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Introduction
Wearable tech is the buzz word of 2015, and rightly so.
The fairly new landscape of wearable technology is already dotted with promising
prospects. Emerging trends and innovations are paving the way for a more
connected, seamless and integrated world. Smartwatches, fitness trackers and
wristbands that monitor overall health are quite commonplace today, and are
increasingly becoming a part of peoples everyday lives.
One of the reasons wearables are rising in popularity and preference is their
association with mobile phones and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Most wearables, for optimal functionality, require a corresponding mobile app. This
close relationship with mobiles makes wearable tech much more accessible and
desirable to people. Wearables allow people to know themselves better by
providing insights into their daily habits and activities.
In Part 2 of this two-part series on the rising mobile and wearable space, we explore
eight interesting initiatives - wearables and mobile applications that are changing
the lives of consumers as well as modern business. Click here to view Part 1: The
Mobile & Wearable Web.
Why do we as communications
professionals need to be
abreast of the latest
developments in Wearables?
Adrian Rosenthal (@neurosenthal), Head
of Digital & Social - MSL Germany explains
how we can leverage wearable tech to
offer value to our clients. His article is
filled with key takeaways and insights
from the recent Mobile World Conference
(MWC) and South by Southwest (SXSW).
We hope you enjoy this issue. Let us know what you think at @PeoplesLab.
Nidhi Makhija-Chimnani
Director Research and Insights, MSLGROUP @NidhiMakhija
Melanie Joe
Consultant Research and Insights, MSLGROUP @melanie_joe
Adrian Rosenthal
Head of Digital & Social Media, MSL
Germany
@neurosenthal
Based in Berlin, Adrian is a selftracking enthusiast and owns a Nike
FuelBand as well as a Pebble
smartwatch.
Google Glass, Nike Fuelband or smart watches like Pebble smart wearable
technologies are not just on everyones lips, but can also be found more and
more on wrists (or tips of noses for that matter). Although Marty McFly already
sported a smart jacket, we cant go back to the future and are seemingly still
some light years away from wearables becoming a mass phenomenon. However,
they are already more than just a trend or passing fad being hyped by some tech
geeks. New products and innovations are regularly being discussed not only in
specialized blogs or dedicated tech websites, but also everywhere from the NYT
to CNN.
Wearables and other new connected technologies are more than just gadgets and
an extension of mobile communication: they are the epitomes of a megatrend
towards a smarter and connected lifestyle smart mobile health, smart mobility,
etc. via IoT (Internet of Things) technologies.
Thus, even though a majority of people still regard wearables as useless gadgets
for self-tracking geeks, theres no denying that wearables technologies and smart
IoT devices are becoming more and more deeply entrenched in our lives.
We as communications experts naturally have to be on top of the developments we have to follow and analyze new trends to see how to incorporate them into
our work. That is why we attend MWC, SXSW or the IFA in Berlin - that is why we
have to be curious about new products and mingle with experts and developers
alike.
Top: Nike
Bottom: Pebble
Under the impression of both MWC and SXSW 2015, I have also pondered the
question on how we can already use wearable technologies understood as both
the trend and actual products - in our daily work for clients. Here is my top ten
list:
4. Building a community
Many developers of wearable technologies also create communities with
gamification elements around their products. Users of activity trackers like Fitbit
or the Nike FuelBand dont just want to collect their own data and keep quiet
about it, they want to share updates and compete in rankings with their friends
and peers. The creation of communities which enable users to engage with each
other not only creates a bond between users, but also between brand and its
users.
Top: NEC Corporation of America on Flickr
Inside
Wearables Enhancing the Quality of Life
Insider Band
16
Sesame Ring
18
Oculus Rift
21
25
Smart Bandaid
27
Smart Diapers
29
32
34
Insider band
Photo: Mashable
#ExperientialWearables
Being always connected, people have
developed the habit of sharing their most
memorable experiences with others in an
instant.
Music festivals see some of the most
social and tech-savvy millennials in the
world as attendees. Unfortunately for
music festival lovers who want to share
live updates with the world, the venues
for such events are almost always nonconducive to proper connectivity.
This is why the Insider Band was
introduced to the hugely popular Outside
Lands music festival in San Francisco. It
works on NFC technology (near field
communication).
Photo: Mashable
Infographic: How to Use NFC technology in Your
Marketing Strategy
Sesame ring
Photo: ringtheory.com
#SmartTravel
The Sesame Ring, designed and developed
by MIT students and the Singapore
University of Technology and Design, is an
interesting invention that aims to
introduce smart travel to public transport
systems.
The rings are equivalent to other fare cards and can be used on any T machine
that accepts a CharlieCard. These rings are embedded with the same tap-and-go
technology used in CharlieCards issued by the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority), the fourth busiest public transportation system in the
US. Similar to CharlieCards, the rings with an RFID chip inside each one can be
recharged at the several designated kiosks across train stations.
Disruption in Travel
The Sesame Ring makes for a telling
example of how wearable tech is
gradually but surely blending seamlessly
with various aspects of our daily life.
Its a product with potential for success
because it blends utility which is no
longer looked at as an advantage, rather
as a necessity in wearables- with style.
Experimentation to transfer this
technology to more products like
keychains, smartphone covers and
personal accessories like bracelets is
already on.
Could we soon see a future where access
to public transport made possible with
train tickets, subway passes, etc. will be
granted with our wearables?
Oculus rift
Photo: Oculus
#VirtualReality
Virtual Reality (VR) the simulation of
real-world physical sensations while
involved in an activity like playing video
games is a concept thats been around
for decades.
One company thats made waves in this
space is Oculus, with its groundbreaking
virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift.
Designed to provide a fully immersive
virtual experience to gamers, the headset
boasts of cutting-edge technology thats
changing the face of gaming, and more.
How does virtual reality tie in with
social communication?
With features to match its futuristic looks, the Oculus Rift has been creating a
buzz in the gaming industry since the company unveiled the product. Though still
available only in developer versions its slated to be launched for commercial
sale in 2016 the wearable has piqued the interests of individuals and
corporations alike.
EMBRACE WRISTBAND
#PredictiveHealthcare
Wearable technology has permeated the
health and fitness space - there are more
health-related wearables today than in
any other area.
Wristbands that track physical activity are
the most common, since they are the
easiest to use.
Empatica, a company which builds
wearables to measure and study the
relation between biological signals and
emotions, has developed the Embrace
wristband to detect seizures in epileptic
patients.
Photo: Indiegogo
Smart bandaid
#SafeHealthcare
The recent outbreak of Ebola and the
fight against it has been a complex and
taxing one for the human race.
With no vaccine or medicines developed
yet, the fatality rates have been as high
as 90%, and more cases are being
reported every day.
The ones most at risk are the doctors and
caregivers who work at dangerously close
proximities to the patients. One of the
challenges the international health
community faces is safeguarding the
health of the caregivers of Ebola-stricken
individuals.
As of April 2015, as many as 864
caregivers have been infected in the
African countries, with 503 deaths.
This challenge may just have a solution
soon.
At South by Southwest (SXSW) this year,
The U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) unveiled a
Multisense Memory wearable one that
can help doctors monitor Ebola patients
from a safe distance.
This helps caregivers to track patient progress and even administer treatment,
all from outside the area of risk. At the moment, the beta version uses a USB
cable to transmit data, but the final version is slated to be Bluetoothcompatible. The readings can then be done on a screen in a room thats at a safe
distance from the affected patients.
In addition to the specially-constructed suits that Ebola caregivers use, this
invention can significantly improve safety of the caregivers. Eliminating the risk
of infection puts doctors and other caregivers in a better position to fighting the
disease in the long run.
The Smart Bandaid is a testament to how far wearable technology has come
from personal style statements to being aides in fighting deadly diseases that
plague mankind. And this, is only the beginning.
Smart diapers
#SmartDiapers
The talk around usually revolves around
devices like fitness trackers and smart
watches.
Contenders in the race for the most
innovative technology in quantified self
dont usually involve diapers.
Until now.
Pixie Scientific, a startup from New York,
is redefining the wearable market with its
Smart Diapers which rely on data to
monitor and detect health irregularities.
The data that these wearables measure is
one of the most reliable when it comes to
studying human health urine. The
technology is designed to analyse the
urine from used diapers and scan it to
detect possibilities of infections, kidney
problems and even type 1 diabetes in
infants.
While it looks like any other disposable diaper, the Smart Diaper has several nontoxic square panels on the outside of the diaper, which when wet, react to
leukocytes, nitrates and other agents in the childs urine that are useful in
detecting the health of the child. The reaction causes the panels to change
colour, and parents can use the accompanying mobile app to scan the QR code on
the panel.
The app collects daily readings and over a period of time and checks for
emerging patterns that may point to health anomalies. If it detects a problem, it
alerts the parents to visit their paediatrician.
#WirelessCharging
Mobile phones have not only taken over
most aspects of our lives, theyre also
changing how the world innovates
innovation to make the usage of mobile
phones more seamless and integrated into
our daily lives.
This is no more evident than in IKEAs
latest range of furniture with wireless
charging. They do exactly what the name
suggests charge your phone without the
need for external wires or cables.
With a range of tables, lamps, desks and
standalone charging pads, this new series
is IKEAs attempt at creating perhaps the
ultimate connected home.
Photo: IKEA
The mobile phones need to be compatible with the Qi wireless charging standard
to be able to make use of the charging pads. Most smartphones these days come
with an inbuilt compatibility to this technology.
Photo: IKEA
#SnapchatStory
More and more brands are waking up to
the importance of reaching their audience
directly on the mobile this includes
innovating ways of distributing content as
well as newer platforms to feature them
on.
Snapchat is a unique social network for
brands to explore. Its feature of limited
content storage could help in pushing
marketers to be more innovative in their
content approach than they might be
otherwise.
A good example of leveraging this
Snapchat feature is Nat Geo Wilds
awareness and teaser campaign for Big
Cat Week, their annual week-long event
on the channel.
As each story ended, the screen faded to a black background with a statistic
about the falling numbers in the wild. Five different big cats were featured, with
a different statistic each day.
The message that Nat Geo Wild wanted to convey that of the alarming rate
with which these animals are perishing was made all the more real by the fact
that all stories on Snapchat are auto deleted after 24 hours.
The campaign was impactful, with 91% of the users viewing the story to its
entirety. Nat Geo Wild received positive feedback as well, both on Snapchat and
Twitter, where the campaign was cross-promoted.
Read about how constraints can actually be aides to creativity, in our report
The Future of Creativity.
Peoples Lab
Peoples Lab is MSLGROUPs proprietary crowdsourcing platform and
approach that helps organizations tap into peoples insights for innovation,
storytelling and change.
Peoples Lab helps organizations build and nurture public or private, web or
mobile, hosted or white label communities around four pre-configured
application areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Our community and gaming features encourage people to share rich content,
vote/ comment on other peoples content and collaborate to find innovative
solutions.
Peoples Lab forms the core of our insights and foresight approach, which
consists of four elements: organic conversation analysis, MSLGROUPs own
insight communities, client specific insights communities, and ethnographic
deep dives into these communities. The Peoples Insights reports showcase
our capability in crowdsourcing and analyzing insights from conversations and
communities.
Thank You!