Smart Wearables, Connected Devices and IoT Ecosystem – Covered at Length at Wearable Tech Show USA 2015

The Wearable Tech Show USA, 2015 was the perfect platform for wearable technology to bloom. Harbinger Systems was an exhibitor and a panel speaker at Wearable Tech Show (WTS) USA, 2015 held in Santa Clara Convention Center, CA on December 1st and 2nd. WTS USA, 2015 was held for the first time in the United States; earlier conferences were held in Great Britain for last 2 years. Around 1500+ delegates and 20+ exhibitors (including us) attended this conference.

WTS USA 2015 hosted a variety of wearable devices that could be synced with smart homes, automobiles, indoor lighting, activity trackers, etc. We had a great opportunity to understand the new concepts taking place in the wearable industry like implementing cloud-based solutions, virtual and augmented reality with sensor touch technology, smart textile, data privacy for wearables and so on. Harbinger showcased many of its projects; the recent one involved usage of wearable technology with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) synchronization for the healthcare sector.

The wearable industry has witnessed a considerable technological advancement lately and IoT bred solutions have fueled this growth. Wearable devices like smart watch, smart clothing, or simply fitness trackers were on the crème de la crème list of this conference. The new developments for wearables were not only about hardware, there were software related advancements as well. Harbinger was also invited for the panel session ‘Medical Wearables’ conducted on December 1st. This session threw light on the recent innovations and developments that took place in the medical wearables sector. The panel session unlocked innovative technologies including healthcare, smart textiles, smart watches, augmented reality and more. WTS USA media partners such as Crunch Wear and IoT Council also covered this event.

The other exciting part at the conference was how devices and sensors talked to each other for displaying real-time information. Cloud was a major contributor for this radical shift. In the ‘Medical Wearables’ panel discussion, we exchanged views with several healthcare institutions. Being a panelist, we talked on how medical wearable devices have seamless integration with cloud architecture. The discussion also talked the lengths and breadths of wearables devices specially carved for the healthcare sector. BLE devices have truly opened doors for the healthcare industry to try new concepts that would improve the current scenario. IoT platforms along with sensor technology have made patient monitoring easily available under the umbrella of mHealth, which is again a new advancement. Data security for wearables was also addressed in this session which is a raising concern for healthcare ISVs across the globe. It was a great experience to know how Harbinger positioned itself in the IoT space with its product engineering and software development services, a true dedication to the IoT Ecosystem.

On the second day, sensors and circuit boards showcased seamless connectivity across several IoT platforms. The clothing industry is enriched with developments that could track every human activity like the hours we spent sleeping or the calories burnt in completing fitness tasks. Health gear and sports tracking through bands attracted most of my attention. A wearable band that displays- step count, calories burnt, distance traveled, workout schedules, heart rate monitor, etc. was in the limelight. Every inch of human activity could be tracked and displayed on the smartphone with social media synchronization options.

Improving and conserving battery usage for an IoT application was on the agenda as well. Application design having less battery consumption was the key takeaway. Batteries that could function in various environments having temperature differences were one of the key discussion topics. In a life of a wearable device, it is exposed to icy cold surroundings to heating dessert environments.  To perform exceptionally well, battery design played an important role. Interaction with startups for wearable technology went superb as Harbinger Systems with its end-to-end product engineering services paced itself with the right set of ideas and IoT expertise that supported startups.

The Wearable Tech Show USA, 2015 was indeed an insightful event and the learning was in-depth. It was overall an amazing experience to be a part of the WTS USA, 2015 and we look forward to the next event in the coming year.