What Exactly Is Wearable Technology? Should I Use It?

What Exactly Is Wearable Technology? Should I Use It? Firstly we must ask the question, what exactly is wearable technology? Wearable techs, short for wearable technology, are gadgets or devices, which are worn on body parts, along with clothes and other accessories to help the wearer perform various functions that can be performed on our computers and phones while on the go.

These gadgets usually include a type of tracking technology (such as motion sensors) that monitors various data such as heart rate, sleeping patterns, physical activity (steps, performance, etc.), and various other useful information. Wearable tech has plenty of applications and can benefit people of all ages suffering from:

• Obesity – The biggest industry wearables have infiltrated is health and fitness. Today, you can find a bracelet, sports bra, jewelry, watch, belt, and other items that have been programmed to monitor physical activities, work as a pedometer, provide coaching, measure calorie intake and burned, and track other bodily functions.

Popular wearable fitness trackers like Fit Bit and Jaw Bone have helped users get motivated with exercise. Meanwhile, obese kids can make losing weight fun with various game-type wearables that promote being active, offer challenges, and allow them to play against other kids.

• Insomnia and Sleep Apnea – Sleep is an important part of fitness, so wearable devices that monitor the quality of a person’s sleep can be a huge help. Neuro:On, Luciding, ActiGraph, Fatigue Science RediBand, FraSen Inc. Sleep Mask, and Sleep Image are devices with a full list of sleep data analysis that can help people suffering from insomnia and sleep apnea.

Fitness trackers like Garmin VivoSmart and UP3 by Jawbone, which are equipped with sleep monitors, are great for users who also want to prioritize their health. The Kokoon in-ear sleep headphones were designed to actually improve a person’s sleep quality, but it will only be released in late 2016.

Aging-associated diseases –

Older adults who are suffering from aging associated diseases such as cataract, diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease (among others) can also find wearables very useful. For instance, the Body Guardian Sensor can perform cardiac ECG and rhythm monitoring to patients and deliver results to their respective physicians.

• Back problems – Devices like UPRIGHT and Lumo Lift remind people about posture, which is the leading cause of unnecessary back pain. Valedo works by strengthening muscles to prevent lower back pain, while Cur claims to eliminate back pain by using electrical stimulation right at the source.
• Asthma – Health Care Originals developed Intelligent Asthma Management, a wearable that helps in detecting symptoms, reminding about a physician’s treatment plans, and other features to help manage asthma.
• Diabetes – Google Life Sciences revealed an ambitious project that can possibly help in reversing the effects of diabetes. Verily is a contact lens that detects glucose levels.

Wearable tech can also be useful to people who are perfectly healthy, but want to level-up their performance with sports, exercise, and weight training, among other physical activities.

Sports fans would go wild with wearables that could provide real-time stats of a game and accurate performance measurements of players. In some instances, wearable tech can help save lives, promote a healthier lifestyle and prevent diseases.