Tag: wearable devices

Fashion is playing a role in people’s interest in wearable devices

Acclaimed technology firm Intel has claimed that wearable devices are as much about fashion as they are about technology. Wearable technology is beginning to see a great deal of exposure and new devices that offer a wide range of features are finally becoming commercially available. It may be years before these devices become as popular as smartphones and tablets, and their popularity may be intrinsically tied to their appeal as fashion accessories.

Many people are concerned about their fashion choices

Fashion happens to be a serious matter for many people. A large portion of the population spends a great deal of time thinking about what to wear and how their clothing and accessory choices will affect how they are seen. This has been something of a concern for many people for centuries and fashion has often directed the course of technology, especially when it comes to using technology publically. Cell phones initially won favor among consumers because they were both convenient and fashionable to use at the time. Smartphones quickly won popularity because of their more discreet nature and the fact that they served as a sort of status symbol when they were first introduced.

Wearable devices are too cumbersome for most people

Intel notes that many people currently see wearable devices as “geeky” or ugly. People are unwilling to use these devices because many of them are cumbersome in design and do not lend themselves well to people’s fashion tastes. While some of these devices may be very attractive from a technology standpoint, they are not so from a fashion perspective, and that may be the reason why people are not as excited for these devices as tech firms want them to be.

Intel contest aims to reward developers that take fashion into account

Intel has launched its own competition hoping to encourage tech developers to take fashion into more consideration. The company is offering a $500,000 grand prize for those participating in its Build It Development Track. The contest is meant to promote wearable devices that are both environmentally friendly and attractive from a fashion perspective.

Smart manicures could help people remember to take medication or quit smoking

Smartwatches and ar glasses may be among the most popular gadgets as far as wearable devices are concerned, but two nail art enthusiasts are making wearable tech far more fashionable by incorporating unique digital sensors into the designs they create for finger nails.

The nail designs are not only attractive they serve a practical function.

The creators behind the project are Jenny Rodenhouse and Kristina Ortega. They believe that nail beds could be the ideal spot for digital sensors that could enable people to track their movements. It may also benefit users in other ways. For instance, if someone wanted to give up smoking, the sensors could remind them not to engage in certain actions, such as lighting a cigarette.

One of the biggest problems the wearables industry faces is that many of the gadgets, such as Google Glass, are not attractive and do not look “cool”. If this technology is to really be successful, it needs to be accepted by the average person and not just individuals who are interested in tech.

Manicures are big business in the U.S. and, presently, women across the nation are not just having their nails painted, they are having designs put on their nails that include decorative objects like rhinestones, hoops, studs and even 3D printed objects.

Ortega noted that people are “really excited about new technology for wearables.” She added that “A lot of wearables are very one-size-fits-all. But they’re meant for the body, which is very intimate, so there’s room for getting really specific and seeing what could happen from that specificity.”

The wearable tech nail designs could offer many benefits.

One of the chief benefits of focusing this technology on nails is that many people like having their nails done and they like to wear long nails despite how impractical they may be. Furthermore, unlike other wearable devices, enhanced nail art would require maintenance and regular trips to the salon for updates.

Depending on the kind of sensor that is used, Ortega and Rodenhouse hope that programmers or doctors and nail technicians will be available to assist people in perfecting their data. Since the wearable tech sensors are being designed to accommodate coding for particular behaviors, they can be programmed to suit the wearer. For instance, one person may want to have an LED light come on to remind them to take their medication, while another may want the sensor that reminds them not to smoke.