Wearables are the next wave of devices driving innovation in the consumer electronics industry, especially as the smartphone and tablet markets begin to slow. Estimates indicate that the number of wearable devices in use will increase from nearly 22 million in 2013 to almost 177 million by 2018.

What does a wearable device look like? This futuristic fashionware worn on or in the body typically consists of three components: sensors, displays, and computing architecture. From wristbands and smart watches to gloves, helmets, and glasses, wearables take on many shapes and sizes. Regardless of appearance, however, the technology's primary goal remains to "enable users to take real-world actions by providing relevant, contextual information precisely at the point of decision-making." 

The much discussed Google Glass, for example, enables users to ask questions, get directions, snap photos, shoot videos, and even send messages via an optical head-mounted display. The Nike Fitbit Flex wristband, on the other hand, helps individuals reach their fitness goals by tracking step count, distance traveled, and calories burned. The Adidas miCoach Smart Run Watch similarly acts as a personal trainer by providing highly accurate heart-monitoring data in addition to tracking user performance and progress via GPS. 

As circuits and chips get smaller and wearables become more affordable and mainstream, the technology will continue to expand into other domains - beyond just the fitness and medical industries. Looking ahead, the field is expected to undergo a paradigm shift - moving away from individuals interacting with the technology to the technology itself interacting directly with people. To continue in this direction and to gain widespread popularity in the meantime, wearables not only need to be functional and innovative - they also have to be something that people want to wear. 

Innovation: OpenGo - World's First Fully Integrated Sensor Insole

The Munich-based company Moticon has developed the world's first fully integrated, wireless, consumer-enabled, and cost-effective sensor insole for plantar pressure distribution measurement. This intelligent insole called "OpenGo Therapist" is equipped with sensors that measure a patient's or athlete's weight distribution and motion, providing data for gait training and overload prevention. The thin, flexible insole also measures balance, foot temperature, and acceleration, data that is then transmitted wirelessly to a mobile device. 

From impact analysis after leg surgery to the optimization of a professional athlete's motion sequence, Moticon's intelligent insole offers many potential applications in sports and medicine. Measuring a patient's plantar distribution of pressure, for example, is a standard procedure in orthopedic care as well as in the rehabilitation of the musculoskeletal system. The OpenGo sensor insole can also be used as a personal trainer in a variety of sports where technique and performance are significantly based on the correct distribution of pressure and load. As the insole is easy to use and provides immediate feedback, the system helps athletes optimize their techniques. The common motions used while skiing or playing golf, for example, can be analyzed in real time and then transmitted to the user as acoustic signals via headphones.

The OpenGo insole is equipped with 13 unique, capacitive pressure sensors as well as a 3D acceleration sensor and temperature sensor. An integrated storage unit in the insole records the collected data, which can also be directly transmitted via the ANT enabled USB flash drive.

The OpenGo Therapist by Moticon was the Overall Winner of the Wearable Technologies Innovation World Cup 13/14 in Munich earlier this year as well as the winner in the competition's Healthcare & Wellness category.

To see past winners in the WT Innovation World Cup's Hall of Fame, click here. For step-by-step tutorials on the OpenGo system, click here.   

Source & Image: � Moticon GmbH

Rainbow Warriors - A Wearable Tech Fashion Line for Children 

Image: � Kristen Becken

Design Research Lab Develops Communication and Translation Device for Deaf-Blind Users 
 

Marginalized communities like deaf-blind people are excluded from several forms of communication. With the "Lorm Glove," the Design Research Lab at the Berlin University of the Arts has introduced a novel system of interaction to support these individuals. The mobile communication device translates the hand-touch alphabet Lorm, a common form of communication used by people with both hearing and sight impairment, into text and vice versa. It enables deaf-blind users to compose messages via the pressure-sensitive palm of the glove. These messages are then transmitted as texts to the receiver's handheld device. In return, vibrotactile feedback patterns allow the deaf-blind wearer to perceive incoming messages.

The Lorm Glove simultaneously functions as a translator and makes communicating with others without knowledge of "Lorm" possible. It provides two particularly innovative ways of communication for deaf-blind people: by supporting long-distance mobile communication, e.g. via text message, SMS, chat, or e-mail, and by enabling one-to-many communication, which is especially helpful in school and other learning environments. Furthermore, it allows users to access all kinds of digital information, such as websites, Word documents, and audio books through vibration. As a result, the Lorm Glove empowers deaf-blind people to engage with a wider social world, which further enhances their independence.

In addition to the glove, the team, led by Tom Bieling and Tiago Martins, recently started developing the "Lorm Hand," an innovation that connects deaf-blind people with Twitter and other social networks. An application recognizes the Lorm gestures through sensor data, displays the resulting message on a screen (which is helpful for non-deaf-blind users), and posts these messages to the @LormHand Twitter account.

The Lorm Hand was originally devised as a public installation for a deaf-blind protest march in Berlin. The device would allow deaf-blind individuals acquainted with the Lorm alphabet to post their thoughts on Twitter, where they might potentially reach many others around the world, and in so doing, raise awareness about the feelings of isolation that often accompany the life of the deaf-blind.

For a video about the Lorm Glove, click here.To learn more about the Lorm Hand, click here and here.  

Source & Image: � Design Research Lab, UdK Berlin

Interview with Christian Stammel - Founder and CEO of Wearable Technologies AG
 

Christian Stammel is a visionary entrepreneur with broad technology know-how. As Founder and CEO of Wearable Technologies AG, the leading B2B platform for technologies worn close to, on, or even in the body, Christian Stammel is a pioneer in new technology fields, bringing to the table more than 20 years of experience in business development, sales and retail, and tech marketing.

In his interview with GCRI, Christian Stammel describes when and how he got involved with wearable technology as well as what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur in the field. He also shares how Germany compares to other countries in the industry and how WT will affect our everyday lives over the next decade. To read the full interview, click here.

By the mid 1990's, Christian Stammel had already founded his first successful ICT company with customers such as GE, Sun Microsystems, and Deutsche Telekom. From 2003 to 2009, he supported the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in business development, helping more than 100 companies successfully enter the satellite navigation industry. At the same time, he also founded Navispace AG, serving customers like Ericsson, Intel, Texas Instruments, Bluetooth, Samsung, STMicroelectronics, Vodafone, the European Space Agency, and Cisco. 

In 2011, Christian Stammel founded Wearable Technologies (WT) AG, a leading innovation and market development platform, which has already served as a business accelerator for more than 300 renowned companies. WT is at the heart of the wearables ecosystem and is organizer of the largest global WTconferences and WTshows.

Source & Image: � Wearable Technologies