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Wearable computers have generally been relegated to science fiction movies and impractical prototypes, but in the future, they may become as vital to our lives as our smartphones and other technology.
Of course, we do have wearable computers in a small capacity. The watch bands developed to be used with the iPod Nano turn the device into a wearable computer, but Apple and Google want to take that technology even further. Both companies have been working on wearable computing projects in secret, according to the New York Times.
In Cupertino, a small group of Apple employees are experimenting with conceptualizing and producing prototype products designed to relay information to the iPhone or to other Apple devices. One such concept is a Siri-integrated curved-glass iPod which would wrap around the wearers wrist.
At Google’s secret Google X labs, employees are working on prototype devices that attach to the clothing or the body, and communicate information to Android smartphones. Google has hired specialized electronic engineers from Nokia Labs, Apple, and engineering universities in order to develop the tiny devices.
The goal isn’t to replace the smartphone – it’s to work in conjunction with and enhance the smartphone experience in order to sell more phones. Our phones are never far from our sides, and for many people, myself included, our phones have replaced traditional alarm clocks. Our attachment to our smartphones earns them a place as an information hub, at least for now.
This technology will likely start out small – phone watches, monitors that relay personal information like heart rate, and wearable cameras. I’m imagining an initial device that works a lot like the Jawbone UP, as a tracker for how we move, eat, and sleep. In the future, this could expand to phone screens in glasses and augmented reality displays on buildings, clothing, and more. It could completely eliminate the need for obnoxious signs and billboards. I’m imagining a future where I can order Siri to zip up my jacket and then turn it a rainbow of colors to match any outfit.
Of course, the ultimate wearable computer, in my mind, is an implantable visual and hearing device that will eliminate the need for a smartphone and its accessories all together. That may be technology we won’t see in our lifetime, but the promise of wearable computers is exciting and I look forward to seeing what Apple and Google come up with. How do you feel about wearable computers? Are you excited for the new technology, or are we taking things too far? Will it catch on or flop? Let us know in the comments.
via : Padgadget