The world is fascinated to see how technology evolves each passing day. All too soon, there's an emerging technology that is trending around us, and it is no other technology than smart wearable technology. Less attention is paid to the data that our bodies are radiating and communicating to us, but with the timely arrival of wearable sensors, we now have numerous devices that can be tracking and collecting the data that our bodies are radiating. Apart from numerous benefits that we derive from the functions provided by wearable technology such as monitoring of our fitness levels, etc., one other critical importance of wearable technology is helping the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Machine learning thrives on the availability of massive data and wearable technology which forms part of the internet of things (IoT) generates megabytes of data every single day. The data generated by these wearable devices are used as a dataset for the training and learning of machine learning models. Through the analysis of the outcome of these machine learning models, scientific conclusions are made.
TopIntroduction
It is fascinating to see how technology evolves at each passing day. Technological innovations have led to the reduction of monitoring devices and power sources, unveiling an entire innovative world of opportunities and advancements. Some people call the internet, the summation of human knowledge as they perceive it to be everything that we know at our fingertips. Those with this school of thought are not far from the right since one is seen as haven the entire world in his palm when he is connected to the internet. Smartphones give us the ability to connect to human knowledge anywhere that we find ourselves. What intrigues the masses of technology fanatics is the question of what comes next after the smartphone? And again, the question of whether technology is going to be a new form of human connection to knowledge? All too soon, there’s an emerging technology that is trending around us now, and it is no other technology than Smart Wearable Technology. Although wearable products are not new, the touch of smartness, the application of Artificial Intelligence, and the implementation of sensor technology to some of these wearable accessories are novel.
What Is Wearable Technology?
Generally, we don’t pay the needed attention to the data that our body is radiating even though it constantly radiate data. Not until we fall seriously sick, we usually disregard this message that our bodies are telling us. For instance, waking up early in the morning with a sore throat and backache may be a sign that your body is telling us, that we have not been paying attention or looking after it very well. It’s at that point that it will dawn on us to seek for more rest, drink our water, take more vitamins, and indulge in exercise. Sometimes, not until we visit our Doctor and he breaks the bad news of our lab results showing high cholesterol level, and we turned to pay attention to the food that we eat, or the exercise that we get. It’s at that point that it occurs to us, the need to eat a well-balanced diet, have rigorous exercise, etc. Certainly, we disregard the massive data that our bodies are radiating but thankfully, the timely arrival of wearable devices promises to change the status quo. Numerous devices can be tracking and collecting the data that our bodies are radiating and allow us to analyze it in real-time and make changes in our lives at the most basic human level. Most scientists, engineers, and researchers have tried defining what wearable technology is about. While some define it as a category of electronic devices implanted in the user’s body or tattooed on the skin, embedded in clothes that can be worn as accessories, others too define it as simply the electronic technology or devices incorporated into items that can be comfortably worn on the body. One notable definition among them, which this book will adopt is the definition by Duking P. et al, 2018.
Definition: Wearable Technology which is also referred to as fashion electronics, wearables, fashion technology, or tech togs are smart electronic devices usually, with micro-controllers or sensors that are worn close to and/or on the surface of the skin, where they can detect, analyze, and transmit information concerning e.g. body signals such as vital signs, and/or ambient and which allow in some cases immediate biofeedback to the wearer, Duking P. (2018).
Background Of Wearable Technology
In 1571, Queen Elizabeth received the first wearable device which was a wristwatch, as a new year's gift. Then came the ABACUS Ring in 1644. In 1950, the Button Spy camera was invented which was used mostly by the United State of America's CIA. Then in 1961, the Gambling shoe which is the first computer was introduced. The year 1979 was when wearable computing, which was in the form of helmet, backpack, etc. was introduced. In the 1980s, a pre-modern wearable technology which is a wearable calculator watch was also introduced. A hearing aid is also another earlier modern technology to be invented. Wearables ranging from electronic headbands used as a costume in theaters, Rings as a computational device by traders and a wearable camera strapped to a bird to take aerial photos to mention but a few have since been used by man. In 2000, the first Bluetooth headset was introduced, then followed by the commercialization of Fitbit Tracker in September 2009. A Kickstarter campaign was launched by Oculus in 2012 to start the sale of the first consumer virtual reality headset. Samsung Galaxy Gear which is the first smartwatch was released in September 2013, then followed by the Apple Watch in April 2015. According to Harito (2020), the Virtual Reality (VR) headset manufactured by HTC Company in 2016 allow users to move freely within a virtual space.