Ever since Kevin Ashton coined the term “Internet of Things” (or IoT) back in 1999, there have been a lot of new developments. IoT has revolutionized how we interact with technology and nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of wearable devices (sometimes called ‘wearables’ to keep things simple).

The list of wearables on the market is growing, from smartwatches that track our fitness to augmented reality glasses that alter the way we look at the world. IoT wearables are rapidly changing how we live, work and play.

Advantages of Using IoT Wearables

Wearables offer a multitude of benefits. Below, we will explore some of the main advantages that these devices bring to the table.

Enhanced Connectivity

Wearable devices like smartwatches and smart glasses allow their users to stay connected without the need for a traditional smartphone or computer. They are capable of receiving notifications, making calls and even controlling other smart devices. Pretty neat, huh?

Convenience and Usability

The design of wearable technology prioritizes user-friendliness. Being worn on the body allows these devices to gather information constantly, enabling them to provide timely notifications and practical recommendations. These features are especially valuable in areas such as healthcare and fitness.

Types of IoT Wearable Devices

Fitness Trackers

Fitness trackers are an extremely popular type of wearables. These devices help us monitor various aspects of our physical activity and health. I remember getting my first Fitbit, impressed by the fact that it could literally count my steps. Many fitness trackers can do so much more nowadays, including tracking heart rate, sleep patterns and calories burned. Some advanced models also feature GPS tracking and water resistance.

Feature	Common Metrics Tracked
Steps	Daily step count
Heart Rate	Real-time heart rate
Sleep Patterns	Quality and duration of sleep
Calories Burned	Total calories burned
GPS Tracking	Distance and route tracking

Smart Watches

Smart watches have become a vital part of our daily lives. They are fairly similar to fitness trackers, however smart watches offer a broader range of features beyond fitness tracking, including notifications, apps and calling capabilities. They act as an extension of our smartphones, providing quick access to calls, messages and other essential functions right on our wrists.

While there is some overlap between the functionality of smart watches and fitness trackers, smart watches generally provide a more comprehensive set of features at the expense of battery life, whereas fitness trackers excel in their specialized health and activity monitoring capabilities while maintaining longer battery life.

Brand	Popular Smart Watches
Apple	Apple Watch Series
Samsung	Galaxy Watch
Garmin	Garmin Forerunner Series
Fitbit	Fitbit Versa Series

Medical Monitoring Devices

Medical monitoring devices have been shaking things up in the healthcare sector by enabling continuous and remote patient monitoring. These IoT devices are designed to monitor vital signs, aiding in the diagnosis, treatment and management of several health conditions. Some common medical monitoring devices include:

• Blood Pressure Monitors
• Heart Rate Monitors
• Blood Glucose Sensors
• EMG Temperature Sensors
• Oxygen Level Sensors

Device Type	Common Uses
Blood Pressure Monitors	Monitor blood pressure levels
Heart Rate Monitors	Track heart rate and rhythm
Blood Glucose Sensors	Measure blood sugar levels
EMG Temperature Sensors	Monitor body temperature
Oxygen Level Sensors	Measure blood oxygen saturation

Smart Glasses

Smart glasses represent a significant advancement in IoT wearable devices. They typically consist of a head mounted display, camera, microphone and various sensors, all integrated into a glasses-like form factor.

Smart glasses offer augmented reality (AR) experiences, where digital information is superimposed over the user’s real world view (as opposed to virtual reality (VR) which replaces the real world entirely). This can include text, images, 3D models, or even live data feeds.

This technology has useful applications in several sectors, from healthcare to manufacturing, providing hands-free access to critical data and improving workflow efficiency.

Where are IoT Wearable Devices Used?

IoT wearable devices, which can be worn on or implanted in the body, have found applications across multiple industries, providing real-time data collection, analysis and insights. Here are some notable examples.

Healthcare Applications

Health Monitoring (Internal Sensors)

Device Type	How is It Used?
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs)	These devices monitor heart rhythms and deliver electric shocks when necessary to prevent sudden cardiac arrest
Smart Pacemakers	Connected pacemakers allow for remote monitoring and adjustment, reducing the need for in-person doctor visits
Ingestible Sensors	Pills equipped with tiny sensors can track medication adherence and provide data on internal body conditions

Health Monitoring (Remote Patient Monitoring)

Device Type	How is It Used?
Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs)	These devices provide real-time glucose readings for diabetics, often connecting to smartphones for easy data tracking and sharing with healthcare providers
Smart Patches	Adhesive patches can monitor vital signs, including temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate, transmitting data to healthcare providers for early intervention
ECG Monitors	Wearable ECG devices allow for long term heart monitoring, helping detect arrhythmias and other cardiac issues outside of clinical settings

Health Monitoring (Smart Blood Sugar Sensors)

Device Type	How is It Used?
Non-invasive Glucose Monitors	Companies are developing wearable devices that can measure blood glucose levels through the skin, potentially eliminating the need for finger pricks
Artificial Pancreas Systems	These closed loop systems combine continuous glucose monitoring with insulin pumps to automatically adjust insulin delivery based on real-time glucose levels

Additional Healthcare Applications

• Fall Detection: Wearables with accelerometers can detect falls in elderly patients and automatically alert caregivers or emergency services.
• Medication Reminders: Smart pill bottles and wearable devices can remind patients to take their medications on time and track adherence.
• Mental Health Monitoring: Some wearables can track indicators of stress, anxiety and depression, helping both patients and mental health professionals manage these conditions more effectively.

Other Applications of IoT Wearables

The versatility of IoT wearables extends far beyond healthcare, finding innovative uses across other industries as well.

Homes

• Smart Home Integration: Wearables can interact with smart home systems, adjusting lighting, temperature and security settings based on the wearer’s presence and preferences.
• Sleep Tracking: Advanced sleep monitoring devices provide detailed insights into sleep patterns and quality, helping users improve their rest.
• Personal Safety: Wearable panic buttons and location trackers can enhance personal safety, especially for vulnerable individuals.

Offices

• Productivity Monitoring: Wearables can track work patterns, breaks and stress levels to optimize productivity and prevent burnout.
• Access Control: Smart badges can replace traditional access cards, providing secure and convenient entry to office spaces.
• Ergonomic Feedback: Some wearables can monitor posture and movement, providing feedback to improve ergonomics and reduce workplace injuries.

Hospitals

• Asset Tracking: RFID enabled wearables can help hospitals track equipment, ensuring critical tools are always available when needed.
• Staff Communication: Wearable devices facilitate quick, hands-free communication among hospital staff, improving response times in critical situations.
• Infection Control: Some wearables can monitor hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers, reducing the risk of hospital acquired infections.

Educational Institutes

• Attendance Tracking: Wearable RFID tags or smartwatches can automate attendance taking, saving time and improving accuracy.
• Learning Analytics: Wearables can track student engagement and physiological responses during lessons, providing insights to improve teaching methods.
• Campus Safety: Wearable devices with emergency alert functions can enhance student safety on college campuses.

Factories

• Safety Monitoring: Wearables can detect exposure to harmful substances, excessive noise or dangerous temperatures, alerting workers to potential hazards.
• Fatigue Management: By monitoring vital signs and movement patterns, wearables can help prevent accidents caused by worker fatigue.
• Augmented Reality (AR) for Training and Maintenance: AR enabled wearables can provide workers with real-time instructions and information for complex tasks or equipment maintenance.

Smart Cities

• Public Transportation: Wearable devices can serve as contactless payment methods for public transit and provide real-time transit information to users.
• Environmental Monitoring: Crowdsourced data from wearables can help cities monitor air quality, noise pollution and other environmental factors.
• Emergency Response: In disaster situations, wearables can help locate individuals in need of assistance and coordinate rescue efforts more efficiently.

Communication in IoT Wearables

Wireless Communication Technologies

IoT wearable devices use various wireless communication technologies. Some popular communication protocols include:

• Bluetooth: Commonly used for short range communication between devices.
• Zigbee: Known for its low power consumption and used in home automation.
• Z-Wave: Popular in smart home devices for its mesh network capabilities.
• MQTT: Lightweight messaging protocol ideal for constrained devices and low bandwidth, high latency networks.
• CoAP: Designed for use with constrained nodes and networks in IoT.
• HTTP (RESTful): A standard protocol for web based interactions.

Different wireless technologies are better suited for certain uses and settings. Take Bluetooth, for instance. It’s commonly used in devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches. Bluetooth works well for these because it doesn’t use much battery power and provides a stable connection over short distances.

Protocol	Range	Power Consumption	Use Case
Bluetooth	Short (~10m)	Low	Fitness trackers, smartwatches
Zigbee	Medium (~100m)	Low	Home automation
Z-Wave	Medium (~100m)	Low	Smart home devices
MQTT	Varies	Low	Low bandwidth networks
CoAP	Varies	Low	Constrained devices
HTTP	Unlimited	High	Web applications

Importance of Gateways

Gateways are critical components in the IoT ecosystem, especially for wearable devices and other small, low power devices. They serve as intermediaries between these devices and the wider Internet, enabling smooth communication and data exchange.

There are several types of IoT gateways available on the market, ranging from consumer grade devices to industrial strength solutions. Here are a handful of examples:

• Consumer/Home IoT Gateways
  • Samsung SmartThings Hub: A popular home automation gateway that supports multiple protocols like Zigbee, Z-Wave and Wi-Fi.
  • Apple HomePod: Serves as a hub for HomeKit enabled devices, acting as a gateway for Apple smart home products.
• Industrial IoT (IIoT) Gateways
  • Dell Edge Gateway 5000 Series: Designed for industrial IoT applications, supporting multiple protocols and offering robust data processing capabilities.
  • Cisco IR1101 Integrated Services Router: A rugged, compact gateway for industrial IoT deployments, supporting both wired and wireless connections.
• Telco-grade IoT Gateways
  • Nokia IMPACT IoT Platform: A comprehensive IoT management platform that includes gateway functionality for large scale deployments.
  • Huawei AR502H Series IoT Gateway: Designed for carrier grade IoT applications, supporting multiple interfaces and protocols.
• Open Source IoT Gateways
  • Eclipse Kura: A Java/OSGi based framework for IoT gateways, which can be deployed on various hardware platforms.
  • Mozilla WebThings Gateway: An open source gateway for the Web of Things, which can run on devices like Raspberry Pi.
• Specialized IoT Gateways
  • Kerlink Wirnet iFemtoCell: A compact LoRaWAN gateway for smart city and industrial IoT applications.
  • MultiTech Conduit: A highly configurable, programmable gateway for LoRa and cellular IoT applications.
• DIY IoT Gateways
  • Raspberry Pi: While not a dedicated gateway, it can be configured as one using appropriate software and HATs (Hardware Attached on Top).
  • Arduino IoT Cloud: When combined with certain Arduino boards, it can function as a simple IoT gateway.

Role in Communication

Gateways act as translators between different communication protocols. Many IoT devices, especially wearables, use low power protocols like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Zigbee or LoRaWAN, which are not directly compatible with standard Internet protocols. Gateways bridge this gap by:

• Receiving data from IoT devices using their native protocols
• Converting this data into TCP/IP compatible formats
• Transmitting the converted data to cloud servers or other Internet connected systems

This process works in reverse as well, allowing Internet based systems to communicate with IoT devices.

Advantages of Using Gateways

Connectivity

• Protocol Conversion: As mentioned above, gateways translate between different communication protocols, enabling seamless data exchange.
• Range Extension: Many IoT protocols have limited range. Gateways can extend this range by relaying data over longer distances using Wi-Fi, cellular or Ethernet connections.
• Offline Operation: Some gateways can store data temporarily when Internet connectivity is lost, ensuring no data is missed during outages.

Efficiency

• Resource Conservation: By offloading communication and processing tasks to gateways, IoT devices can remain small, simple and energy efficient.
• Battery Life Extension: Less complex communication protocols and reduced processing needs mean IoT devices can operate longer on a single charge.
• Edge Computing: Some advanced gateways can perform local data analysis, allowing for faster response times and reduced reliance on cloud services.

Security

• Traffic Management: Gateways can monitor and filter data traffic, blocking suspicious activities or unauthorized access attempts.
• Encryption: Many gateways provide encryption services, securing data before it’s transmitted over the Internet.
• Firmware Updates: Gateways can facilitate secure firmware updates for connected IoT devices, helping to patch vulnerabilities.
• Device Authentication: Gateways can authenticate devices trying to connect to the network, preventing rogue devices from gaining access.

Gateway Challenges and Considerations

While gateways provide numerous benefits, they also come with their fair share of challenges:

• Single Point of Failure: If a gateway fails, it could result in the disconnection of multiple devices from the network.
• Security Risks: While gateways enhance security, they can also become easy targets for attacks if not properly secured.
• Cost and Complexity: Adding gateways to an IoT system increases overall system complexity and cost, which needs to be balanced against the benefits.

Security and Privacy Challenges for IoT Wearable Devices

The rapid advancement of IoT wearable technology continues to open new possibilities across sectors. As devices become more sophisticated, smaller and more integrated into our daily lives, their potential to improve efficiency, safety and quality of life grows exponentially. However, it’s important to note that the widespread adoption of these technologies also raises concerns about data privacy and security, which remain ongoing challenges in the IoT ecosystem.

Security Concerns

IoT wearable devices often collect sensitive personal data, including biometric details like voice characteristics, and preferences such as eating habits and favorite TV shows.

Due to the interconnected nature of these devices, they are susceptible to cyber attacks. Hackers can potentially access not only the device itself but also the network it’s on, leading to extensive data breaches. This vulnerability emphasizes the importance of robust security measures, including:

• Encryption: Ensuring data is encrypted, both in transit and at rest.
• Regular Updates: Keeping the device firmware and software up-to-date.
• Authentication: Implementing strong authentication mechanisms.

Privacy Issues

Privacy is another critical concern when it comes to IoT wearable technology. The data collected by IoT devices can be highly detailed and precise, enabling inferences about personal behaviors and preferences. For instance, sensors such as microphones, accelerometers and thermometers can gather data, which when analyzed through machine learning techniques, can lead to personal and sometimes unexpected insights.

Consider the example of smart speakers making sales pitches based on a user’s conversation or IoT devices influencing purchase decisions. These actions highlight the potential intrusion into personal autonomy and space.

Furthermore, the challenge of de-identifying data is significant. The detailed nature of the collected data makes it difficult to ensure anonymity when sharing with third parties. This problem is amplified in large IoT ecosystems such as smart cities, where aggregated data can still be traced back to individuals.

To safeguard privacy, it is essential to adopt an in-depth approach that includes:

• Transparency: Clearly informing users about what data is collected, how it is used and with whom it is shared.
• User Control: Allowing users to control their data, including opting out of data collection.
• Regulation Compliance: Ensuring that the device and data practices adhere to relevant privacy laws and regulations.

Our Predictions for the Future of IoT Wearables

Remember when strapping a pedometer to your wrist was the height of tech savvy fitness? Well, hold onto your AR headsets because the future of IoT wearables is about to make step counting look as cutting edge as a sundial.

Picture this – you wake up and your pajamas have already analyzed your sleep patterns, adjusted your home’s temperature and started brewing your coffee. Your bathroom mirror suggests a nutrient rich breakfast based on your current biomarkers, while your smart contact lenses project your day’s schedule onto your retina. Science fiction? More like science “just-around-the-corner”.

The next wave of wearables will be less about wearing and more about integrating. Flexible electronics that stretch and move with your skin will replace clunky wristbands. These devices will not just track your health but actively monitor for potential issues, possibly alerting your doctor before you even feel a sniffle coming on.

And let’s talk batteries – or rather, let’s not. Future wearables may harvest energy from your body heat or movement, making charging a thing of the past.

But the real game changer? Brain-computer interfaces. That’s right, we’re talking about devices that can read your thoughts. While we’re still a way off from telekinesis (sorry, X-Men fans), the ability to control devices with your mind is no longer confined to the realm of sci-fi.

Of course, with great power comes great responsibility (and hopefully some ironclad privacy policies!) As our devices become more integrated with our lives and bodies, we’ll need to navigate new ethical territories. But one thing’s for sure – the future of IoT wearables is bound to be a wild and undoubtedly more comfortable ride.