It’s been an amazing year for wearable tech, rising to the top of connected trends in the tech space.  Awaiting the next big thing after smartphones and tablets, wearable tech such as smartwatches and fitness trackers are vying for consumer affection.  As we approach 2014, let’s take a look back at the top developments in wearable tech from this year.

Top 6 trends in wearable tech for 2013

No More Woof

This wearable device for your dog aims to translate Fido’s EEG reading into spoken words such as “I’m Hungry,” “I’m tired,” and “Who are you?”  These responses are very limited in this early stage, but No More Woof offers insight as to what our furry pals mean when they whine or bark.  Using sensors, it taps into your dog’s EEG and translates them into human words.

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Smart Rings

Rings aren’t only for accessorizing, as technology makes them more useful.  The Sesame Ring is a blinged out Charlie Card.  The ring itself is 3D printed and has an RFID on its face, which acts as a train pass.

Also looking to smarten up jewelry is the NFC Ring, enabling the wearer to unlock phones, doors, transfer files and even connect people.  As the name implies, this ring uses Near Field Communication to connect over a short range and has two sides — one for public files and one for private.  Data on the public side can be easily transferred, while those on the private side are secured even if you’re making connections with other devices.

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Nymi

Nymi is a bracelet that uses the electrical activity radiating from a person’s heart, or ECG, to identify the user as well as connect with other devices.  Because electrical activity is something produced inside a person’s body, it’s unlikely to leave a mark, plus each person gives off unique electrical activities.

From the moment you put on Nymi, it constantly authenticates the wearer.  This makes it more secure, as it learns to differentiate when you’re relaxed, tired, afraid or excited. So no matter the circumstances, Nymi will always work.

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Owlet Baby Monitor

Owlet Baby Monitor is a vitals monitoring system that measures an infant’s heart rate, oxygenation, and sleep data.  It’s like a sock that snugly fits on your baby’s foot while he or she sleeps.  It then sends collected data via Bluetooth 4.0 to the parent’s smartphone, which is then pushed to the cloud, making the data available on any internet connected device.

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Smart Bra

The First Warning System smart bra is packed with 16 small sensors that monitor heat patterns and the shape of your breasts to determine if there’s any change in temperature caused by the growth of blood vessels.  This is not a diagnostic tool but it can help in the early detection of breast cancer.  Microsoft is also working on a smart bra but this time, this wearable tech aims to combat overeating in women.

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Argus II

Argus II is like Google Glass for your retina.  The device’s visual processing unit sends images it detects to an electrode array implanted in the retina.  Argus II enhances the outline of objects so the user can identify them better.  It doesn’t really provide a way for the user to see an object in a more detailed manner, but it is a step in that direction.  Second Sight can continue to improve the sight of patients wearing Argus II by improving the visual processing unit and fine-tuning the software that feeds the implant.

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