26 Mar
With the growing hype surrounding Google Glass, wearable technology is now at the tip of everyone’s tongues and is set to be one of the biggest technology trends for 2014 and beyond.
The new direction for technology
So what exactly is wearable technology? Basically, it encompasses any clothing or accessories that incorporate computer and advanced electronic technologies. At the moment, the most substantial chunk of marketable wearable technology is dedicated to fitness trackers that can monitor your heart rate, tell you how many calories you’ve burned in a day and even let you know when you’ve eaten too much.
These types of wearable movement-tracking devices are growing in popularity, with a market worth currently estimated at around £1 billion. However, what’s really got the tech-lovers and sci-fi fanatics licking their lips are the even more out-there and innovative gadgets, like Google Glass.
What is Google Glass?
Although not exactly discreet or fashion-forward (yet), Google Glass is a headset that will allow you to take photos and videos of exactly what your eyes are seeing, using simple verbal commands. You can send messages, connect to Google+, do Google searches, get instant simple translations, flight information, and more – all on a sleek little screen that appears in the upper right-hand corner of your vision. It is truly something out of a futuristic film, and for many, it represents the way forward for the technology industry. One day it might even connect to Loyalzoo!
Science fiction is now our reality
While Google Glass may not be available for the mainstream (or for those of us on a budget), there are loads of other intriguing wearable technology devices out there that are worth checking out:
· Athos fitness apparel tracks what your muscles are doing while you work out along with your cardiovascular and respiratory systems and function.
· The JUNE bracelet by Netatmo measures the wearer’s sun exposure to prevent them from getting burnt.
· Sony’s HMZ T3 personal HD viewer will cost you a pretty penny (about £1,300), but it provides twin OLED HD screens, 7.1 channel surround sound and wireless HD technology.
The above are just a few drops in the growing ocean of wearable technology devices – most of which still fall under the ‘health tech’ and fitness category. It’s safe to say, however, that with technology progressing at a mind-boggling rate, soon there won’t just be “an app for that”, there’ll be “a shirt/bracelet/hat/bra for that” too.
