I had a notable failure when I taught a course to Chanel executives. (My wife would say it was my not bringing home free samples.) It had bothered me for years that none of my clothes specifically accommodated the ID/entry name badges I had to wear. Clipping the things onto my lapel irritated me. Why did everyone (including my Chanel clients) put up with this awkward, ugly outrage? Pocket watches got their special pockets, wirst watches got fashion bracelets. Couldn’t haute couture do something to remedy this situation?
No. A laptop friendly purse was as close as Chanel wanted to get to technology.
I was reminded of this embarrassment as I watched Kate Hartman’s lighthearted take on wearable computing. Fashion is not my strong suit (no pun intended), but I started to think about what made technology a candidate for being wearable. Looking at history, there seems to be a natural progression from awkward tool to luggable to pocket (or holster) device to wearable technology to invisible.
Glasses: The province of nerd scribes first, in the form of polished rock crystals (reading stones), then rolling balls that magnified, and even glass globes of water. More familiar lenses were held in front of texts and could be pocketed or worn on a string, ribbon, or chain. Wearable optics (spectacles) came on the scene about 700 years ago. From there, we have seen contact lenses and (essentially invisible) lens implants.
Timepieces: Time has been measure by songs, flowing water and sand, and burning candles. These tools and techniques, again, were for experts (bakers, monks, alchemists). Massive clocks served towns, and then turnip watches were used by experts needing more precision. Pocket watches (and watch pockets) followed. Wrist watches became ubiquitous as regular folks needed precise time, and the technologists were able to deliver it in tiny packages. Pocket watches and wrist watches went beyond being wearable to being fashionable. Now timepieces have disappeared into cell phones for most of the younger generations.
It’s an interesting pattern. Reading and time became valuable, and that begot wearable tools. Most work in wearable technology doesn’t make sense from this perspective. I don’t want carbon dioxide sensing clothing. I don’t want a wearable air guitar or a glove phone. So what will become wearable (and, eventually, invisible)?
I am intrigued by wearable tool extenders. If I can charge a battery by walking or get a better cell phone signal, great. And, if a coat can be considered a tool, I might like a solar powered jacket that keeps me warmer.
Certainly, health technology will become ubiquitous (and part of my future as I age). From a glucose sensing contact lens for diabetics to discrete hearing aids to rfid tags that can help find wandering patients.
Of course, we already have exercise logging shoes and soon may have clothing that uses motion sensing to alert us to athletic mechanics that can lead to injury.
Secretly, I am hoping for wearable technology that will turn me into a super hero. While I don’t expect to fly anytime soon, I do expect to be wearing a muscle man exoskeleton at some point. Augmented reality glasses will give me X-ray vision and reminders for memory on command. Or maybe being invisible would be fun.
Will I get some relief from ugly badges? I think so. Whether via implantable chips or biometrics or the next iPhone app, I expect that they soon will go the way of pocket protectors.
For other cool stuff, explore: Top 21 wearable technologies , Future Force Warrior , and Sixth Sense.