Wearable Technology

Drawing on research from the IDTechEx report, "Wearable Sensors Market 2025-2035: Technologies, Trends, Players, Forecasts", this article brings together some of the major industries shaping the future of the wearable sensors market long term, and as such, some unifying features to expect across the next generation of sensing solutions.

Sensor technology comes in many shapes and sizes, designed to measure a wide range of metrics for a host of different applications. There are sensors to collect data from almost all physical parameters: motion, magnetic field, current, temperature, force-light intensity - the list goes on. These miniaturized components are everywhere, from our smart-phones and home appliances to within cars, factories, and satellites.

Bringing together the worlds of assistive technology and consumer electronics is becoming increasingly necessary with ever-developing digital technology and communication abilities, for those with limited mobility or speech to benefit from such groundbreaking advances.

Consumer gaming and professional uses of VR headsets, from pilot training and machinery operation to entertainment in VR arcades, all count towards the unmatched lucrativeness of VR today. AR devices have grown more in recent years; however, they remain a niche market home to tough competition, especially for consumer devices.

The demand for human wellbeing brings great value to the wearables market and creates a greater need for access to personalized healthcare and remote monitoring. Beginning with fitness trackers, the wearables industry now incorporates skin patches, smart mouthguards, smart glasses, and headsets, with devices being used in both personal and work environments.

IDTechEx predicts the brain computer interface market to exceed US$ 1.6billion in 2045, highlighting the large scope for growth and development within the sector, and the potential of BCI technology to improve accessible communication.

As applications for wearable technology grow, there are increasing opportunities for sensors that can detect more advanced metrics, be integrated into novel form factors, offer enhanced performance, or demand less power and space. Innovations in wearable sensor technology are expanding the envelope of biometrics accessible through watches and skin patches, addressing the rising demand for remote patient monitoring and decentralized clinical trials but also increasing consumer expectations.

Industrial Internet of Things sensor technology (IIoT) seeks to enable greater industrial automation, improved worker safety, and streamlined maintenance planning. From cameras, LiDAR, and radar for machine vision in robotics, to skin patches and miniaturized gas sensors in smart personal protection equipment, emerging IIoT applications present growth opportunities for a variety of sensor technologies.

Monday 16 December 2024 - Introduction to the state of the wearable sensor market in 2024; Global meta-trends and their impact on the wearable sensor industry; Sensor innovations for HMI: o Neural interface wristbands for AR o Wearable brain computer interfaces o Ear computing and facial gesture recognition; Conclusions and Market Outlook

Haptics might fly under the radar, but they form a major industry that offers serious user experience benefits to consumers. IDTechEx forecasts a US$7.1 billion market for haptic technology in 2035, with much of the growth in this market being fueled by the adoption of haptics in new classes of device.