Wearable technology

Technology is becoming part of our daily use and has hastily been made something that we rely on daily. In the world of wearable technology, the possibilities are endless in the sense that not only gadgets that can be worn like clothes and watches are classed as smart wearable. According to Karehka Ramey from useoftechnology.com technology " is increasing day by day, we all depend on technology and we use various technologies to accomplish specific tasks in our lives. Today we have various emerging technologies which impact our lives in different ways, one more recently being smart technology."(Ramey, 2012)

What is RFID?

- Stands for Radio Frequency IDentification 

A small chip carrying an antenna capable of carrying large bytes of data, come in the form of tags and according to HowStuffWorks, "RFID tags, a technology once limited to tracking cattle, are tracking consumer products worldwide. Many manufacturers use the tags to track the location of each product they make from the time it's made until it's pulled off the shelf ". With this tech, companies are able to keep track of their 'cattle' as they are aware of our location, following us wherever we go feeling like another human is with us which is exemplified when theorist Kevin Kelly said "technologies are nearly living things." which puts things in perspective. 

Kevin Warwick (Captain Cyborg) - "There's no way I want to be a mere human" (Lee, 2014)

- 1998 a RFID transmitter implanted under the skin of his arm alerted lights to turn on when he was present

- Figure 1: Kevin Warwick implant
     
- As he moved his arm, the signals from the array was sufficient to enable a robot arm to mimic his movements.

- Figure 2: Kevin Warwick 

The video below details the raw  benefits that have come from just some of the smart wearable technology.

- Figure 3: Rami Banna on wearables

This shows promise in the future of smart wearable technology. Tech Columnist Teynan states that even smartphones are even a thing of the past in his article 'The Future of Wearable Tech Has Arrived'.

"Smartwatches, fitness trackers, and augmented-reality glasses are so 2013. Tomorrow’s wearable technology will fly off your body to snap a photo of you. It will know where you’re going and quietly steer you in the right direction." which strengthens Kelly's statement about technology; "technologies are nearly living things." and goes so far as to say that this wearable technology will be a ""decisive fashion statement".

- Figure 4: Google Glass

McLuhan's term 'extensions of man' "refers to how an individual or society creates or makes use something that extends the human body or mind in an innovative way" (Schnell, 2008). Google glass extends sight, allowing him/her's eyes to go beyond just sight. Smart watches, with foresight, might be the new smartphones given the technology they presume to hold, they may be able to make day-to-day operations more effective. Backed up by Forbes.com stating "The time may soon come when phones and tablets are a thing of the past, and the smart devices on which we all rely will sit innocuously on our persons, as unobtrusive as jewellery or clothing" (Leung, 2014).

Rest assured there are more products featuring this technology:

http://www.slideshare.net/ValaAfshar/internet-of-thingsslideshare

In conclusion, wearable technology is due to be the next big thing if it isn't already, replacing people's phones and may well even go on to be the next best on-the-go device to use.