Throughout history, humanity's relentless drive to innovate and create has been a constant. This drive has led us to craft tools and machines that have continuously elevated our quality of life from the dawn of civilization. Among the myriad of inventions, wearable technology stands out as a defining advancement of our era.

Wearable technology encompasses a range of devices, from watches to glasses, shoes, and even clothing, that seamlessly integrate technology into our daily attire. These devices not only blend effortlessly into our routines but also elevate our experiences, enhancing convenience, health, and connectivity.

In this blog, we will journey through the incredible timeline of wearable technology. We will also discuss the rise of its market and how it has transformed industries, from sports to healthcare and beyond. So, if you want to witness something incredible, read ahead!

The Early Days of Wearable Technology

In 1961, Edward Thorpe and Claude Shannon devised a gadget that tipped the scales in their favor during a game of roulette [1]. This market the inception of what we now recognize as wearable technology. 

The timeline gets even more intriguing from here. The subsequent decades saw the debut of pulsar calculator watches in the 1970s and 1980s [2]. Yet, the true surge in wearable tech popularity came about in 2010 with the introduction of smartwatches and fitness trackers. These innovative tools, providing users the ability to monitor their health and fitness metrics, rapidly gained traction [3].

The allure of wearable technology has grown exponentially in recent years. From smartwatches to advanced insoles, these devices have become everyday essentials for many. The market's meteoric rise is evident in its staggering revenues, now in the billions. Projections even suggest a rise to $419 billion by 2028. 

What Wearable Technology Has to Offer

We've all harbored that intrinsic desire to unlock secrets or use 'cheat codes', reminiscent of Thorpe and Shannon's endeavors. Yet, wearable technology transcends mere casino games. What if we were to suggest that with these devices, you possess the key to mastering life itself?

Indeed, today's devices offer capabilities beyond what many might have imagined, monitoring aspects like heart rhythms, sleep cycles, and gait patterns. While it's challenging to encapsulate the entirety of wearable technology's benefits in a single article, this piece aims to highlight some of its most notable contributions.

Wearables in Sports: Enhancing Performance

Undoubtedly, sports hold a pivotal role in society. Beyond mere entertainment, they often drive technological advancements. Thus, any innovative technology introduced to society inevitably integrates with sports. Why would wearable technology be any different?

Specialized sports wearables such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, insoles, and others help athletes and coaches find faults in their skills. Through this feedback, athletes improve their performance and can perform better in the field. 

Now, let's look at the timeline of wearable technology in sports. In the early 2000s, major technology brands introduced smartwatches and fitness trackers. The goal of these devices was to assess different parameters that are somehow related to the athlete’s performance [4] [5]. Some of the important parameters include the heart rate, calorie burn, step counts, and even complete workout analysis. 

Specialized sports wearables, like those worn on the chest or integrated into sports gear, emerged to provide even more targeted data. Athletes could monitor their breathing, muscle activity, and hydration levels, allowing for precise adjustments to their training regimens [6].

Wearables in Health: Monitoring Wellness

Health and fitness are intrinsically linked. As such, devices that bolster our fitness often simultaneously enhance our well-being. Consider smartwatches, which not only track our heart rate during physical activities but can also alert us to potential health concerns.

Similarly, insoles like those from LUBU not only elevate athletic performance but also support the foot's natural arch, leading to fewer post-run cramps and discomfort.

Yet, these innovations merely scratch the surface. Present-day wearables can capture ECGs, track heart rhythms, and analyze sleep patterns. Impressively, some can even alert emergency services upon detecting potentially life-threatening anomalies [7].

Products of Wearable Technology: A Comparison

As mentioned earlier, the realm of wearable technology is expanding at a brisk pace, with new devices emerging regularly. These gadgets can capture everything from our daily step count to our heart's rhythm and even provide insights into our walking pattern through gait analysis.

Yet, among all wearables, insoles stand out for their unparalleled benefits. Designed to fit discreetly inside shoes, insoles, like those from LUBU, can track myriad metrics, including steps, distance, and even caloric expenditure.

Given their position close to our feet, insoles are uniquely poised to capture data on the weight our bodies carry during movement. Such insights enable a comprehensive gait analysis, aiding in identifying potential issues and enhancing overall fitness [8]. 

In Conclusion

Wearable technology isn't just a trend—it's here to stay.
From athletes pushing the boundaries of performance to health enthusiasts keeping a close eye on vital stats,  wearables have seamlessly woven themselves into the fabric of our lives.

These groundbreaking devices represent incredible advancements, and the horizon only hints at more exciting innovations.

Get ready, because this journey is only beginning!

References

1. Wearable computer [Internet]. Wikipedia. 2023 [cited 2023 Sep 10]. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wearable_computer

2. Pulsar Calculator Watch [Internet]. National Museum of American History. Available from: https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1173543

3. Sultan N. Reflective thoughts on the potential and challenges of wearable technology for healthcare provision and medical education. International Journal of Information Management [Internet]. 2015 Oct;35(5):521–6. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268401215000468

4. Mopas MS, Huybregts E. Training by feel: wearable fitness-trackers, endurance athletes, and the sensing of data. The Senses and Society. 2020 Jan 2;15(1):25–40.

5. Henriksen A, Haugen Mikalsen M, Woldaregay AZ, Muzny M, Hartvigsen G, Hopstock LA, et al. Using Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches to Measure Physical Activity in Research: Analysis of Consumer Wrist-Worn Wearables. Journal of Medical Internet Research [Internet]. 2018 Mar 22;20(3):e110. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5887043/

6. Seshadri DR, Li RT, Voos JE, Rowbottom JR, Alfes CM, Zorman CA, et al. Wearable sensors for monitoring the internal and external workload of the athlete. NPJ digital medicine [Internet]. 2019;2(2):71. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31372506

7. Koshy AN, Sajeev JK, Nerlekar N, Brown AJ, Rajakariar K, Zureik M, et al. Smartwatches for heart rate assessment in atrial arrhythmias. International Journal of Cardiology. 2018 Sep;266:124–7.

8. Lin F, Wang A, Zhuang Y, Tomita MR, Xu W. Smart Insole: A Wearable Sensor Device for Unobtrusive Gait Monitoring in Daily Life. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics. 2016 Dec;12(6):2281–91.