Google may have beaten the wave of new wearable technology with Google Glass, but the inventions and new applications have not stopped there. No longer is the digital world limited to a computer – it is the view of some that in the future it will become a part of everyday use on bodies. There are many novelty items such as music devices that can play in parallel to one’s heartbeat, to sweaters that display different colors based on your emotional state. Of course some are more practical and functional, like shoes that clean floors while you walk, or fitness jewelry that is capable of tracking calories burned during exercise.

For some time, many of these technologies have been considered gimmicks, but with major players including Google, Samsung, and even Apple entering the stage it is clear that this arms race is for real. At San Francisco’s wearable technology conference and fashion show, Manish Chandra had this to share: “Everyone agrees the race is just beginning, and I think we’re going to see some very, very big leaps in just the next year.” Many analysts agree, and although the last year’s $9,000,000,000 market is huge, it is expected to triple by 2018 according to Shane Walker of IHS Global Insights.

After the interest in Google’s first release, the race is already heating up even more, with rumors of Apple iWatch and Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smartwatch getting tons of hype. Many other companies out there are looking to jump in on the new market, hoping to get a jump start on these giants and carve out an audience early. The big question on everyone’s mind is which company will announce the next revolutionary product to the public?

Privacy Concerns

Of course the battle between privacy and revolutionary developments is already underway too, as many have expressed concern over the implications of technology like Google Glass. Although it is certainly valid to worry about those who do not wish to be videoed or photographed, these kinds of technologies provide a lot of new possibilities for companies. Concepts like tracking heart rates and temperatures to gauge responses to movies and other features will no longer be a thing of fiction, while items like Vibease, the world’s first wearable vibrator, are oriented towards long distance solutions.

It may sound great in concept, but the obvious question is whether customers will accept these products beyond the original novelty factor of owning them. Devices like Google Glass are already being used by many trendsetters and technology buffs, but it is a technology far from being considered mainstream at this point. From product to product it is obviously different, but it is clear that some products need true acceptance from the population in order to be truly useful.

Just a Fad?

The reviews are certainly mixed, as one study from Cornerstone OnDemand showed that 42 percent of workers were unwilling to wear technology for jobs, highlighted by older employees being far more reluctant. Ritch Blasi, a consultant from SVP-Comunicano, also brought up the issue of our current wireless network infrastructure, but hopes that it will soon catch up. Only time will tell whether this truly be the future or simply another passing fad, but Blasi has high hopes, “It almost makes you think everyone is going to turn into a cyborg.”