If you compete in sport at any level or simply enjoy working out, you will know that performance is key and the good news is that wearable sport technology is capable of taking you to the next level in terms of performance.
Wearable sports technology runs across a number of different categories. These categories include:
Smartwatches
A logical extension of smartphone technology is the smartwatch. The modern smartwatch has come a long way from the devices many of us are familiar with, which had such basic functions as calculating. Modern smartwatch devices are like a wearable computer. Like smartphones, smartwatches use mobile operating systems and are capable of supporting mobile apps. From the point of view of sports performance, smartwatches, depending on their features, are a very useful piece of kit. This is owing in part to the capability of smartwatch models to conduct fitness tracking, allowing you to monitor performance as you exercise.
Innovations in apparel
The best technology is surely that which identifies a problem issue and helps resolve it, and when it comes to sports apparel one technology solution worthy of celebration is body-reactive clothing. Athletic apparel that reacts to the temperature of the body and perspiration levels utilizes moisture-wicking fabrics as well as thermal technology. Moisture-wicking fabrics react to sweat on our bodies by moving it to the surface of the garment where it evaporates. Not only does that keep us dry and cool when exercising, but it also stops chafing, which can be very sore. Thermal technology, as the name implies, keeps the body warm while we exercise in cold conditions. If you exercise in the outdoors, your regime might be affected by the onset of colder temperatures in the wintertime so thermal wear is an ideal choice. Far from the image of “winter woollies,” thermal gear for athletes is lighter, so performance is not compromised.
Smart clothing is another innovation in wearable sports gear. Smart clothing can monitor your respiratory levels and your heart rate as you exercise, with some products even having the capability to monitor posture. The functionality of smart clothing is obvious, therefore, but if you think you will not look good in it then think again because with smart clothing there is an emphasis on designs that are sleek and fashionable.
The innovation in sport shoes is also extremely important. Air-cushioning technology, as developed by Nike, has been one of the big innovations, but anther area in which technology has impacted on sports shoes is in terms of the materials used, with polyester materials being used to provide greater movement and protection. The use of Kevlar, for instance, strengthens shoes for athletics and helps protect the feet, owing to the fact that Kevlar is ten times stronger than leather.
Compression wear
Wearable sports gear does not have to be high-tech to be effective and compression wear is a case in point. A list of features for compression wear would include compression and support for athletes experiencing muscle strain or pain. Other features of compression wear can include the elimination of odors that build up during exercise thanks to the use of state-of-the art fabrics, and UVF protection from the harmful rays of the sun. To give just one example of a particular compression wear product, take compression leg sleeves, which are ideal for providing compression and support throughout the day and not only when exercising. Leg sleeves can help aid recovery from a strain and injury as well as provide ongoing support when you are back exercising. Compression wear also includes such items as knee, elbow, full-arm, wrist, ankle, and full core sleeves as well as items for back support and socks, tops, and bottoms.
The future
Predicting the wearable sports technology of tomorrow is not an exact science by any stretch of the imagination but if speculation is your thing then you might want to consider something like artificial skin, or e-skin, which scientists are currently working to develop. E-skin consists of flexible electronic circuits that are applied directly onto the skin, turning the skin effectively into a touchscreen device capable of monitoring human health and, by extension, sporting performance. Previous efforts to make effective e-skin have used such inorganic materials as silicon, but newer research is focused on the use of organic materials, such as special plastics and type of carbon, to allow greater flexibility.
Wearable sports technology comes in many different forms, but the common objective is to support and help improve athletic performance.
