Smart technology has the power to dramatically alter consumer trends, social norms, and the way we interact with the world around us. Over the last 30-some years, we’ve seen the creation of the internet, Photoshop, portable GPS, mobile broadband, and Google Search. Within a short period of time, each of these inventions has significantly shaped reality. As the effects of the pandemic ramp up these already rapid technological advancements, it’s certainly worth considering what our futures may look like over the next few decades and what this may mean for existing devices, such as smartphones.
In our last article, we explored what these changes could mean for the healthcare and wellness industries. Today, we’re uncovering some of the ways integrated smart technology can impact fitness, sports, and safety.
Smart technology in fitness and sports
Another area disrupted by the pandemic was the fitness industry. As gyms and fitness centers around the world closed their doors during lockdowns, many athletes and health-conscious individuals were resigned to find new ways to exercise remotely—but what if these people could take their fitness instructors and coaches with them wherever they choose to work out?
In addition to having immense potential in the health and wellness categories, smart technology can already be found in the fitness and sports sectors. For example, WHOOP’s fitness and health tracker is helping professional athletes optimize their performance by living healthier lives. By tracking key vitals like heart rate, WHOOP can provide personalized recommendations to ensure each person receives the proper amount of training, recovery time, and sleep.
It can also provide instructors and coaches with the insights they need to optimize each athlete’s workout routine to improve their overall performance. By monitoring these vitals, coaches can determine when to push an athlete to workout harder and when they need to cool down, which can help them get the most out of each training session while also preventing injuries. The possibilities for coaches to leverage vital data to help athletes reach their full potential are endless.
Recently, WHOOP became the official fitness wearable of the PGA Tour. Through this partnership, the company launched the WHOOP Live initiative, which highlights golfers’ heart rates and biometric data in real time. This unique idea allows fans an inside look at what’s happening with their favorite players during some of the most crucial moments on the course.
Related: The Future of Smart Technology: Health and Wellness
Smart technology for safety
Smart technology can certainly help us improve our overall health, wellbeing, and fitness, but what about safety? Plenty of examples exist that show how the IoT, machine learning, and artificial intelligence can improve our safety at busy intersections or shopping centers, but a new development called the D-air Smart Jacket may surprise you.
Italian sports apparel maker Dainese recently launched an inflatable vest with an integrated airbag system that motorcyclists can wear under or over their riding jackets. The company also released a riding jacket and a one-piece racing suit with the same built-in airbag features.
Forbes contributor Bill Roberson explains that the smart jacket draws power from an internal battery and upon activation, the “sensor package begins operation, checking impact and motion cues 1,000 times per second.”
If a crash or impact is detected, the smart jacket inflates to protect the upper body within 25 milliseconds, which Roberson notes is “far faster than the time that elapses between an initial impact with an obstacle and when a rider’s body will make impact with a vehicle or the ground.”
Stay tuned
In our next article, we’ll be exploring how integrated smart technology is changing the gaming and entertainment industries. We’ll also explore an emerging virtual environment and discuss what living in a smart world might look like. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for updates!
Additional resources
Interested in learning more about smart technology in the health and wellness industries? Here are some resources we found useful when writing this article:
- “Why the end of the smartphone is imminent” by Simon Lohmann and Karen Haslam (Macworld)
- “The smartphone, circa 2031” by Dieter Bohn, Allison Johnson, and Chris Welch (The Verge)
- “The smartphone is dead” by Simon Rockman (Tech Advisor)
- “LG will shut down smartphone business in July to focus on smart home, robotics” by Shara Tibken (CNET)
- “Condensed consolidated statements of operations” from Apple Inc.
- “Samsung electronics announces third quarter 2021 results” from Samsung Newsroom
- “Wearables, nearables, and airables, oh my! The future of sleep technology” by Chris Fernandez (Forbes)
- “From the internet to the iPhone, here are the 20 most important inventions of the last 30 years” by Kevin Webb (Business Insider)
- “Smart healthcare: making medical care more intelligent” (Global Health Journal)
- “Two thirds of deaths from asthma are preventable, confidential inquiry finds” by Ingrid Torjesen (BMJ)
- “5 Examples of Smart Technology in Healthcare” (Impact My Biz)
- “ATGATT alert! Dainese’ wearable smart jacket airbag vest may save your life in a motorcycle crash” by Bill Roberson (Forbes)