Fri, 23 Mar 2018
As we settle into 2018, we present to you below some most noteworthy wearable tech trends for the upcoming year.
A watch on your wrist that tracks your calorie intake, sleep, heart rate and steps is exceptionally convenient – but in a world where technology is constantly disrupting the status quo, it may not be enough. Fitting all the electronic components into a sleek package is tricky, and the bulkiness of some wearable technologies is a reason that many are not crazy about the trend. 2018 will see wearables blending more seamlessly into your everyday life.
Shoe tech brand Digitsole, for example, is trialling an interactive auto-lacing smart shoe and shoes with a connected and heated insole. Run Profiler aims to use a connected insole to another connected insole to analyse your stride in 3D to minimise any trips to your physical therapist to analyse your posture.
Since VR Headsets made its mainstream debut in 2016, it has received major backing from industry influencers, with Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg stating that he will likely invest more than $3 billion over the next decade to bring VR to hundreds of millions of users. The issue with current VR headsets is the heaviness and bulkiness when wearing them, with Zuckerberg stating that the public “want glasses we all wear on a day to day basis, not a big set of goggles.”
This year will see developers improving these side effects, with Pixmax releasing a new 8k VR headset to combat the size and the dizziness associated with VR. This year, you will definitely see companies integrating VR more into everyday life such as stores, theme parks and tourist attractions – bringing VR to the next level.
Wearable tech may have started with health and fitness, but it’s becoming so much more than just smartwatches. Ingestible technology is being developed to detect and fight cancer cells, and is expected to be in hospitals as soon as this year. Realwear have created the Realwear HMT-1, made with productivity, safety and human factors for industrial workers in rough and loud environments. It is an Android computer worn on the head, replacing the touch screen with micro-display, giving the appearance of a 7-inch tablet screen, that can be worn with safety helmets and corrective eyewear.
Research into neuroscience variables will be a big topic in 2018. 2017 saw the first wearable tech items that connect to the brain in order to combat factors like stress or strengthen athletic potential.
Neurostimulation will now be available in mini wearable form. Quell has created a wearable strap on the upper part of the leg, using electrical nerve stimulation to reduce the perception of pain, delivering tiny electrical impulses that help drown out pain signals to the brain and offer pain relief.
2018 will undoubtedly be a momentous year for wearable technology, and Challenge Advisory cannot wait to see the industry developments that this year will bring!
Rebecca Lam
Rebecca Lam