Tag: wearable technology

Wearable devices will be used in new study from the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Intel

Wearable technology may hold some promise when it comes to researching Parkinson’s Disease. The Michael J. Fox Foundation and Intel have teamed together to study how wearable devices could be used to detect data on the various symptoms of the disease. The information will be uploaded into a cloud computer network and this information will be available to researchers for free. Some 60,000 people in the U.S. alone are diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease every year and understanding this affliction is beginning to become more important.

Mobile technology is beginning to see more practical uses

Mobile technology plays a significant role in society today, but typically only fills entertainment and social needs. Smartphones allow people to stay in constant contact with one another through the Internet and through a mobile network. Beyond that, mobile technology has only very recently begun to see more attention as a way to gather information about certain medical problems and similar issues.

Study aims to help patients keep track of their symptoms more effectively

Through the study, data concerning the slowness of movement, tremors, and sleep quality of those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease will be collected. Wearable devices may also help patients self-report their symptoms and how these symptoms affect their lives more efficiently. A small-scale study was held earlier this year in which patients used wearable devices to offer up information about their symptoms. Those participating in the study noted that wearable devices kept track of their symptoms more effectively.

Wearable technology has seen little practical use in the past few years, but that may be changing quickly

Wearable technology is gaining popularity, but wearable devices are typically seen as novelty rather than practical tools. Most wearable devices have to do with entertainment in some way, while others exist for social media purposes. There are very few of these devices currently available that represent some practical use. Some smartwatches, for instance, exist that help keep track of health information, but wearable devices have seen little practical use beyond this.

Wearable devices are becoming more common. Most of these devices have very limited uses, with some existing only to keep track of how many steps a person has taken in a short amount of time. More ambitious devices are beginning to enter the market, but whether or not these devices will find any success is suspect. Many people are showing interest in wearable technology, but this does not mean that these people will be using these devices on a daily basis.

Currently, one of the major selling points of wearable devices is that they can simply do what smartphones already do, but better. Smartphones are quite capable of doing anything a pair of augmented reality glasses or a smartwatch can do. These devices have been equipped with features that are considered “new” to the field of wearable technology for years. While some wearable devices may be able to outshine smartphones, they can only manage to do so by having a very specific focus on a particular purpose. Smartphones, however, are not restricted to a singular focus and can do many things very effectively.

Wearable devices may have very limited market appeal. Because they do not actually offer something new, apart from how a person uses a mobile device, they may be a hard sell to consumers. Many people are happy to use their smartphones and tablets in public, and these devices have become something of a fashion accessory for people everywhere. Wearable devices do not have the same appeal currently. Augmented reality glasses, for instance, are not designed with appearance in mind. As such, those interested in such devices may shy away from using them because of how they look, and how these devices will make them look in public.

Wearable technology does have a future, but what that future looks like is difficult to say for certain. In the early days of mobile technology, there was uncertainty regarding how popular mobile phones would be. Wearables may well be the next smartphone, if they can manage to overcome some of the challenges that they will experience in society.