies
A more contemporary idea is integrating technology into textile items, allowing for the creation
of wearable electrical textiles for sensing and monitoring bodily functions, delivering communication
capabilities, data transfer, and many other applications. Clothes that may change their colours on
demand or based on the wearer's biological indications are one of the most important wearable
technology applications in the textile business. For example, researchers at the Philips Company
developed the Bubelle Dress, which colour changes in response to the wearer's emotions. Developers
should take a few important factors into account in order to increase the appeal and social acceptance
of wearable textile technology. Thermal control, moisture control, accessibility, durability, flexibility,
dimensions and fit, as well as the psychological domains of cognitive load and attention, are some of
these properties. Additionally, fashion and aesthetics are the most crucial factors that designers should
pay attention to when creating wearable textile technology.
C. Wearable Consumer Electronics
The term "consumer electronics" refers to electronic devices made for daily usage. The three
most common uses of consumer electronics are for entertainment, communication, and workplace
productivity. The top consumer electronics products include TVs, cell phones, cameras, camcorders,
music players, and so on. The definition of wearable consumer electronics in this context is "electronic
devices worn on a user's body to facilitate daily activities." While there are many other varieties of
wearable consumer electronics, including wristbands, headbands, rings, and so forth, smart glasses and
watches are the most promising items. In addition to any other wearable technology, smart glasses are
anticipated to usher in a paradigm shift in users' daily lives when they reach their full potential.
The Google Glass are the most reputable smart glasses on the market right now. Smart glasses will
continue to develop in the near future, and there will be a revolutionary change in how people live,
consume, and go about their daily.
MECHANISM OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY
Wearable devices that can detect, analyse, and transmit data via wireless communication systems to a
fusion centre for additional processing open up new possibilities for human-body interaction due tthe rapid
development in sensors, material sciences, telecommunication, and microelectronics. For the acquisition of
physiological parameters, various sensors are employed. Simple wearable sensing devices employed sensors,
CPUs, and screens to execute initiatives, whereas wireless wearable sensing devices also used transceivers to
send data to a central station and allow remote access to the results via a website. Wearable technology
generates a lot of data, and without analysis, that data is useless. Sensors can be customised and helpful tools
for tracking human movement, non-invasively measuring biopotentials, and monitoring physiological data.
Mechanism of various wearable sensors, such as angular, inertial, and optical sensors, allowing accurate and
longitudinal sensing of human walking patterns. IMUs contain inertial sensors, which work in accordance
with Newton's laws of inertia and motion, while optical fibre sensors, which are made up of an optical fibre, a
photodetector, and a light source, rely on the theory of light propagation. The angular sensor, whose operation
is based on strain gauges, is one of the most often used sensors in joint reconnaissance and quantitative
assessment of the exact movements of joints. Multiple sensors, public-key encryption for data safety and
privacy, Bluetooth connectivity, a smartphone, applications, data fusion models for big data processing, cloud
computing and storage, and ultimately a medical team and carers are needed to monitor the user's health are
all requirements for wearable technology for health monitoring.
THE FUTURE WITH WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY
Embedded sensors have very prevalent in a variety of applications, including medical applications for
commercial use, health, and safety. In the near future, there will be numerous benefits and applications of
wearable technologies. According to the assumption the camera in the smart glasses which can navigate,
watch traffic, and alert the driver when their eyes are shutting. Coach and truck drivers may also be required
to use this method that wearable technology will compromise security, wearable gadgets will increase societal
safety.
Wearable technology is predicted to innovate business practises and company strategy. There won't be a need
to travel physically to meetings any time soon. The managers may convene in a virtual meeting room created
by augmented reality in place of W/C sessions, and all decisions would be recorded. In terms of market
research, wearable technology offers businesses a number of opportunities. Face recognition, data
management, and smart glass integration could result in improved customer service.
The gaming business will undergo a fundamental shift as wearable technologies gain popularity. Given that
"prevention is better than cure" (Desiderius Erasmus), we can use wearable technology to stop the spread of
dangerous infections and to take precautions by warning people in advance about infested locations.
Fig.2 Application of wearable technology in social distancing
[2]
RESULT
After smartphones, wearable technology is forecasted to witness rapid expansion in the coming years
and become an essential part of modern life. Before the development of wearable technology in the field of
health monitoring systems, continuous monitoring of physiological parameters, such as heart rate, respiratory
rate, and blood pressure, was only possible in hospitals. Now, instantaneous and remote monitoring of
physiological parameters is a reality. With regard to the empirical evaluation of users' adoption of wearable
technology in healthcare, this research was unique and all of the variables from the perspectives of
technology, healthcare, and privacy were proven to be true.
CONCLUSION
The 21st century is enthusiastically embracing wearable technology, and as a result, our lives have
been profoundly changed by increased choice and flexibility. This has made the world a constantly connected
global village, expanded our capacity to discover new lifestyles, and helped us rebuild relationships by
establishing shared values and trust. Wearable technology can be very beneficial in the current Covid-19
pandemic scenario for early symptom prediction, social distance control, and lockdown. Controlling
pandemics like Covid-19 will be very helpful in the future since, as we can see, a new illness appears in the
world after every ten years. The study's goal is to demonstrate how wearable technology will significantly
impact both people's daily lives and how organisations conduct their operations in the future.Wearable
technologies have a tendency to influence both the present and future centuries. It is suggested in this study
that wearable technologies would make life easier for individuals. In conclusion, wearable technologies will
make the future safer, less complicated, healthier, quicker, and more delightful.
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