Reportedly, the wearable technology industry will be valued at 71 billion dollars by 2021, which means it will surpass a 138% growth rate in the next 5 years. Technology giants such as Alphabet (Google), Microsoft, Fitbit and Adidas are some of the main players in the market that will apparently be successful with their innovations.
As more and more people have access to innovative gadgets, they begin to expect more from manufacturers. Consequently, companies are also interested in offering the best they can. Let's take a look at 10 wearable tech devices that have become the talk of the town lately.
1. Samsung Gear S2
Smartwatches are not new to the market, but it is still a growing market, dominated by companies like Samsung and Apple. Samsung Gear 2 is the company's latest product that looks like a regular watch but carries a futuristic touch. It has a round dial with a matte finish and a removable plastic strap.
The Gear works in combination with the Samsung Gear app and offers access to music, heart rate monitor, fitness tracker, notifications, etc. It is mainly equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 512 MB of RAM along with 4 GB of internal storage. The most striking feature is the rotating bezel controller that moves in both directions to help the user navigate.
two. Rusty's Wired Series
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Rusty's Wired Series features a line of sweatshirts and jackets equipped with machine-washable headphones. They are embedded in the fabric and devoid of visible wires, with just two earphones and a plug to connect to your phone or mp3 player.
Variety of clothes are available for both boys and girls. Plus, you don't have to worry about it getting soaked in the washing machine since it's mostly cotton with a little bit of polyester. Introduces an innovative way to incorporate audio functionality into clothing.
3. Jacquard Project
Project Jacquard is a joint effort between Google and Levis that aims to introduce touch and gesture interfaces in the form of clothing. It makes use of conductive threads that have an uncanny resemblance to normal threads and hence it is almost like an invisible technique.
The detected gestures are sent to the connected device wirelessly and allow the user to perform a wide range of activities such as receiving a call, managing playlist, navigation and so on. Currently, Levis products are being developed with this gesture technology. Their most notable feature is that these clothes are washable and look a lot like regular clothes.
4. Snout
Nuzzle is a GPS collar intended for pet dogs and cats to track their location when they go for walks. It connects to your Nuzzle app and helps you track your pet. Furthermore, it can even inform you about the animal's activities when you are away from it.
It can be equipped with a charger and base station along with 2 rechargeable batteries. It's waterproof, contains LED light, and uses cellular connectivity to function. You can use it in different sizes depending on the pet.
5. Kukoon headphones
Kukoon has smart headphones that should be used when you want a peaceful environment. It uses EEG Brainwave detection technology to help you relax and offers real-time audio optimization.
It learns what makes you relaxed and when you want to sleep, and then works accordingly. The headphones carry a pair of washable earmuffs and offer a perfect fit for all users. Some of the key features include active noise cancellation, noise isolation, and active white noise
6. Athens Personal Security
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Athena is a small pendant that can be placed inside a necklace or attached to clothing. It works as a security system, especially for women, and helps them send information about their location to friends and family. Hold the device button for 3 seconds and it will activate when a loud alarm sounds, like the sound of a freight train.
It connects to your smartphone via an app and then sends your location and direction to your chosen contacts. It is an effective way to guarantee the safety of a person trapped in a threatening situation and to save lives; Athena is much more than just a tracker.
7. Fin Ring
Fin Ring is a smart ring developed by RHL Vision. It is a thumb ring that has a built-in optical sensor so that the device can detect movements such as switching and tapping. It can connect to three devices at the same time via Bluetooth and then using gestures, the user can operate the connected device by simply moving their thumb.
For example, moving your thumb up and down against a finger will increase and decrease the volume on your smartphone. It is undergoing new experiments aimed at using biometrics so that each finger can be assigned to a separate section.
8. Microsoft's HoloLens
It's Microsoft's latest product that represents 'mixed reality'. It displays 3D holographic content at a fixed location and the user can scroll through it to take a proper look. The head-mounted device is offered with hand gestures like 'air tap' along with voice control.
Claimed to be the world's first standalone holographic computer, this device will be launched in November 2016 and the pre-order procedure has already started in some countries. Microsoft is currently in talks with some car brands to use HoloLens in car showrooms in order to demonstrate the features of a vehicle in a holographic style.
9. Chaotic Moon Tech Tattoos
Austin-based mobile app developer Chaotic Moon created the concept of “invisible” tech tattoos. It's the future of “biowearables” that can be printed directly on the user's skin instead of fitting a sensor accessory. The technology uses electroconductive paint that is marked on the skin to attach circuits and sensors to it.
It can be used to monitor your body's vitality, monitor fitness, take care of children's health, or monitor the status of soldiers in battles. The technology uses Bluetooth Low Energy to communicate with an app and transmit the necessary information from the body to the device.
10. Fitbit Flex 2
Fitbit is known for its amazing wearable gadgets and is a major player in the market that recently reported Q1 revenue of $505.4 million. Fitbit Flex 2 is the company's latest offering that doubles as a fitness tracker. Can be attached to a bracelet, pendant or bracelet.
The gadget has been loaded with a host of features like LED display, long battery life, call and text notification, and SmartTrack. Furthermore, it is waterproof and is capable of tracking the user's activities throughout the day and reminding them to move when inactive for a long period. It also comes with automatic sleep tracking to ensure you get a sound sleep.
CONCLUSION
Most of the gadgets mentioned above are already available on the Amazon store for online sale, while some of them are still in development. In a way, almost everything we see around us has been transformed into a technological item that leaves very little to our imagination. Not only are these devices making our lives easier, but most of these trends are also making a huge difference by providing healthcare and ensuring the safety of individuals.
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