Apple and Google are pouring millions into the wearable tech market, which is also attracting a host of exciting, innovative start-ups.
The global wearable electronics market is expected to reach revenues of US$8bn (€6.3bn, £5bn) by 2018, with health and fitness trackers representing 61 per cent of the sector.
The ramifications for health and wellbeing are huge. Medical institutions are already using the technology to monitor patients’ vital signs – aiming to identify problems early – and there’s potential for spas to monitor customer biometrics as well. They’re being integrated with corporate wellness programmes too as employers harness information from trackers to determine employees’ health insurance premiums. Many feel that this is just the start for wearable tech, which has the potential for seamless integration with the ‘internet of things’ – the advanced connectivity of devices, systems and services – as it gains momentum.
With this in mind, we look at the latest innovations in the wellness wearables market to work out which ideas are likely to leave rivals stuck in the starting blocks.
