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Wearable technology will start to take off in the U.K. by 2017

Dan Gendro | February 10, 2015

A recent survey has shown that while Brits aren’t on board yet with wearables, the time is coming.

There are few who would disagree that wearable technology is now on its way, as its popularity is starting to rise and a growing number of people are becoming interested in what these gadgets could have to offer them in the future.

As the products improve their features as well as their appearance, wearables have been able to boost their appeal.

Wearable technology came into the marketplace all in a big wave, but while the first impression of these devices may not have been the best one, they are starting to sway consumers with improvements to their tech and as they grow more stylish. As designers of these gadgets gain a better understanding of what consumers actually want, how to make the devices practical, and what people are willing to actually wear, tech has been improving in a way that is starting to convince people to actually buy.

While consumers aren’t quite ready to make wearable technology mainstream, that time is close.

Wearable Technology to take off in the UK New research commissioned by Currys PC World has revealed that among Britain’s 18 to 65 year olds, there will be 17 million people using wearables by 2017. That company has revealed that its increases in sales in that category have shot up by 710 percent when compared to the same time last year. Clearly, they are not simply drawing their predictions out of the air.

The growth was greatly credited to the release of Android Wear, and it is expected that when the Apple Watch actually launches within the next couple of months, it will spike even further. That said, keeping on top of the trends and grabbing up the top brand names are not the only drivers behind the willingness of consumers to make a purchase. The fact that these gadgets are increasingly useful and practical is becoming very convincing.

The Currys PC World report was based on a survey of 1068 people. Among them 39 percent said that their top reason for being interested in wearable technology was for health and fitness improvements. Primarily, they wanted to track calories (39 percent), track daily activity levels (36 percent), and monitor heart rate (35 percent). All of these tracking capabilities are available in even some of the most inexpensive wearables that are currently available.

Could wearable technology be the next anti-anxiety treatment?

Lucy | February 2, 2015

A new form of headset may be able to lower anxiety levels better than drugs, caffeine, or alcohol.

A new type of wearable technology from Thync, which comes in the form of an electronic headset, is being designed to be able to reduce the tension that people feel in their bodies so that their stress and anxiety levels can safely, rapidly, and effectively be lowered.

This headset involves the attachment of two small electrodes to the temple and back of the neck with a gentle adhesive.

The wearable technology device must currently be worn for 16 minutes and, according to Sumon Pal, the executive director of the neuroscience startup based in Los Gatos, California, the majority of people begin to feel a reduction in their body tension. This results in greater thought focus and clarity, which slows the breathing and causes the thoughts that would typically cause anxiety to rise to become less impactful.

This wearable technology gadget is currently in prototype form and is controlled by an app.

Wearable Technology to help with anxiety The device produces a type of “vibe” that makes its way through the brain and eases the body. More specifically, it uses transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS), for the triggering of specific brain responses, in order to generate the sensation of serenity and calm, or to boost focus and energy, when needed.

The purpose of these wearables from Tync is not to change the biology of the brain, but is, instead, to offer an individual an improved control over his or her focus, energy, and calm, in a way that is not available through natural pathways. This, according to Jamie Tyler, the chief science officer of the company.

Tyler explained that “Coffee, alcohol, drugs; these are all neuro-enhancers,” adding that “You’re already modifying your brain activity.” However, Thync is hoping to use wearable technology to improve the control that individuals have in those areas so that they can more quickly and effectively manage them in a way that coffee, energy drinks, alcohol, and pharmaceuticals simply cannot. Considering the size of those markets, at the moment, if these wearables could manage to produce similar – but more controllable – effects, there is considerable potential for the company and its creations.