The use of wearable technology in monitoring and managing health

Wearable technology

It is simple to identify ways in which technology might enhance the way our daily activities are carried out because it is seeping into every part of our life. Wearables can travel with us as dependable companions. Health monitoring wearables can identify our shortcomings, such as whether we are exercising enough or whether our heartbeat is a little too rapid.

Due to customers’ growing interest in tracking their health and vital signs, wearable technology has more than tripled in the last few years.

As customers express interest in sharing their health data with physicians and insurers, the demand for wearables is anticipated to increase over the next few years.

Benefits of wearable technology in healthcare

These gadgets are designed to gather a lot of information on patient health. Healthcare practitioners can also gain from a wearable medical gadget. Doctors can perform better by constantly and remotely monitoring patients, enabling them to take speedier and more informed measures.

It is only possible if the patients use gadgets connected to their providers’ electronics.

On the other hand, these gadgets can enhance patient adherence, thereby improving the standard of care. Medical device wearables can solve all the above-mentioned issues by alerting patients when they do not follow their recommended therapy or remember to take their medications.

The need for wearable technology

Wearable technology seeks to impact a variety of industries, including health and medicine, fitness, ageing, disability, education, transportation, business, finance, gaming and music. The objective is to seamlessly integrate into people’s lives and become an essential part of them.

Businesses can benefit significantly from wearable computing because it is hands-free. The workplace is made more efficient and safe by the ease with which the emergency and rescue teams can be tracked. Researchers, engineersand technicians can operate more effectively with hands-free access to crucial data and information via smart glasses and smartwatches.

Types of wearable technology for health monitoring

Wearables come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They come in a variety of forms, including smartwatches, jewellery, headsets, and eyewear. Wearable technology is also used in the medical field. We can connect them to other electronic devices and communicate crucial information about the user’s health and movements because they are equipped with technology that tracks vitals.

Smartwatches 

Users can view notifications, send text messagesand make phone calls on smartwatches while also getting some of the benefits of fitness trackers’ ability to measure exercise and health.

fitness trackers

Wearable fitness trackers are wristbands with sensors that monitor a user’s heart rate and physical activity. Even though they are among the most basic and innovative types of wearable technology, they are durable because they easily connect with smartphone apps to offer customers valuable health and fitness tips.

Continuous glucose monitoring devices

You can manage Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices by performing fewer fingerstick tests. A sensor located just under your skin continuously monitors your blood sugar levels. Results are transmitted via a transmitter to a wearable or mobile device. Although learning to use CGM takes effort, it can make managing your health easier.

Heart rate monitors

Heart rate monitors can continuously detect and track your heart rate or pulse. Many of these wearable gadgets are highly accurate. Although these gadgets can be helpful in keeping an eye on your health, you shouldn’t use them in place of medical attention because they aren’t as precise as licenced medical devices.

Sleep trackers

These devices are worn while you are sleeping on your wrist or finger. They often record information about your heart rate and movement. Some monitor your respiratory patterns as well. The majority of these tools have many uses. Additionally, you may keep track of your daily food intake and physical activity, including steps, heart rate and calories burnt.

Normally, an app would allow you to view the sleep data that has been gathered. The report covers your sleep duration, number of nighttime awakenings, and wake-up times. Some gadgets also provide a breakdown of your various stages of sleep, such as light sleep and deep sleep.

Smart clothing and sensors

In essence, smart clothing items are kind of electronic gadgets created to connect to other connected devices (such as smartphones) and the wearer’s body.The wearer’s biometric and physical data, such as body temperature and heart rate, are collected via a variety of sensors used in smart clothing.

The sensor-generated data is transmitted over Bluetooth to the appropriate apps on the associated smartphone, making it accessible for consumers to examine. Advanced textile fibres, microelectronics, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence can all be used in smart clothing (AI).

Challenges and concerns with wearable technology in healthcare

A large portion of wearables collect data comes from users, making them a relatively new technology. This has numerous potential areas for inaccuracy. Wearables, for instance, may misdiagnose users based on inaccurate readings or inputs, which may necessitate expensive doctor visits and needless concern.

Wearable technology security and privacy issues mostly revolve around user data being compromised and altered, unsecured communication, actual data theft, usage of wearable technology (such as hidden cameras, microphones, etc.) for surveillance, a lack of encryption, and other weaknesses.

Future of wearable technology in healthcare

Based on the information presented above, it is clear that wearable technology is here to stay. The emergence of a global pandemic not only hastened the adoption of this technology but has also created a market that is predicted to expand to hundreds of billions of dollars in value in less than ten years.

Many wearable devices rely on machine learning, a form of artificial intelligence in which scientists analyse data to teach computers to recognise patterns and forecast events.

 Also, machine learning becomes increasingly adept at providing precise predictions and individualised health recommendations the more data it incorporates from more individuals.

Machine learning, however, is only as good as its algorithms, and in order to create these algorithms, a lot of data is required.

So, the makers require access to the data from a vast number of individuals in order to produce amazing wearables that provide relevant interpretations and recommendations for your health. When data is transmitted to the big data pool, it can be anonymised, which means your identity is no longer associated with it.

Nonetheless, many people dislike the possibility of privacy violations. It’s evident that as wearable technology adoption grows, a number of important concerns need to be resolved.

Conclusion

Wearable medical technology is becoming increasingly common. Fitness trackers and smartwatches have been popular for a while, and demand for them is only increasing. With this in mind, businesses are always experimenting with and developing new solutions, so the healthcare industry is not just confined to these devices.

The market for wearable healthcare technology is anticipated to expand and change as a result of growing consumer interest. And soon, healthcare tech businesses will start to provide new and improved wearables.

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