10 facts about us, which we learned thanks to wearable technology

Forty six million three hundred six thousand six hundred eighty six



In the 1980's, the pinnacle of technological chic among users was watch with calculator Casio C-80. They had a stopwatch, full numeric keypad and dedicated buttons for all your favorite mathematical functions (sin and cos no, really). And they could tell the time.

Back in our 2015. With all the breakthrough technological innovation we have witnessed over the last 35 years — including the advent of the Internet, email, television, smartphones, touch screens — the most anticipated gadget of this steel... watches.

Apple Watch, the debut of which took place in 2015, you can call the latest iteration of wearable technology, wearable electronics that require people. In 2014 consumers around the world bought about 21 million wearable devices to track his physical activity, sleep monitoring, calorie counting and generally improve their health.

If the Apple Watch will have the same effect on the market of wearable technology like iPhone or iPad in the market of smartphones and tablets, wearable electronics will blow up the world. Add to that other interesting gadgets like Fitbit or Nike+ FuelBand — what do they tell us about ourselves? There are ten things that became apparent after the distribution of wearable electronics in the world.

We laitakari



The popularity of wearable devices like Fitbit fueled by addictive logic quantitative improvements if we can collect enough data about everyday events and gestures, we can customize their behavior to a more healthy and happy life. Change for the better does not mean drastic changes — getting a new job, moving to a new city, reducing the intake of carbohydrates — they can mean 1000 extra steps a day and 20 more minutes of daily sleep.

This is the mentality of Lifehacker who wants to improve daily processes to achieve maximum performance. Wearable devices provide us with specific data about the details of our daily routine. They can tell you how long you slept, sat, biked, ran or stood. On the basis of what is "healthy" for your age, weight and height, you can set goals to improve these figures.

There is no doubt that we would be healthier if I slept more, exercised less and ate. But whether the gathering data the right way to self-knowledge?

We love to compete



Motivation is the key to any successful fitness routine. It drags you out of bed on a cold winter morning so you have time to hit the gym before work. And she convinces you to have a second piece of cake at the event. But motivation is difficult to maintain.

And here appears the rivalry. Some of the best systems to wearable technology for fitness have built-in opportunities for rivalry and competition with friends (and strangers) to achieve the desired goals.

Nike has developed the most elaborate scheme of competition, which is not surprising for a brand that is so closely tied to sports. While most fitness trackers collect baseline data such as the number of steps walked per day, number of miles that you ran or biked, Nike+ FuelBand is not so concerned with the specifics of exercises. It gives out all the physical movements of the same weight, and it calls NikeFuel.

You earn NikeFuel, dancing, walking, playing tennis or wrestling with your kids — doing what makes you move, and your heart to work. The system awards points based on cost "the energy required to perform a specific action".

Once you are logged into NikeFuel, your results are compared with other members of the community. In summer 2014, Nike has released a weekly contest for the community NikeFuel — got 28 000 points in seven days, earn 2000 points from 10 am to 1 PM and so on. The company stopped selling the bracelets, but NikeFuel continues to work in the form of iPhone apps.

We want to look cool



Google does a lot very well: intuitive searches, great email, great card, stable mobile operating system — the list goes on. But even the greatest heroes have their Achilles ' heel. Despite the incredible success of the company, for most people, Google will always be a "nerd".

Google Glass was supposed to revolutionize the world of wearable electronics. Presented in 2013 as a limited version of Google Glass became the first smart glasses that allow users to search and browse the web, take pictures and video, be controlled by voice or simple intuitive commands.

But from the beginning everything went wrong. Even with the exclusivity of the beta version of the first glasses were sold for $ 1,500 — and the emergence of Google Glass on the fashion catwalks, something in smart glasses was not very steep.

People in Google Glass didn't just look "nerds"; it was the reactions that showed strangers. Not everyone liked the idea that the other person is in a strange glasses can shoot you on video. And why is he talking to himself, jerking his head? Google Glass was too heavy for lovers of beautiful things, and the whole venture failed and went for revision.

Google quietly closed the Glass project in November 2014, but the technology can come to life in other products.

We never sleep



According to the National sleep Foundation, adults aged 26-64 years, we need seven to nine hours of sleep every day. Nine would be fine. But statistics show that 40% of people sleep less than seven hours nightly, and 14% receive less than five hours of sleep.

One of the most attractive promises of wearable technology is that these entangling hand gadgets can help us to sleep more and better. Trackers like the Sony Smartband, and Jawbone UP paired with a smartphone can decipher your sleep. Enough cycles of deep sleep you get every night? At the right time to Wake up? Not too late to go?

Once the application is diagnose your sleep problems, it can help you to solve them, sending out reminders, like shut off all electronics half an hour before sleep or even a reminder to turn on the air conditioner to improve the air temperature to sleep.

We eat too much



The mathematical formula of weight loss is painfully simple: calories burned must be greater than the number of calories consumed. The only problem is to force myself to give up the sweet in the morning and getting your belly for the night.

One of the proven methods to eat less is to keep a food diary. Scientists have discovered that when you write down what you eat, you will learn more about food, food habits, and this inevitably leads to improvement of the diet.

Wearable fitness trackers like Fitbit already include options for entering food and meals in General in their applications. Applications are counting calories and compare it to the calories burned during exercise and other physical activity. They can even help you create a nutrition plan to meet your weight loss goals.

The Fitbit app supports a huge database and can even scan barcodes of products, however manual input of the dishes is still a headache. At CES 2015, was presented, which automatically tracks calorie consumption by measuring the water content in the cells through the skin. The creators of the device claim that the accuracy of the device is from 84 to 93 percent, but scientists are looking at these numbers skeptically.

We need a coach



"You think this is training? Another circle, quickly!".

Many of us know, what is the lesson in the gym. The problem is that when it comes to motivation to exercise, we need a strong push. One of the biggest advantages of wearing a fitness tracker may be that he will constantly remind you of your goals in the sport and motivate/kick you.

Bracelet UP24 from Jawbone vibrates if you sit for too long. It can also send text notifications to your smartphone, cursing, if you don't go to bed on time, or remind that you accidentally ate an extra muffin for Breakfast.

In addition, fitness trackers praise and congratulate you for the achievements that you come in hard or not work.

We all slouch



Admit you, too, straightened her back, reading the words "bad posture". You are not alone. Modern man spends too much time sitting in front of a computer screen, and his back obviously resembles the back of a hunchback of Notre Dame by the end of the day. This not only looks bad but also causes many health problems.

Wearable technology can help. Witty attach Lumo Lift to your clothes and use biofeedback to gently segudet when you start slouching. This is one of the 25 best inventions of 2014 by Time magazine, because the device is very simple straighten your posture to perfect, and the higher the nose, the more confident you feel.

Lumo Lift also acts as a fitness tracker, tracking your steps, distance traveled and calories burned, and watches with good posture. All data can be easily sent on the phone. And this is a good tip: hold your phone at eye level so as not to slouch.

Sacrifice privacy



Wearable devices collect a huge amount of personal data. And synchronizing these devices with our smartphones, we take a lot of personal information about every step of the way, sleep and nutrition in the cloud. For most of us, the convenience of wearable fitness trackers overshadows any cause for concern on the part of personal information. We are ready to give even more if instead get a good mood and health. However, together with the Americans, we are lagging behind the rest of the world as regards the adoption of wearable technology. According to a 2014 survey conducted by Kronos, 82% of adults in India and Mexico, and 81% in China wore smart earbuds, or smart badges at work. How many of you can boast of the same?

We disclaim wearable technology



Wearable technology can change lives. For people who want to stay in shape and stay in perfect health — that is, for all of us — these sleek little devices can become the best solution to force yourself to do something.

If they are not rejected.

Statistics show that half of those who buys a smart device ceases to use them through the year. Worse, a third user throws their device after six months.

As the beginning of a new diet or buying a gym membership, buy a wearable fitness tracker is accompanied by the best intentions. The reality, however, more violent. In our rich virtual gold stars or text notification is insufficient to affect our routine.

Perhaps the issue of wearable technology in that they focus too much on functionality. Apple Watch, for example, is designed more as a stylish device than useful. Although not useless, of course. And if you buy the Apple Watch Edition in 18-carat gold for $ 10,000, you are clearly not planning to postpone it indefinitely.

We are fixated on ourselves



If you have already ate their fill all these stories about wearable gadgets, you start to notice a trend. The people who use them, is attractive, healthy, single professionals aged 20 to 30 years, secured and with free time.

There is a feeling that the guys that are developing wearable technology, focused on themselves, not able to see a wide range of problems — they are good, they look good and want to squeeze even more. In fact, society suffers from many health problems.

John. Hertz at Wired asked an interesting question: do not fail if wearable technology people who need them the most? What if we put biometrics in the hands — and body — people suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes? Yes, they are not as attractive as the chip for the Shoe, automatically calling Uber, when you step on it (Yes, it's a real device), but can save lives. In particular, it mentioned Apple during his recent presentation along with Apple Watch app can literally save lives, time calling doctors or Recalling the proper techniques of medication — just enough to write the application, give the tools to developers. Hertz notes that, given what is at stake, suffering from chronic diseases will not be put off wearable technology on the back burner like those who wear them for the sake of curiosity. The true potential of wearable devices in medicine, but not among fitness trackers.published

Source: hi-news.ru

Tags

See also

New and interesting