Wearable technology

 

Wearable technology is the general name given to devices that contain sensors that track body movements, which can be used as an accessory or as a part of clothing. Although the most popular of these devices, which can perform instant data communication over an Internet connection, is known as smart watches, there are many wearable technology products for health, sports, education and entertainment purposes.

Wearable technologies in healthcare

Wearable technology products used in the field of health offer great convenience in tracking personal health data. Monitoring these data instantly not only helps in the early diagnosis of many ailments, but also increases the standard of living.

We can list the most talked about wearable devices used in the field of health recently as follows;

EEG headset: EEG (Electroencephalography) headset, which provides information about brain functions by measuring electrical fluctuations in the brain, collects data for the diagnosis of a wide range of diseases from epilepsy to sleep disorders. Designed as an extremely simple headband, these products help to measure sleep quality by transferring the data they obtain to a smart device.

Sensor Measuring UV Rays: Prolonged direct exposure to sunlight can cause some serious skin conditions. Mini sensors measuring UV rays allow the person to take precautions by detecting whether they are under a risky amount of sunlight. Designed as a small tag that can be attached to nails or the edge of glasses, these devices can be considered in the category of wearable jewelry that does not need a battery because they use NFC technology.

Stress Control Bracelet: Stress control wristbands that work integrated with smartphones are based on heart rhythm data. In the event that the user detects a deterioration in heart rhythm, the mobile application on the smartphone activates and offers some stress-reducing recommendations such as drinking water and relaxing with small exercise movements.

Smart electrocardiogram: Smart EKG devices, which are used by taping on the region where the heart is located, monitor the user's heartbeat information 24/7. These smart products, which work on the cloud and can also analyze artificial intelligence, give very successful results especially in diagnosing rhythm disorders. Users can access detailed ECG reports via cloud service via a computer.

smart shoes: Smart shoes, which can be easily connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth, collect all the necessary information for a healthy walking and running, with extra data such as posture control, step analysis, as well as basic information such as the number of steps and the amount of calories consumed.

Wearable technologies in sports

These smart solutions, which have been produced considering the needs of those who do sports, have started to take place more and more in the lives of many sports fans thanks to the technological developments.

Smart watch: The majority of people who are interested in sports such as running, walking, cycling and swimming prefer smart watches to track their performance. Smart watches, which provide data on many different subjects such as heart rate tracking, pedometer, blood oxygen measurement, ECG and sleep monitoring, can be used in all kinds of sports with their dust and water resistant models.

Bluetooth headphone: Bluetooth headphones used for listening to music and answering incoming calls while doing sports; It is produced in different designs to be worn in the ear, worn behind the ear or to go around the back of the head. Some models can also send information such as heart rate measurement, automatic repeat counter and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 Max) to a smartphone.

Smart wristband: Smart wristbands, which are especially popular with sports fans who are interested in walking and running, offer many different functions such as blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) measurement, sleep tracking, stress tracking, exercise mode with a personal trainer, as well as functions such as step counting and heart rate measurement as standard.

Wearable technologies in the playground

Wearable gaming devices allow players to interactively experience their favorite games and enjoy the game more. VR glasses are the devices with the most applications in the field of wearable technologies. Apart from this, smart watches, smart rings and wearable devices with many motion sensors are also finding an increasing place in the gaming industry.

Wearable technologies in education

Wearable technology products, the first versions of which were designed as an extension of smartphones, began to offer the features of a smart mobile device independently as time passed. This has led to the diversification of wearable technology applications in many different sectors. In this way, different applications such as medical students experiencing a surgery remotely with VR glasses or giving physics education interactively in a three-dimensional virtual environment were implemented.

Wearable technology from yesterday to today

Calculator watches and the walkmans that came to the market at the end of the 1970s can be counted as the first modern examples of wearable technology products. Developed in the 80s, hearing aids have also found wide use as a wearable technology product in the healthcare field. At the end of the 90s, the first examples of bluetooth headphones were seen. With the introduction of the iPod in 2001, the MP3 player fashion swept the world.

The 2000s passed with the first examples of smart wristbands and head-mounted wearable cameras. While the first smart glasses were tried with Google Glass in the 2010s, smart watches with the Apple Watch started to offer many functions at the same time, expanding their usage area. In 2016, VR glasses were launched and offered unprecedented experiences, especially in the gaming industry. Today, wearable technology products, which offer customized solutions for many sectors from health to sports, from education to entertainment, have become an important part of our lives.