Wearable computer

A wearable computer, also known as a body-borne computer, is a computing device worn on the body. The definition of 'wearable computer' may be narrow or broad, extending to <a href="/facts/Smartphone/cSIrBMWG">smartphones</a> or even ordinary <a href="/facts/Wristwatch/PuFUMNTl">wristwatches</a>.
Wearables may be for general use, in which case they are just a particularly small example of <a href="/facts/Mobile_computing/eHT86bQU">mobile computing</a>. Alternatively, they may be for specialized purposes such as <a href="/facts/Fitness_tracker/PJC1bmLY">fitness trackers</a>. They may incorporate special sensors such as <a href="/facts/Accelerometer/xxrXzrlI">accelerometers</a>, <a href="/facts/Heart_rate_monitor/gw9xvxpF">heart rate monitors</a>, or on the more advanced side, <a href="/facts/Electrocardiography/YpVswJ0W">electrocardiogram (ECG)</a> and <a href="/facts/Oxygen_saturation_(medicine)/9cfum2Yl">blood oxygen saturation (SpO2)</a> monitors. Under the definition of wearable computers, we also include novel user interfaces such as <a href="/facts/Google_Glass/MSXzhe8n">Google Glass</a>, an <a href="/facts/Optical_head-mounted_display/T9Ij0cw4">optical head-mounted display</a> controlled by gestures. It may be that specialized wearables will evolve into general all-in-one devices, as happened with the convergence of <a href="/facts/Personal_digital_assistant/fLTT1Uqy">PDAs</a> and mobile phones into smartphones.
Wearables are typically worn on the wrist (e.g. fitness trackers), hung from the neck (like a necklace), strapped to the arm or leg (smartphones when exercising), or on the head (as glasses or a helmet), though some have been located elsewhere (e.g. on a finger or in a shoe). Devices carried in a pocket or bag – such as <a href="/facts/Smartphone/cSIrBMWG">smartphones</a> and before them, <a href="/facts/Pocket_calculator/eeLfRS8L">pocket calculators</a> and <a href="/facts/Personal_digital_assistant/fLTT1Uqy">PDAs</a>, may or may not be regarded as 'worn'.
Wearable computers have various technical issues common to other <a href="/facts/Mobile_computing/eHT86bQU">mobile computing</a>, such as batteries, <a href="/facts/Thermal_management_(electronics)/6WPm3enf">heat dissipation</a>, <a href="/facts/Software_architecture/1Hokp0Ed">software architectures</a>, <a href="/facts/Wireless/GfDoFwfo">wireless</a> and <a href="/facts/Personal_area_network/wB0o8m5A">personal area networks</a>, and data management. Many wearable computers are active all the time, e.g. processing or recording data continuously.

Wearable computer open-in-new

Wearable computer