Tag: wearable devices

A research firm is now forecasting that the werarables market could have gone out of fashion by 2016.

According to the predictions that have been produced by a research firm regarding the wearable technology market, those mobile devices may already be edging toward the crest of a wave that could soon come crashing down.

The market is estimated to be made up of as many as 48 million device shipments, at the moment.

These wearable technology devices include everything from smatwatches to head mounted displays to fitness trackers, and even patches that adhere directly to the skin, among others. At the moment, many of them – particularly in the activity tracking category – are flying off the store shelves nearly as quickly as they can be placed there. However, if things go as has been predicted to NPD DisplaySearch, the hype will reach its maximum by the end of 2014, and it will only decline from there.

In fact, the wearable technology predictions are dramatic enough to say that the demand will be all but wiped out.

The NPD DisplaySearch report said that the actual hype that these wearables are generating has already started to fade. It stated that unless the prices fall considerably or there is a wearable device that is launched that offers the ability to become an essential tech gadget comparable to the role currently played by the smartphone, then there is a very real risk that smartglasses and smartwatches will be seen as nothing more than a fashion fad and they will be gone as quickly as they arrived.

According to the NPD DisplaySearch director of European TV research, Paul Gray, “We expect that the dynamics of the wearables market will be similar to DVD, LCD TV, smartphones, and other digital consumer markets with commoditised hardware.” He also added that prices and margins will fall when the market begins to include more from Samsung, LGE, “and other large, cost-efficient manufacturers.”

That said, the report also acknowledges that the actual evolution of wearable technology devices remains unknown, and there is still a great potential for one or several styles to be able to find the necessary consumer niche.

Wearable devices are becoming more than just entertainment tools

When it comes to wearable technology, many people immediately associate this concept with entertainment or social networking in some way. Many wearable devices that are slated for release in the coming months and years are, indeed, designed with entertainment in mind, but not all technology is meant to be fun. A recent breakthrough in wireless technology could actually make wearable devices very important tools for those that are interested in managing their health and wellbeing.

A team of researchers from Stanford University have developed a new wireless charging technology called “mid-field wireless transfer.” This technique is capable of delivering electrical power to small devices, such as biometric sensors, pacemakers,  nerve stimulators, and wearable devices that monitor health. Moreover, the technique can actually be used to power devices that are imbedded deep within the human body, making implanted sensors and other such devices viable for health care.

The research team notes that its wireless energy transfer technique is so safe that it can be used to power devices embedded in livers, kidneys, hearts, and even brains. These devices can be used to simply monitor health information, such as the performance of kidney functions, or they can be used to treat serious illnesses or alleviate pain. These devices could also be less of a burden on their owners, as they would not require surgery to replace the batteries that are commonly used for current implanted devices.

Wearable technology is most often construed with entertainment because that is how many modern devices are developed. These devices may be serving as a stepping stone to a future where technology is a more fundamental part of human life than it already is, however. Wearable technology could lead the way to a new generation of integrated technology that could actually change the way people see and interact with the world around them in a way that is more profound than what can be achieved through a simple pair of augmented reality glasses.