Wearables
A category of electronic devices that can be worn as accessories, such as the Humane AI Pin. The hosts debate their future and social acceptability.
First Mentioned
10/22/2025, 4:59:33 AM
Last Updated
10/22/2025, 5:05:27 AM
Research Retrieved
10/22/2025, 5:05:27 AM
Summary
Wearables, also known as wearable computers, are electronic devices designed to be worn on the body, serving as a significant advancement in mobile computing. They encompass a wide range of devices from general-purpose small mobile computers like smartwatches to specialized tools such as fitness trackers, smart jewelry, and smart clothing. These devices often integrate sensors to monitor various health metrics like heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and physical activity, and can include novel interfaces like head-mounted displays. While offering diverse applications across health, fitness, education, and enterprise, wearables face technical challenges common to mobile computing, including battery life, heat dissipation, and data management. Furthermore, the development of hardware wearables outside established tech ecosystems, as exemplified by the critical reception of the Humane AI Pin, presents significant hurdles.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
Types
Smartwatches, fitness trackers, head-mounted displays (HMDs), smart jewelry, smart clothing, Bluetooth headsets
Category
Electronic device
Function
Computing device worn on the body
Applications
Health and medicine, fitness, aging, disability, education, transportation, enterprise, finance, gaming, music
Key Components
Motion sensors, microprocessors, batteries, internet connectivity
Definition Scope
Narrow (specialized devices) to broad (smartphones, ordinary watches)
Common Placements
Wrist, neck, arm, leg, head, finger, shoe
Monitored Metrics
Heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), electrocardiogram (ECG), physical activities
Technical Challenges
Battery life, heat dissipation, software architectures, wireless/personal area networks, data management, building hardware outside established tech ecosystems
Timeline
- The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 created the R&D Tax Problem, impacting startups, including those developing hardware wearables, by stalling related legislation in Congress. (Source: Related Documents)
2017-01-01
- The Humane AI Pin received a harsh review from YouTuber Marquez Brownlee, sparking a broader discussion on the challenges of deep tech investing and building hardware wearables outside established tech ecosystems. (Approximate date based on podcast context) (Source: Related Documents)
2024-04-01
Wikipedia
View on WikipediaWearable computer
A wearable computer, also known as a body-borne computer or wearable, is a computing device worn on the body. The definition of 'wearable computer' may be narrow or broad, extending to smartphones or even ordinary wristwatches. Wearables may be for general use, in which case they are just a particularly small example of mobile computing. Alternatively, they may be for specialized purposes such as fitness trackers. They may incorporate special sensors such as accelerometers, heart rate monitors, or on the more advanced side, electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitors. Under the definition of wearable computers, we also include novel user interfaces such as Google Glass, an optical head-mounted display controlled by gestures. It may be that specialized wearables will evolve into general all-in-one devices, as happened with the convergence of PDAs and mobile phones into smartphones. Wearables are typically worn on the wrist (e.g. fitness trackers), hung from the neck (like a necklace), strapped to the arm or leg (smartphones when exercising), or on the head (as glasses or a helmet), though some have been located elsewhere (e.g. on a finger or in a shoe). Devices carried in a pocket or bag – such as smartphones and before them, pocket calculators and PDAs, may or may not be regarded as 'worn'. Wearable computers have various technical issues common to other mobile computing, such as batteries, heat dissipation, software architectures, wireless and personal area networks, and data management. Many wearable computers are active all the time, e.g. processing or recording data continuously.
Web Search Results
- Wearables,Wearable Technology & Devices - Happiest Minds
| What Are Wearables? Wearables are electronic technology or devices incorporated into items that can be comfortably worn on a body. These wearable devices are used for tracking information on real time basis. They have motion sensors that take the snapshot of your day to day activity and sync them with mobile devices or laptop computers. After the invention of smartphones, wearable electronics are the next big innovation in the world of technology. Even before the wearable technology entered [...] | Different types of Wearables devices present in the market today! Smart Watches: A watch that does more than just telling time. It provides users notifications on their calls, messages, emails, social media updates, etc. Fitness Tracker: Helps keep a track of the number of steps the user walks each day and continuously monitors the heart rate. Using this information, the devices is able to calculate and report accurate data on calorie burn and exercise done by the user. Head Mounted [...] | The need for Wearables Technology: The Wearable technology aims to influence the fields of health and medicine, fitness, aging, disability, education, transportation, enterprise, finance, gaming, music, etc. The goal is to smoothly enter the daily lives of individuals and become a functional part of them. The hands-free nature of the wearable computing devices makes it very useful for businesses. Tracking the emergency and rescue team becomes easy thus making the workplace more efficient and
- What is Wearable Technology? Definition, Uses and Examples
Wearable technology is any kind of electronic device designed to be worn on the user's body. Such devices can take many different forms, including jewelry, accessories, medical devices, and clothing or elements of clothing. The term wearable computing implies processing or communications capabilities, but, in reality, the sophistication of such capabilities among wearables can vary. [...] Wearables have embedded sensors that track bodily movements, provide biometric identification or assist with location tracking. For example, activity trackers or smartwatches -- the most common types of wearables -- come with a strap that wraps around the user's wrist to monitor their physical activities or vital signs throughout the day. [...] Modern wearable technology falls under a broad spectrum of usability, including smartwatches, fitness trackers such as the Fitbit Charge, VR headsets, smart jewelry, web-enabled glasses and Bluetooth headsets. Wearables work differently, based on their intended use, such as health, fitness or entertainment. Most wearable technology contains microprocessors, batteries and internet connectivity so the collected data can be synced with other electronics, such as smartphones or laptops.
- Types of Wearable Technology: A Comprehensive Guide
Wearables may have sensors that monitor physical motions, help with location tracking, and enable biometric identification. The most widely used wearables are smartwatches and activity trackers, with a wrist strap that tracks the user's vital signs and physical activity throughout the day. [...] Wearables, sometimes known as wearable smart devices, have steadily grown in popularity among customers over the past ten years. However, there are a wide variety of different wearables that have already hit the market and will continue to do so. HMDs (head-mounted displays), apparel, and jewelry are just a few examples of the various wearable electronics available today. Due to their proximity to the body, these gadgets can offer specific health-tracking services and simple computer tasks [...] The phrase "wearable technology" refers to electronic devices implanted in or worn on the body. Through Bluetooth or the internet, these devices can link to a smartphone or other devices. These gadgets may gather data and transmit it to other gadgets. These gadgets are employed in several industries, such as gaming, fashion, and healthcare.
- 6 Wearable Technologies You Must Know Right Now
Wearable smart devices, more commonly known as wearables, have earned a steady following among consumers over the last ten years. Smartwatches like the Apple Watch are likely the best-known wearables, but many other kinds of wearables have emerged, and continue to emerge today. Examples of modern wearable technology available on the market range from head-mounted displays (HMDs) to clothing and jewelry. These devices not only perform many basic computing functions, akin to laptops and [...] form. Consumers can already purchase Siren Socks (smart socks that can detect developing foot ulcers), Nadi X smart pants by Wearable X (yoga pants that vibrate to improve form during yoga exercises), and Naviano smart swimsuits that provide alerts when the user should apply sunscreen, among many other kinds of smart clothing.
- The Current Status and Future Trends of Wearable Devices
As smartphone penetration saturates, we are witnessing a new trend in personal mobile devices — wearable mobile devices or simply wearables as it is often called. Wearables come in many different forms and flavours targeting different accessories and clothing that people wear. Although small in size, they are often expected to continuously sense, collect, and upload various physiological data to improve quality of life. These requirements put significant demand on improving communication [...] Wearable devices have emerged as a revolutionary advancement in modern technology, reshaping how individuals interact with their surroundings and manage personal health. These compact, portable tools integrate seamlessly into daily life, enabling real-time monitoring of health metrics, fitness progress, and environmental factors. Evolving from basic fitness trackers to sophisticated multifunctional gadgets, wearables now facilitate diverse applications, including chronic disease management, [...] patient's health status. Consisting of various components and devices, ranging from sensors and actuators to multimedia devices, these systems support complex healthcare applications and enable low-cost wearable, non-invasive alternatives for continuous 24-h monitoring of health, activity, mobility, and mental status, both indoors and outdoors. Our objective has been to examine the current research in wearable to serve as references for researchers and provide perspectives for future research.
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DBPedia
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DTI Shared-service Facility for Wearables & Homestyle, Sapa, Santo Tomas, Pampanga, Central Luzon, Philippines
Coordinates: 15.0054527, 120.7057569
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