Tech companies aren't content to turn your home into a sentient entity. Now they also want to add your daily outfit to the mix.
Wearables are the next frontier in the fast-paced world of smart technology. And I'm not just talking about Fitbit vs. fitness bands. Garmin:Differences Between All Fitness Bands &Trackers Fitbit Vs. Garmin:Differences Between All Fitness Bands and Trackers Can't decide between Fitbit and Garmin fitness wearables? We compared Fitbit against Garmin and created six of their best wearables for fitness tracking. Read More The amount of wearable technology out there would surprise you. Some of them are useful, some aren't necessary, and some are downright weird.
Here at MakeUseOf, we've never been fazed by the outrageous. After all, today's weird is tomorrow's mainstream.
If you want to see what the fashion of the future looks like, read on. We are going to introduce you to 10 items that we will be using in a few years.
Let's start with a gem. The $249 Token Ring can do an incredible number of things for such a small device.
The Token Ring allows you to make payments at more than 15 million stores, unlock your front door, sign in to apps and services, pay for public transportation, and even start your car.
Far from a “here today, gone tomorrow” device, Token has partnered with Microsoft, Visa, Mastercard, and a host of other companies to bring you future-proof functionality.
Fever Scout is a portable thermometer intended for concerned parents with sick children. This limits the use of any portable devices, making the process incredibly easy for parents.
Parents can place the 61mm x 41mm patch on their child's body, and it will send continuous updates on the wearer's body temperature to the accompanying Android or iOS app.
The app itself can send alerts if the person's temperature changes suddenly, allows you to keep personalized notes to monitor recovery, and displays all the data in a selection of charts and graphs.
You can buy Fever Scout at Amazon, Target, and Best Buy for around $60.
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Smart socks are one of the weirdest items on this list. I looked at a pair of smart socks when discussing some of the world's weirdest smart tech, but these foot toppers take smart clothing in a whole different direction.
Instead of providing helpful feedback on metrics like number of steps and walking technique, the smart functionality in Smarter Socks focuses on organization.
Using a small sensor, your socks let you know how often they've been washed, if their color has faded, and which socks should be in a pair together. If you like knowing these kind of stats, you can grab a pack of 10 pairs for $189.
Yes, I know you love your little angel. And yes, I know that spending time reading stories to your child is something to be appreciated. But as a parent, you have to admit that it can get a bit tedious telling the same story five times a week.
So why not let Smart Pajamas do the hard work? They come preloaded with 90 storybooks covering nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and other children's literature. Just scan the dots on the PCs with the smartphone app, and the books will start playing.
Wearables aren't just for humans, now your furry friend can proudly display his wearables at the dog park thanks to the PetPace collar.
The collar constantly monitors your pet's vital signs and behavior patterns and reports anything unusual to your smartphone. This allows you to take care of your pet's medical problems long before you notice any symptoms. You can also purchase a subscription to a monitoring plan that will automatically alert your vet at the first sign of trouble.
Plans start at $159.
It's not always easy to find jeans that fit well. No two brands are exactly the same size, shape, or cut, making dressing rooms a nightmare for many. LikeAGlove Leggings wants to remove the element of the unknown by accurately measuring your size.
Using a built-in Bluetooth sensor, they connect to a smartphone app and calculate their dimensions in less than five seconds.
The app uses the data it collects to search for products that are the right fit for you. LikeAGlove leggings are affiliated with many well-known brands:Levi's, Banana Republic, Old Navy, 7 For All Mankind, Gap, Citizens of Humanity and American Eagle, and more. You can also use these leggings to easily track and record your measurements during weight loss through the app's “Progress” tab.
Smart clothing has stood out in the sports sector. The combination of monitoring and feedback provides athletes with an unprecedented amount of real-time data.
One of the leading brands for regular consumers is Athos. The company's range of smart clothing offers biometric tracking, muscle activity monitoring, heart rate measurements, a calorie counter and an activity timer.
A variety of products are available, including shirts, shorts, and leggings.
There is nothing more annoying than running out of power when you are miles from a power source. Sure, you could carry a portable power pack with you, but what if there was an easier way?
Thanks to Silvrling, there is. The company offers a range of garments that have a built-in solar panel. They may not look particularly fashionable (it's hard to look good when you're carrying a notepad-sized solar panel in your front pocket), but they certainly get the job done.
I just have one question:why would anyone want a raincoat with solar panels?
Google brought smart glasses into the mainstream with Google Glass in 2013. Although Google devices were arguably before their time and eventually died slowly, Snapchat has picked up the smart glasses baton and is running with them.
Snap Spectacles Snapchat Spectacles:Everything You Need to Know About a Snap Snapchat Spectacles:Everything You Need to Know About a Snap In recent days, Snapchat has changed its name to Snap Inc. and launched a new hardware product called Spectacles. The app is still "Snapchat" though. Here is the full summary. Read More The camera is even surrounded by bright lights so everyone knows you're recording live.
The glasses automatically send the images you take to Snapchat as a keepsake. From there, your friends will be able to see it.
The glasses come in coral, teal, or black and are $129.99.
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How do you relax after a long day at work? Most people take a hot bath, cook a nice meal, or watch their favorite TV show.
If you're looking for a more futuristic stress remedy, check out Thync. You wear the device on your neck or forehead. It promises to reduce anxiety, decrease stress and improve the quality of your sleep. It works by using low-level electrical stimulation to activate the nerves in your head.
On Thync's website, the company claims that four out of five people feel a positive effect from the therapy. Frankly, given that the device costs $149 upfront and another $29 per month, an 80 percent success rate doesn't seem too encouraging.
I've shown you 10 pieces of wearable tech that are starting to make a name for themselves.
How useful are these smart clothes and other wearables? Are devices like these a sign of what to expect in the future? Or are they an unnecessary fad from companies that want to cash in on the smart home revolution? Would you ever use any of them??
You can let us know your thoughts on wearables and the fashion of the future in the comments below. And don't forget to share the article with your friends to see what they think..
