Designing for Emerging Technologies

Chapter 4. Fashion with Function: Designing for Wearables

MICHAL LEVIN

The Next Big Wave in Technology

Wearables, also referred to as body-borne computers, are small electronic or sensor devices that are worn on the physical body—either on the bare skin or on top of clothing. They do not include computing devices that are implanted within the body (a medical domain that I expect will grow over the next decade); rather they are attached to the body.

Wearable computing is not a new concept—it has been around for more than half a century,^[29] mostly used for military purposes, assisting soldiers and aviators in the battlefield. Over time, as technology advanced and computer components increased in power while shrinking in size, the range of wearable technology applications grew, expanding into the consumer market. From healthcare, fitness, and wellness, which have already started blooming, to gaming, entertainment, music, fashion, transportation, education, finance, and enterprise, wearable technology is creating a massive new mobile market, with the power to transform the way people behave and interact with devices, the environment, and one another.

Today, wearable devices span the gamut from smart rings, bracelets, and necklaces, to smart glasses and watches, to smart gloves, socks, and t-shirts. Moreover, wearables don’t stop at humans. There are already smart collars for dogs, cats, and even cows,^[30] monitoring their activity, health, and behavior 24/7, while keeping owners connected ...