Wearable

Wearable refers to electronic devices or textiles designed to be worn on the body. They integrate sensors, a microprocessor, and wireless communication, and they may monitor, analyze, or display information. Wearables can be standalone devices or components embedded in clothing or accessories. They are used across consumer, health, and industrial sectors.

Common consumer wearables include smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart glasses. Health-focused wearables include continuous glucose monitors and heart rate or sleep monitors. Smart textiles embed sensors in fabrics for activity tracking or physiological monitoring. Some wearables are designed for safety or professional use, such as industrial sensors on personal protective equipment or location trackers.

Most wearables rely on sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, optical photoplethysmography sensors, microphones, or GPS. They use low-power microprocessors and wireless technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy or NFC. Battery life, comfort, and water resistance influence adoption, and many devices aim to balance data collection with user privacy and safety.

Applications include personal health management, fitness and wellness, navigation and augmented reality, remote monitoring for medical patients, and industrial data collection. Market growth has been driven by diverse use cases, smartphone integration, and cloud analytics, though interoperability across devices and platforms remains a challenge.

Regulatory and ethical considerations address data privacy, security, consent, and ownership of health information. Technical challenges include ensuring durability, washability for textiles, and reliable long-term performance. As technologies advance, wearable design increasingly emphasizes comfort, aesthetics, and seamless integration into daily life.