MARIKA SBOROS: Jury out on efficacy of wearable technology as demand soars
Is wearable tech just a fad that is taking time to fade or can the technology really boost health?
In January, and for the second year in a row, wearable technology topped the list of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2017. But is wearable tech just a fad that is taking time to fade? Or can the technology really boost health? Certainly, the technology boosts the profit margins of companies making the devices. It is a rapidly growing, billion-dollar industry. It includes devices such as "smart" watches, global positioning system (GPS) trackers, heart-rate monitors and pedometers (step counters). The device is worn or pinned to clothing and monitors elements of health and fitness. Fans of wearable tech say that it is arguably the most exciting area of consumer technology. But its beginnings date back centuries. An article in The Guardian newspaper in March notes that we’ve been "strapping bits and pieces to our bodies in pursuit of technological nirvana" since the 17th century. It cites an abacus ring of the Qing Dynasty, which ruled C...
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