Wearable Devices to Revolutionize Health Care

Abstract

In the last decade, we witnessed a rapid growth of wearable devices—small electronic devices that are worn or carried on the human body. A study by the Facts and Factors found that the global Wearable device market size is expected to be over US$ 380.5 billion by 2028. Wearable devices have become affordable to mass customers. For example, a fitness tracker that can record various health-related issues is available for just US$20 on the Amazon website. The exponential surge of wearable devices led the International Federation of Sports Medicine to develop a quality assurance standard for wearable devices to test and endorse their commercial claim. These small-sized devices can sense, collect, and upload various physiological data to improve our lives (Seneviratne et al., 2017). No doubt, wearable devices are the next frontier for personalized healthcare. The Internet of Things drives wearable devices by integrating electronics, sensors, software, and connectivity enabling the exchange of data with manufacturers, operators, and other connected technologies. These devices have various applications with the prominence of smartwatches and activity trackers. For example, Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Gear Sport, and Fitbit are widely used in the fitness industry to monitor for example calories and other health indicators. Amazon UK, for example, has started establishing wearable device stores. Wearable devices are popularly used in healthcare, navigation systems, and textiles. However, wearable devices in healthcare have received the highest attention (Son et al., 2014).