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Technology you can wear
Transcript
8 December 2013
Roberta: The popularity of wearing technology has grown over the last year as several mainstream technology companies launched their own wearable devices. Although still in the early stages, the introduction of the technology into the mainstream market has brought some opportunities to improve by people with disabilities access media. And here to tell us more is Media Access Australia’s Technology Writer, Clarizza Fernandez. Welcome Clarizza.
Clarizza: Hi Roberta.
Roberta: Now what is wearable technology?
Clarizza: The best way I can describe wearable technology is it’s computing technology that can be worn. So if you think of a piece of clothing like a watch or a pair of glasses and combine it with computing technology and the ability to access the internet, that is what wearable technology is. It sounds a bit like something Maxwell Smart from “Get Smart” would use, but of course by today’s standard the technology’s a lot more sophisticated. So really, it’s taking smart devices like smartphones, it’s the next level because you can wear it.
Roberta: And it’s entering the mainstream market. Can you tell us more about these devices?
Clarizza: Yes, I guess the term wearable technology really took off after Google launched Google Glass, and of course there are some smart watches released by Samsung and Sony. Wearable technology has been around for a long time really, and it has been used in the medical field for years where staff use the technology to track vital information and data useful for diagnosis and monitoring patients, but these brands, like Google and Samsung have really brought this stuff to the fore. With Google Glass, so it’s a piece of computing technology that can be worn as glasses, the beauty of it is that third party app developers can dream up ways that technology can be used, so that’s why there is a lot of room for developers to develop Google Glass apps that work for people with disabilities. If I compare it to a smartphone, the technology is similar, except rather than holding the device in your hand it can be worn on your head and the screen is placed at the front of your eye. It’s in the testing phase at the moment, but so far we’ve seen developments in how it’s used to make calls, record videos, search for information on the web, and take photos through voice commands. Smart watches on the other hand, act as extension of smartphones. For example, Samsung’s Galaxy Gear watch connects to the Galaxy III smartphone and delivers notifications, text messages and calls through vibrations. A similar device called the Pebble can also be synched with smartphones and it allows you to receive notifications. You can also download apps for fitness and music.
Roberta: So Clarizza, which industries are seeing the most immediate benefits of this technology?
Clarizza: It’s still in the early stages, but so far we’ve seen the fitness and health industries embrace the technology, and as I mentioned before, the medical industry has been exploring this area as well. Perhaps because the technology can hook into built-in accelerometers of smartphones, it can be used as a tracking device for all sorts of data. There are obvious benefits to fitness for this, and we’ve seen wearable tracking devices such as FitBit One give people the ability to track steps, distance and calories that they’ve burnt. I think also the geolocation space could benefit from this technology. Many have pointed to the fact that it may be possible to provide non-obtrusive directions to someone using Google Maps with Google Glass, either through voice directions and vibrations that prompt the user where to go. There’s also development with how Google Glass could improve wayfinding by providing extra information for signage.
Roberta: That sounds fantastic Clarizza. But what can we expect in the next year, say, for wearable technology?
Clarizza: I think in the next year more improvements will be made to smart watches, and there’s even rumours Apple will develop its own smart watch; if this is true we can expect some exciting things, but access with Apple has historically shown innovation in the area. Google Glass is also set to be released next year, so I think a lot more activity will happen in that area; developers will continue to build more apps for the device and this will help in all sorts of areas. Again, it’s still in the early stages, but once it does take off it could be a very quick uptake, like we’ve seen with smartphones. And once this happens I’m confident accessibility of the device will follow.
Roberta: Well, we’ll be keeping our eyes and ears on that one, I’m quite sure. More information about how technology can help people with blindness or vision impairment can be found on Media Access Australia’s website: mediaaccess.org.au, and you can also call them for advice on (02) 9212 6242. Thank you for all of that Clarizza.
Clarizza: Thanks.
Roberta: I’ve been speaking with Media Access Australia’s Technology Writer, Clarizza Fernandez. And Media Access Australia is a supporter of this programme.