Wearable tech is incorporated into everyday items or worn on the body. They help us keep track of our personal data, and help us be the quantified self.
What wearables do?
Wearables track data in real-time and feedback this to the user on the device or via an App. Watches make up the majority of wearable devices with smartwatches and sport watches providing data on GPS, heart rate, steps and speed whilst sharing this data straight to social media platforms such as STRAVA.
What’s up next?
Smart wearable devices are predicted to double by 2022 according to the CCS Insight report. Smart clothing, hear-ables, (earphones with extras); Google Glasses; and microchips that are inserted under the skin are all waiting in the wings.
the zone’s thoughts on wearables at work
Data from wearables can be collected and collated to develop wellbeing strategies or to monitor the effectiveness of strategies. This data could potentially include mindfulness, mood, nutrition, relaxation, BMI and sleep data as well as the traditional step-based data we have all become used too. Experts predict a domino effect as a culture of wellness is created with employees sharing data on sleep, nutrition and even mood. Companies could also produce a wellbeing scorecard and use the data to help reduce their company insurance premiums. There are however some significant privacy concerns. The data collected is very personal and you don’t necessarily want your employer to know if you were up until 2 am on a Thursday night enjoying some midweek fun. Therefore, team wellbeing leagues might not be the best way to go, but an overall score for the company using anonymized data with incentives for improvement might be a powerful tool.
