The Rising Adoption of Wearables and the Internet of Things

Author: Oodles Technologies

The most visible application of IoT technology is wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers. The demand for wearables has surpassed that of smartphones in the consumer electronics segment. From checking notifications to tracking physical activity, these devices provide novel means to accomplish routine tasks.

A survey conducted by Forrester’s Consumer Technographics stated that "14% of US online youth (ages 12 to 17) use a wearable device.

As per the latest Gartner’s recent report, the global shipment of wearable devices are anticipated to rise by 25.8% every year to $225 million (GBP 176.3 million) in 2019.

Clutch surveyed 500 people who owned connected devices to learn how they interact with popular consumer IoT technologies. The results were as follows:

  • Apple Watch (41%) is the most popular wearable product followed by Fitbit(35%)", and Samsung (21%).
  • Smartwatches(61%) are the first preferred wearable device ahead of fitness trackers(21%)
  • 91% of the wearable devices are connected to smartphones to track sleep analysis, steps taken, flights climbed and more.

Benefits of IoT Enabled Wearables

Wearables use a network of sensors connected by cloud services to collect raw data. IoT app development and analytics solutions hosted on the cloud provide detailed insights to users about their health and fitness. In addition, wearables enable personal safety, instant interoperability, data collection, profile management, notifications, and data security. Let’s explore some benefits of IoT based wearables:

Answering Calls: Attending phone calls while driving or on the move can be difficult sometimes. IoT enabled wearables like smartwatches enable users to attend or decline a call while moving. It also makes it easier for people with busy schedules to stay connected on-the-go.

Tracking Fitness: Working professionals’ hectic schedules refrains them from keeping up with their fitness goals. Wearable IoT devices like smart wristbands generate a huge volume of users’ personal data to enable them to accomplish their fitness goals easily.

Notifications: Handling smartphones can be strenuous when done repeatedly. IoT enabled wearables can sync up with mailboxes to notify users about meetings, appointments, and other important events.

Digital Payments: Payments is another area where IoT wearables are making a significant impact. Users can make online or in-person payment transactions without the use of wallets with few taps on their wearable devices.

Automated Sending and Receiving of Data: Wearables share data with the smart device ecosystem (gateway device, smart home, smart vehicle, cloud services, etc.,) for process analysis, autonomous interoperability in the IoT ecosystem and notifying users with text messages or app alerts.

While the current adoption of wearable technology is centered around the fitness industry, it has other applications too. Let’s find out other domains that can benefit through this technology.

  • Wearables at Work: Wearables devices for office and factory environment can provide relief from physical strain. For instance, wearables like chairless chair exoskeleton systems prevent employee fatigue to improve productivity and efficiency

  • Entertainment: Media, entertainment, and communication sectors are ripe for wearable technology. Wearable technology can make 7D movies more impactful with tactile features and provide better mechanisms to generate video content

  • Wearable for Manufacturing: The growth of industrial IoT applications includes wearable devices that improve productivity. Leading manufacturers use wearable devices that enable factory workers to pick up heavy objects with minimum physical strain to accelerate processes and prevent injuries. Also, in a warehousing and distribution setting, Google glass applications can enable employees to sort orders with precision and efficiency.

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