It literally means “wearable technology,” and we’ll be hearing more and more about it in the coming years. Not for nothing, Wearable tech has revolutionized the way we approach health monitoring. Who has never used a smartwatch or a fitness tracker? But wearable tech also extends into the sphere of public health, since it also includes various types of sensors capable of monitoring parameters that then become useful for medical diagnoses, but also to guarantee that continuous monitoring that turns out to be the real watershed when we talk about chronic diseases.

The role of continuous monitoring

Continuous monitoring allows wearable tech to collect real-time data on the user's health. Most importantly, it provides a detailed picture of:

• Early detection of anomalies: By constantly collecting data, wearable devices can identify changes in vital signs that could indicate health problems. For example, heart rate variability (HRV) can help identify stressful situations and adopt relaxation techniques. A constant increase in resting heart rate can signal cardiovascular problems;
• Sleep Monitoring: Sleep quality is crucial to overall health. Smartwatches and fitness trackers can analyze sleep patterns, providing insights into different stages and suggesting ways to improve your sleep;
• Lifestyle: Wearable users become more aware of their health status and the factors that influence it, allowing them to adopt healthier behaviors. The ability to view progress in real time motivates users to reach their fitness goals.

Practical examples of wearable tech

There are various types of wearable devices, each with specific features and dedicated functions. 

Among the most popular are the Apple Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch, which can reach up to measure your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, sleep quality and daily physical activity.

Then there are fitness trackers, which were created specifically as wearable tech. 

Fitbit and Garmin are among the most common, and allow for example to count steps, calculate calories burned, monitor workout sessions and track sleep.

We then have more advanced devices used to monitor specific conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease. 

Dai glucometers wearables for continuous monitoring of blood glucose levels to sensors blood pressure for accurate readings in real time.

Integrating wearable tech into business contexts

What is new is that wearable technology is finding applications in various business sectors. The integration of these devices into business operations offers numerous benefits, improving productivity, safety and health of employees. 

For example, through the environmental monitoring: There are devices that detect dangerous conditions such as high levels of toxic gases or extreme temperatures. 

We are familiar with carbon monoxide detectors or fire sensors, for example, but what if it were wearable technology instead? Wearable tech opens up scenarios that were previously simply unthinkable.

GPS devices are another application of wearable tech, already in use in certain environments. In the workplace, such devices could monitor the location of workers in dangerous environments, allowing for rapid intervention in case of emergency.

Privacy and Other Wearable Tech Challenges

The adoption of wearable technology in the enterprise raises concerns about data privacy and security.
Another challenge is the acceptance of wearable technology, which requires education on the benefits and support for the effective use of these tools. On the one hand, it is inconceivable to impose wearable tech specifically for healthcare, for employees, because the risk of violating human rights is real. However, some type of health monitoring, related to the detection of anomalies, such as toxicity, or vital parameters strictly related to the touch or inhalation of toxicity, could help the safety sector and prevent various injuries.

Additionally, even though wearables have improved dramatically, there is still a risk that the data may not always be accurate. For this reason, some users may not want to put their sensitive data in a system, no matter how secure it is, and may sacrifice privacy for information that is not very precise.

All the more reason why it is important to invest in this direction, creating not only a solid data protection structure, but also by engaging the Research and Development departments for thezero margin of error.