The Future of Wearable Gadgets
Tablets and smartphones are everywhere. It is hard not to be linked to your email 24/7 if you own an iPhone, a BlackBerry, or an Android phone. However, things might get more intimate quite literally with the advent of ‘wearable devices’ that are perhaps the next big thing, and will replace the excitement that currently exists over smartphones and tablets. A few of these gadgets, some of which might already be in use, and others that might become more common in the near future, are listed below.
Wristbands clad with sensors.
Nike has released its ‘Fuelband’ that can track the calories you burn and the steps you take (via accelerometers). You can even use it as a watch. However, not all movements can be quantified by this wristband (yoga and weightlifting for example). Also, it is not waterproof (only water-resistant), and there is no GPS.
If all you desire is a simple form of motivation (once you start wearing it, you might be more inclined to climb the stairs than take the elevator to enjoy that inspiring increase in the number of steps) or a way to quantify your calorie budget, this gadget is a useful purchase.
However, for fitness freaks (i.e. those who love to analyze nutrition facts on the bottle of the 1% skim milk they try not to drink every morning), the Fuelband might not provide an accurate measure of all the calories burned during your workouts, in which case it might be worth exploring other products or waiting for a new version (and may be as a bonus, you’ll get one with a better catchphrase: Life is a sport. Make it count.)
Smart sneakers.
Adidas adizero F50 shoes feature an intelligent sneaker design that can track one’s workout statistics and speed. The outsole unit features a cavity that stores the miCoach SPEED_CELL™ and is capable of computing important yardsticks such as speed, average and maximum speed, distance and number of sprints, all of which are then stored on the on-board memory, which can be viewed later on your laptops and tablets.
Android-based watches
Android-based watches display a vast potential in navigation, health, social networking, and media related fields. Sony has built one such watch, which at the moment is strictly an accessory and bought by those who hate missing phone calls and/or desire a reasonably priced gizmo. Still, with improvements and added features, these are bound to become more common.
Coffee card.
Starbucks has embraced the ‘cool factor’ by participating in trials for WIMM’s smartwatch via which customers can make their purchases using the bar code which is connected to their coffee account, a welcome micro-app that is also sure to intensify ‘the starbucks effect’ among smartwatch-using coffee drinkers (The New Yorker’s definition of the starbucks effect: A long line for a product you’re not sure you want).
Project Google Glass
Project Google Glass looks very promising and the video that was released earlier this year has created quite a sensation and allowed us to sample the future of communication, navigation and information.
Others
Other examples of wearable devices include dual-focus contact lenses with data displays, LARK sleep sensors, phone call alert via a vibrating tattoo, and fabric that reacts to emotions.
It has been forecasted that these type of wearable devices will become commonplace in the near future, especially once the major platforms (Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook) develop further interest.
One can see the huge potential these wearable gadgets and embedded devices (such as flexible displays and surfaces that can be transformed into screens) will have in store for the future. Some might just offer the convenience of having all the desired features in one portable device, several might take entertainment to a whole new level (as proven by the announcement of SmartGlass) while others could prove extremely valuable in avoiding grave circumstances (for example, wristbands that can detect and some day perhaps even predict seizures).
