“The Apple Watch, Google Glass, and Fitbit are on the leading edge of consumer ‘wearables’ – technology that combines electronic sensors with everyday apparel. But watches and eyeglasses are only the beginning,” Robert J. Szczerba reports for Forbes. “Shirts, socks, and any other item of clothing or accessory you have in your wardrobe are being reimagined to collect, analyze, and use personalized data.”
“Smart Clothing, also known as e-textiles, can be used in a wide variety of applications. They can measure and report vital signs for inpatient or outpatient healthcare, fitness training, or the handling of hazardous materials,” Szczerba reports. “They can track the status and position of soldiers on the battlefield, or monitor the alertness of drivers, air traffic controllers, or construction workers. The possibilities are as exciting as they are vast.”
“What’s next? how about garments that change color when the wearer is experiencing a medical issue? (Or maybe you just want your tie to better match your shirt.) How about swimwear that monitors water temperature and quality? Wouldn’t it be cool if glove and sock warmers adjusted and maintained a specific, requested temperature?” Szczerba reports. “On a more serious note, a life-saving application could be compression socks or pants that detect blood clots.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]
My watch just told my phone my underwear says it wants to be laundered.
“how about garments that change color when the wearer is experiencing a medical issue?”
Yea, lets tell the whole world that you are experiencing a medical issue.
. . . or it can just alert your smartphone.
In very little way is this a good thing. The possibilities are endless. Think of all the ways individuals, corporations, and gov’t can exploit.