Wearing it well: the true impact of wearables on health

Will wearable technology encourage us to live a healthier life? Gavin Wheeldon, CEO, Purple WiFi asks the question.

In our health and image-conscious society we are always looking at the next fad diet or the latest miracle exercise. However, the truth is we all know that these quick fixes are unlikely to work, or at least work over an extended period of time, so wouldn’t it be better to look at how we can improve our health with more practical solutions?

That’s exactly what is taking place in the wearable technology market, and it is set to transform the health and wellness industry. The smartest of these wearable devices can perform tasks to assist us in our ongoing battle with health by scanning, tracking and providing sensory feedback as well as biofeedback or physiological functions.

Imagine running in an augmented reality environment, or simply monitoring your heart rate through your exercise clothes, wouldn’t that make training easier? How about bike helmets with a built in navigation system or smart socks that alert you if you are making injurious movements whilst running.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Expect to see more wearable technology introduced to your local gym or running club, or we could even be experiencing the beginning of the end for the gym, at least as we know it. Wearable technology is enabling us to exercise how we want, when we want, with all the motivation of a personal trainer as well as the best advice, simply through technology you wear.

Data is key

After all, it’s not just the technology that will revolutionise the way we take care of ourselves, it’s that data that the technology collects.

The technology giants have been quick to take advantage of this growing area, with Google Fit, Microsoft Health and Apple Health services providing data storage and analysis for the personal health insights collected by devices such as Fitbit, Misfit and Intel’s Basis to enable a deeper, more meaningful analysis of your health stats.

At this year’s CES in Las Vegas we saw a range of exciting health and fitness wearables, including Emiota's smart belt, which is an activity tracker that also automatically adjusts belt settings to your standing and seated position so that it’s never uncomfortable, and it can also loosen when you’ve had a large meal.

Healbe's GoBe fitness tracker can track calorie intake purely from a wrist-based sensor and Quell offers wearable pain relief by using sensors to stimulate nerve endings in the calf, which send signals to your brain encouraging it to release your natural opiates.

UpRight focuses on improving your posture, a preventative aid to eliminate your chances of developing back problems. This small wearable device sits in the small of your back and delivers gentle vibrations to alert you when you are slouching and need to straighten up.

Is it a fad?

But isn’t this just another exercise fad I hear you cry? Well, the technology isn’t actually offering a new style of fitness or health, it is simply improving your existing options and making the often complex area of health and fitness a little easier for us all. After all, if the reason most of us fail to exercise or take care of ourselves adequately is simply because we don’t have time and understanding, won’t technology like this help?

Furthermore, I don’t believe wearables are a fad. Over the next few years we will see technology being added to most of our daily chores and routines, powered by the Internet of Things, simply to make these activities easier, quicker, more accurate and fun.

Today’s smartwatches are just the beginning; they represent the first generation of an exciting technology sector. How long will it be until we stop asking the question ‘why do I need to wear technology to help me’ and start thinking ‘What technology do I need to help me perform this task?’

When Nike introduced the Nike+ it was seen as a fad, but the majority of runners now use some sort of tracking device, not to be fashionable, but because it offers valuable information that they use to improve their running and overall fitness, with practically no additional effort.

That really is the key, the technology won’t make you fitter or healthier, but it will give you the information you need to make decisions based on your health. It will reward you for making healthier decisions and encourage you to run on a rainy, cold evening when perhaps it’s easier to just forget it.

Wearable technology also allows you to share your milestones with your family and friends, making exercise a social experience and helping you to look at other ways you can develop your health.

That has to be a good thing.