You may have heard of wearables lately but still don’t know what it means. Below, we explain it to you and offer you a list of the most curious areas where this technology is beginning to be implemented .
What are wearables ?
Let’s start at the beginning, the word wearable comes from English and is literally understood as “wearable” or “wearable”. Thus, the term, applied to the technological context , acquires the meaning of “ wearable or wearable technology ”. The word refers, therefore, to those technological devices of reduced size that are incorporated into our accessories, garments or clothing on a daily basis, or what is the same, those electronic devices that somehow “integrate” in one part of the body, interacting continuously with the user: smart glasses, smartwatches, bracelets ,sneakers with built-in GPS … the list is getting longer.
The purpose of all these devices is to carry out some specific function that makes daily life easier without realizing it. And, although it is true that wearables are booming lately, some have existed for decades. This is the case of the marine chronometer, the digital wristwatch or the hearing aid, devices that perfectly coincide with the definition of wearable , although a priori we do not consider it.
Advantages and disadvantages of wearables
This type of device has many advantages . One of the main ones is that, thanks to their small size , we do not have to carry them in our purse, hand, or pocket, as would be the case with a smartphone or laptop. This type of technology goes with the user himself, “attached” to his body as if it were just another part of it, that is, that we can literally wear it.
Another advantage of wearables is that they allow you to group different leisure, work and communication tools on the same device . Consider, for example, the case of smartwatches , in which we can synchronize our email account, calls and messages, music or even our GPS.
Finally, in addition to offering information to the user, wearables can also be personalized . They can, for example, warn us that our heart rate is too high while we are exercising or that we are taking the wrong route when driving.
Although the list of benefits far outweighs the drawbacks, like everything else, these devices also have disadvantages . One of the main drawbacks is the battery with which they are endowed. As they are small devices, the battery is limited . They are normally designed to last at least one day; However, this varies depending on how we use the device. Another drawback is its price , which is still quite high. Luckily, it is expected that, as the use of these devices is expanding, and thanks to technological evolution, the disadvantages are decreasing and wearables end up presenting only advantages.
The 3 areas where wearable technology is being implemented the most
1. Textile and accessories and accessories sector. In this sector we can find, on the one hand, accessories and fashion accessories such as smartwatches or smart rings and
bracelets with different available functions : check your email or your WhatsApp messages , listen to music, control the kilometers you walk throughout the day, your sleep cycles … In addition, in recent years the main manufacturers are investing so that these types of accessories can interact with other devices and allow them to perform functions such as controlling the opening of your door, turning the lights on and off …
On the other hand, the textile sector is also investing in pieces of clothing with technology included. In fact, there are already dresses on the market equipped with the necessary technology to shrink or lengthen , adapting to the user’s body or even changing color . And the advances also reach children’s clothing , since, for example, certain smart fabrics are already available that signal and send a warning to the mother’s or father’s smartphone when the baby has a fever.
2. 
Life and health. As regards the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits , smart watches and bracelets are being great drivers, as they help the user to determine the optimal exercise that must be carried out daily and to check if he is actually doing it. In the same way, sports shoes with built- in GPS can become great allies when it comes to running or exercising outside.
But the evolution of these devices in this sector does not stop here, and it is that in the field of medicine , the results of large projects in which professionals have been working for years are beginning to be implemented. Thus, devices have been developed that are implanted in the human body , such as sensors that control the amount of glucose in a patient with diabetes.
3. Prevention of occupational risks. Wearable technology is also increasingly present in the business world. Companies are interested in increasing their productivity and reducing their costs , so increasing the safety of their employees , reducing possible occupational risks, is a great investment for the future . Thus, in various sectors of greater danger, technological solutions have begun to be implementedwho aim to make work safer. For example, today there are firemen and miners helmets that control the oxygen levels and the temperature that the user can resist in their work. In addition, they usually have a built-in GPS that allows them to be located constantly.
In short, as we always say, technology must be at the service of people and wearables , which can accompany us without us realizing it, are a great way to help us in our day to day.
