{"id":9017,"date":"2014-05-07T10:36:23","date_gmt":"2014-05-07T05:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/?p=9017"},"modified":"2021-01-02T11:22:39","modified_gmt":"2021-01-02T05:52:39","slug":"the-era-of-wearables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/2014\/05\/07\/the-era-of-wearables\/","title":{"rendered":"The era of wearables"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In the post on the <a href=\"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/2014\/04\/08\/an-internet-of-things-narrative\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Internet of Things<\/a> last month, I&#8217;d mentioned two narratives on social products that I considered were working in tandem to shape the future of marketing, consumption, and living itself. Both using sensors &#8211; one on things (IoT), and the other on humans (Wearables, though I stubbornly use Techsessories!) \u00a0This post is on the latter.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Why I think it matters<\/strong><\/em>: Though nowhere remotely close to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.psfk.com\/2014\/03\/chris-dancy-wearable-tech.html#!ES9Uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chris Dancy levels<\/a>, I have been interested in this for a while. As I mentioned in my <a href=\"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/2013\/06\/19\/brands-and-the-personal-api\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Personal API post<\/a>, I see it as an evolution of my lifelogging pursuit &#8211; from logging in experiences to sensors automatically picking up data &#8211; and something that is highly relevant to my area of work &#8211; brands. In the big picture, I also see this domain as a key player in the evolution of our species &#8211; from our <a href=\"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/2014\/02\/05\/the-path-to-immortality\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">persistent movement towards immortality<\/a> (physical) as well as, what I hope will be, a more <a href=\"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/2014\/03\/19\/a-mind-beyond-auto-pilot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">gradual steps towards mindfulness<\/a>. (mental, emotional)<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>What is it<\/strong><\/em>? Smartwatches are just the beginning, and at a broad level, wearables can already be categorised into<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Health<\/em> : From standard <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/article2\/0,2817,2404445,00.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">activity trackers<\/a> like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnet.com\/news\/nike-fires-fuelband-engineers-will-stop-making-wearable-hardware\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nike&#8217;s recently abandoned Fuelband<\/a> to <a href=\"http:\/\/chicago.cbslocal.com\/2013\/02\/22\/breast-cancer-detecting-bra-could-be-new-option-for-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cancer detecting bras<\/a>, they measure heartbeat, sleep patterns, calories burnt and so on)<\/li>\n<li><em>Personal Devices<\/em> : From <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pcadvisor.co.uk\/test-centre\/gadget\/3497103\/7-best-smartwatches-2014\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sony&#8217;s Smart Watch, among others<\/a> to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.google.com\/glass\/start\/what-it-does\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google Glass<\/a>, it does everything from being a personal planner to giving contextually relevant information, to augmented reality and more.<\/li>\n<li><em>Others<\/em>: In this, I include everything from security (eg. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bionym.com\/tech\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nymi<\/a> for authentication, \u00a0the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kickstarter.com\/projects\/mclear\/nfc-ring\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NFC ring<\/a>)\u00a0to fashion (eg. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.squidlondon.com\/2013\/10\/11\/shifting-paradigns-fashion-technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">colour changing raincoats<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.yankodesign.com\/2008\/04\/22\/beauty-is-skin-deep-geekness-is-to-the-core\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">keyboard jeans<\/a> to more <a href=\"http:\/\/visual.ly\/wearable-computing-where-fashion-meets-function\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">e-textiles<\/a>) to specific applications (sports eg. <a href=\"http:\/\/shottracker.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ShotTracker<\/a>; context specific: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.psfk.com\/2014\/04\/hotel-wearable-bracelets-worry-free-stays.html#!GYoGT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">hotel bracelets<\/a>) gaming and so on, until things that make life easier. (eg. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wearfin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Fin<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li>&#8216;<em><a href=\"http:\/\/thenextweb.com\/mobile\/2012\/11\/04\/perpetually-connected-are-wearable-computers-and-bio-implants-the-future-of-mobile\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bearables<\/a><\/em>&#8216;: Wearables inside the body &#8211; devices embedded in the skin or ingested for enhanced biometric tracking (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.psfk.com\/2014\/03\/embedded-vital-monitors-future-of-health.html#!ETkOJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">read<\/a> for more)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>(Some <a href=\"http:\/\/brandongaille.com\/latest-wearable-technology-statistics-and-trends\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">statistics<\/a>, a <a href=\"http:\/\/go.gigaom.com\/rs\/gigaom\/images\/wearable-computing-the-next-big-thing-in-tech.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">primer<\/a>,\u00a0and a <a href=\"http:\/\/visual.ly\/wearable-wheel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">good classification<\/a> to broaden your perspectives)<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Where is all this going?<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0For the scope of this post, let&#8217;s briefly look at the impact\/deliverables from three points of view<\/p>\n<p><em>Consumer<\/em>: There are quite a number of views (read concerns) that wearables are probably the first step towards turning us into cyborgs. (what I refer to as the <a href=\"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/?s=augmented+human\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">augmented human<\/a> here) There is another line of thought that wonders if all of this is taking us closer to &#8216;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/online\/blogs\/elements\/2014\/02\/as-technology-gets-better-will-society-get-worse.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sofalarity<\/a>&#8216;. I can argue the <a href=\"http:\/\/cutecircuit.com\/collections\/the-hug-shirt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hug Shirt<\/a> both ways! I wonder if, as we race towards singularity, there is an unconscious adaptation that our species is going through to survive, or continue to thrive. Personally, I like to think that technology is giving me the means to first quantify, and then use that data (converted to information and then to insights) to consistently work towards being a better human. ( a qualified self, so to speak) \u00a0I have already taken the first step with Goqii. While there is no dearth of trackers, I found their\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.goqii.com\/#GOQii_Ecosystem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ecosystem approach<\/a>\u00a0interesting.\u00a0I also envision creation of personal APIs becoming easier in the next few years, allowing us to store, analyse and transmit data and information to others.<\/p>\n<p><em>Ecosystem<\/em>: At one level, there is going to be some effort in making wearables really mainstream. There is definitely going to be resistance. The answer, as always, is in using wearables <a href=\"http:\/\/venturebeat.com\/2014\/03\/02\/how-to-make-wearables-stick-use-them-to-change-human-behavior\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">as a means to address human needs<\/a>. On another level, while devices are expanding in scope, quality and sheer numbers, as Chris Dancy mentions in the interview (linked earlier) interoperability is still a concern. (just as in the case of IoT) It&#8217;s not just wearables talking to each other, but talking to a larger universe of the IoT.<\/p>\n<p><em>Brands<\/em>: This domain has seen its share of brands &#8211; standalone ones as well as majors like Apple, Google and Samsung who want in on the action. There are fashion brands too, and I can imagine a near future when technology will be a hygiene factor in many kinds of apparel. While this happens on the device side, the data generated finds application across spheres &#8211; think, for example, how this can be applied in the health domain, (from medication to insurance) employment, sports and so on.\u00a0Thus, there are many roles for brands &#8211; a standalone device and ecosystem with minimum connectivity, or devices and\/or ecosystems that work in a complementary manner with another set and provide a product\/service. As privacy concerns escalate, I believe the role of the consumer will be the key one to watch. This is the opportunity for brands to connect its business purpose to the consumer&#8217;s narrative. Brands should work towards gaining the trust of consumers early on and create seamless platforms for connecting devices, data, and users, working towards a common shared purpose.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9145 lazyload\" alt=\"Wearables\" data-src=\"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Wearables.jpg\" width=\"500\" height=\"561\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Wearables.jpg 500w, https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/Wearables-267x300.jpg 267w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 500px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 500\/561;\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.robcottingham.ca\/cartoon\/archive\/wearing-okay-version\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>From not believing that the world needed more than <a href=\"http:\/\/img.docstoccdn.com\/thumb\/orig\/128271341.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">five computers<\/a>\u00a0(1943), we have reached more than 1.8 billion smartphones (<a href=\"http:\/\/theultralinx.com\/2012\/09\/apple-gain-iphone-infographic.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">source<\/a>) that arguably do more than what a &#8216;computer&#8217; can. So, a wearable (or a set of them) soon superseding a mobile is very much in the realms of possibility. As functions evolve, form factors will change &#8211; that&#8217;s inevitable, and on shorter cycles. The last decade in particular \u00a0has seen a massive technological evolution, but I think this is just the beginning &#8211; we&#8217;re at the cusp of a sea change in the way we live and work &#8211; about to push beyond the known\u00a0boundaries of the body and mind. In the context of this evolution, Carl Jung&#8217;s profound statement would be a good one to remember &#8211;\u00a0&#8220;<em>Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.<\/em>&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>until next time, wearabouts!<\/p>\n<p>P.S. \u00a0If the subject interest you, do follow\u00a0my\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/manuscrypts\/techsessories\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Techsessories<\/a>\u00a0and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/manuscrypts\/health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Health<\/a> boards<\/p>\n<p>P.P.S. Need a #lulz worthy wearable strategy &#8211; Check <a href=\"http:\/\/whatthefuckismywearablestrategy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this<\/a> out!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the post on the Internet of Things last month, I&#8217;d mentioned two narratives on social products that I considered were working in tandem to shape the future of marketing, consumption, and living itself. Both using sensors &#8211; one on things (IoT), and the other on humans (Wearables, though I stubbornly use Techsessories!) \u00a0This post <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/2014\/05\/07\/the-era-of-wearables\/\">[&hellip;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6055,21,98,412,2538],"tags":[4477,3249,4450,4447,4478],"class_list":["post-9017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-augmented-human","category-brand","category-future","category-life","category-ideas","tag-goqii","tag-internet-of-things","tag-iot","tag-mindfulness","tag-wearables"],"aioseo_notices":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9017"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15103,"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9017\/revisions\/15103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manuscrypts.com\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}