When it comes to wearable technology, quite a lot of us will almost automatically think of Google Glass (and perhaps stop there). However, there are a lot more businesses out there that concentrate on some form of wearable technology. In this post I’ll highlight some good examples which I’ve come across recently:

1. Jawbone – Jawbone has been building mobile technology products for over a decade. The San Francisco based company is well known for products such as Jambox, the first intelligent wireless speaker (see Fig. 1 below), and its NoiseAssassin® technology, claiming to effectively eliminate all (external) noise.
2. Memoto – The Memoto “Lifelogging Camera” takes a photo of your life every 30 seconds. It’s a small wearable camera that not only takes a picture, but also captures where and when it was taken (see Fig. 2 below). Once plugged into your computer, all pictures are automatically uploaded onto the Memoto Lifelogging Cloud.”
3. Melon – Melon is a company which produces the “Melon Headband” and its mission is to “make the invisible activity of your brain visible and understandable.” Melon headbands will become available in 2014, but the Melon founders already claim that the main differentiator of their product – over existing EEG headbands already out there – is that it doesn’t just measure your brainwave activity, it also tries to make it understandable (see Fig. 3 below).
4. Recon Instruments – Recon Instruments produce wearable products aimed at the sports market. For example, the “Recon Jet” (which will become available in 2014) is presented as “the world’s most advanced wearable computer” and seems clearly aimed at cyclists. Connectivity of the ‘Jet’ to users’ smartphones and and other third party sensors will form a crucial part of this product (see Fig. 4 below).
5. AirStrip – AirStrip’s main mission is to “drive clinical transformation through mobility” and a good example hereof is its “AirStrip One” product. I struggle to summarise this solution in 1 or 2 sentences but it can probably be best described as a cross-platform tool that lets clinicians enter and access patients’ medical info digitally in a very easy and interconnected way.

Main learning point: Google Glass originally sparked my interest in wearable technology, but I then quickly realised how fast the wearable technology space is growing and how some companies have been in it for a long time already. Think of the aviation industry where pilots have been using wearable technology for decades or the fitness sector where workout armbands have been in fashion for a while now. I was nevertheless fascinated by some of the companies that I looked into and the range of wearable solutions already covered.

Fig. 1 – A short demo of Jawbone’s “Jambox” by VigTheGeek

Fig. 2 – A short introduction to Memoto’s Lifelogging Camera by Slashgear

Fig. 3 – A short introduction to Melon Headbands by Kickstarter

Fig. 4 – A short introduction to the Recon Jet by Recon Instruments 

Fig. 5 – Screenshot of the AirStrip ONE solution by AirStrip 

Related links for further learning:

1. http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/12/memoto-lifeblogging-camera/
2. http://memoto.com/pages/how-the-memoto-lifelogging-experience-works-infographic
3. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessedraper/2013/08/01/a-melon-for-your-melon-wearable-tech-for-your-brain/
4. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-were-all-going-to-be-using-wearable-technology-2013-7
5. http://www.wearable-technologies.com/
6. http://www.airstriptech.com/airstrip-one
7. http://www.fitbit.com/uk
8. http://hbr.org/2013/09/wearables-in-the-workplace/ar/1
9. http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Tracking-for-Health.aspx
10. http://www.wearable-technologies.com/gadgets-of-the-month/revolutionary-gps-goggles-from-recon-instruments/