What do we mean by the term "Wearable Technology"?

The term "wearable technology" is used to describe clothing or wearable accessories that incorporate computer or advanced electronic sensor technologies.

Wearable technology usually has both a practical function and a fashion component (e.g. a Smart Watch).  However, some "wearables" may have a purely aesthetic look (e.g. fashion clothing incorporating eTextiles to create a visual or artistic effect), or an empathetic purpose (e.g. the Ger Mood Sweater by Sensoree which interprets emotions and instantly displays the wearer’s mood  as an interactive light display).

Here are some examples of wearable technology products:

Collection of Smart Watches and Fitness bands

Ralph Lauren Polo Tech smart shirt (2014)

The Ger Mood Sweater by Sensoree 

In  a very practical sense, the market  for wearable technology is intertwined with the evolution of mobile devices (in particular smart phones), and that of "Internet of Things" (IoT).  Wearable technology is often interfaced with (or in some cases reliant upon), mobile devices such as smart phones to deliver a particular function or solution (e.g. the Apple iPhone 6 and iWatch).  Wearable technology is  also often designed to interact with external sensors or beacons that are part of the IoT (e.g. your Smart Watch alerting you to in-store promotions via an iBeacon).

In the following series of posts I will be exploring the current status and predicted future for the global "Wearable Technology" market.  In particular, I will be covering key topics including:

What to wear?  An overview and segmentation of the devices, technologies, products and services that comprise the wearable technology market.

What size to wear?   A summary and critique of the key wearable technology market data predictions, forecasts and trends.

Designed for wear.  A review of the core underlying technology enablers (e.g. advances in battery technology), and infrastructure components (e.g. the Internet of Things), that are essential to the development and growth of the wearable technology market.

Going NO wear!  Understanding the barriers to the acceptance and growth of wearable technology.

Whose wearing what?  An analysis and assessment of the key players in the wearable technology market (brands, manufacturers, and research institutes)

Wear to next?  A collection of insights and predictions into the evolution of the wearable technology market.