Although the wearable tech industry is still fairly new, it’s already had a big impact. Revolutionising fitness, health, productivity and much more, the possibilities appear to be endless. Check out these five ways that wearable tech is improving the lives of millions across the globe, and where it might take us in future.
Boosting productivity
Wearable tech is expected to transform the workplace. For instance, employers will be able to track productivity, monitor performance and generally keep an eye on things, even while on the go. This will help employers to enhance productivity and manage their teams in a more personalised way. Additionally, keeping tabs on work and assignments using wearable tech lessens the need for micro-managing, which can be unproductive and distracting.
Improving fitness
Health and fitness are two of the main drivers behind the boom in wearable tech. Clothing and even footwear are being connected up wirelessly to help you track and boost your performance and fitness while you work out. Like running shoes that monitor your precise running metrics and use the data to suggest improvements to your style or training. Even the elderly are getting in on the act by using wearables to help improve their health and avoid injury later in life. With everything from incontinence underwear that can alert nurses of accidents to shirts that monitor vital signs, there’s so much potential.
Gaming and entertainment
Wearable technology particularly comes into its own in gaming and entertainment. The availability of wireless and the advent of VR have really made this a fun time for tech and there are loads of available devices. There’s tech that tracks your swimming performance, GPS for golf and devices in development for most other popular sports too. Chinese brand Huawei has recently launched a Bluetooth headset to look like a pair of sunglasses. Complete with microphone and speakers built into the arms, you can make and receive phone calls and controlled it all with a simple tap on the side of the frames.
Keeping us safe
Safety is a fantastic benefit that wearable tech can bring. Like a smart necklace that tracks our location and can send an automatic alert by clicking the gemstone. Or a smart baseball cap that monitors brain activity and can measure how tired you are – already being used in industries like mining, truck driving and commercial diving. When out in your car, a wireless connected seat could tell if you were having a heart attack, notify the emergency services and help you stop the vehicle safely.
Smartphones could even help fight the war against food poisoning, thanks to a sensor that tells you when your food is past its best. It detects certain gasses given off by inedible fish and meat, and is tipped to replace sell-by dates within the next few years.
Building the future
Wearable technology has already made things possible that were undreamt of a decade or two ago. So what more can we expect in the next few years?
Smart watches are one of the most popular pieces of wearable technology and their capabilities are being developed at an astonishing rate. As time passes, more and more apps will become available to pair with your smart watch, including better fitness and health tracking, with the idea being that once the technology is fully developed they will become as popular as smart phones.
You can already use your Apple Watch to pay for things digitally. In fact, paying by smartwatch is predicted to be one of the next big developments. As well as Apple Watch, FitBit recently launch digital payment functionality, with Fitbit Pay becoming available to use on London’s TfL network. Travellers simply tap and pay for each bus journey directly from their wrist using their Fitbit tracker. It’s convenient, secure and (hopefully) means you won’t get mugged for your change.
As smartwatch payments become more popular, there is a clear opportunity for retailers and leisure outlets like cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels, to keep up with the demands of their customers by using a card payment terminal to accept digital payment tools, like smartphones and smart watches.
If you’re considering a card terminal for your business, or want to understand a bit more about the different card payment solutions on offer, take a look at our portable card machines or get in touch.
