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| Sun savvy: The Netatmo June bracelet has a sensor that measures UV light
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This
was the year we’d be wearing shoes that tied their own laces — or so the Back
To The Future films predicted in the Eighties.
While
this may seem as fanciful now as it did then, 2015 does looks set to be the
year of so-called ‘wearable technology’, clothing and accessories that could
transform not only our wardrobes, but our health, too.
Until
now, wearable technology has largely taken the form of wristband trackers —
such as the Fitbit (launched in 2008), 2011’s Jawbone and the much-hyped Apple
Watch, due to go on sale on April 24.
But
now, manufacturers are developing everyday items of clothing and shoes that can
monitor our vital signs, and even treat serious conditions. The latest
innovations include a bra that could deliver life-saving breast cancer
medication and socks that warn if you’re at risk of injury.
Even
big brands are moving into the market — this year, the U.S. designer
Ralph Lauren will launch a sports top that monitors heart rate, muscle movement
and calories burnt.
‘So
far, wearable technology in the context of well-being has been mainly about
monitoring personal data,’ says Caroline Till, course leader in Material
Futures at Central St Martins, University of the Arts London. ‘The question now
is what do you do with the data once you have it? Is the information of value?’
This
is where the latest technology comes in, with the focus on giving you feedback
from the information collated. So in theory, ‘wearables’, as they’re known,
will not only take your blood pressure reading, they’ll tell you if it’s
dangerously high. ‘The holy grail of wearable technology is something that’s
integrated seamlessly into something you wear or use already, so you don’t
notice it’s there,’ says Caroline Till.
This
is now closer to being a reality because circuitry can be made small and light
enough to be embedded in clothing. Another material technology, known as
micro-encapsulation, allows tiny ‘nano’ particles of a substance — for
instance, a drug — to be embedded into a material so it is gradually absorbed
through the skin when worn.
Here,
we look at the latest ‘wearables’— some of which are already available, with
others still being developed — that could transform our health . .
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| Hi-tech: A bra contains technology which allows tiny ‘nano’ particles of
a substance - for instance, a drug - to be embedded into a material
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BRA THAT DELIVERS CANCER DRUGS
The
Foxleaf bra contains micro-encapsulated ‘bubbles’ of the drug Tamoxifen in
soft, plastic inserts in the cups.
The
idea is that the body’s heat and moisture rub off the bubbles’ coating and the
Tamoxifen, which blocks oestrogen to slow the growth of cancer cells, can be
gradually absorbed through the skin throughout the day.
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The Omsignal top has sensors woven into the fabric in the
chest to monitor heart rate and breathing
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VEST TO HELP YOU BURN OFF CALORIES
NASA scientist Dr Wayne B Hayes has invented the Cold
Shoulder vest, which he says boosts your body’s ability to burn calories.
The
vest, which can be kept in the freezer, has pockets for ice packs around the
back and shoulders. The idea is that by wearing the vest your body has to burn
more calories to stay warm — as much as an extra 500 calories a day, says Dr
Hayes.
From around £90 ($139.99) from
coldshoulderweightloss.com
T-SHIRT TO MONITOR YOUR HEART
Omsignal,
the company working with Ralph Lauren to create a tech sports shirt, has a top
already on sale that has sensors woven into the fabric in the chest to monitor
heart rate and breathing. The sensors can also monitor the electrical activity
of the heart.
Fibres
feed this information to a ‘black box’ — about the size of a credit card —
attached to the shirt. The box sends the information to your mobile, with
alerts from your phone telling you to breathe more, slow down or speed up.
The
heart and breathing rate data is also used to estimate how many calories you’re
burning — thought to be much more accurate than standard fitness tracking
wristbands which make calculations based on how much you’re moving. At the
moment the garment has only been designed for men. A version for women is in
development.
Around £160 from omsignal.com
DRESS THAT GETS MUMS-TO-BE MOVING
It’s
a wrap-dress, but not as you know it — maternity dresses designed by Blake
Uretsky, a fashion student at Cornell University in the U.S., contain
conductive silver fibres under the bust to monitor a pregnant woman’s heart
rate, breathing, blood pressure and temperature, along with a device worn on
the belt that can then communicate with a smartphone.
The
dress can then alert a mother-to-be if her readings suggest she might be over
doing it — or not being active enough.
Some
research has suggested that women who are more active during pregnancy have
fewer complications during both gestation and labour.
RUNNING SOCKS THAT CAN PREVENT
INJURY
Sensoria’s
smart running socks monitor the way your feet strike the ground, warning you if
you are at risk of injury and also how to correct your stride. ‘Flaws in your
gait are a common cause of injury,’ says physiotherapist Sammy Margo.
The
Sensoria socks detect how your foot lands, and conductive fibres then relay
this information to a small clip-on device on the ankle. This sends information
to your phone, which can issue real-time audio warnings and advice if needs be.
From around £130 ($199),
sensoriafitness.com
