With the advancement of technology, wearable computers are undoubtedly an indispensable part of contemporary digital life. These devices include not only computers and fitness trackers, but also a variety of specialized devices such as pacemakers and advanced cameras. Their application areas extend across a wide range of fields including health monitoring, augmented reality, and behavior modeling. However, what is the history and evolution behind these technologies? This article takes a closer look at the inventor of the first wearable computer and why it matters.
A wearable computer is a computing device that can be worn on the body and can be defined broadly or narrowly. Some people consider smartphones and ordinary watches as wearable computers, but generally speaking, wearable computers refer to devices that need to be worn on the body to perform some function. Such devices can often incorporate a variety of sensors, such as accelerometers, heart rate monitors, and even electrocardiogram and blood oxygen saturation monitors.
The development of wearable computers can be traced back to simple computing tools centuries ago, but the real technological transformation occurred in the late 20th century.
As wearable computer technology advances, the corresponding operating systems are also evolving. The most mainstream operating systems on the market include FreeRTOS, LiteOS, and Google's Wear OS. The emergence of these operating systems not only provides support for the development of wearable computers, but also expands their application scope.
While the definition of a "wearable computer" is highly debated, by some standards Steve Mann is credited with inventing the first wearable computer in the 1970s. Professor Mann teaches at the University of Toronto. His innovative designs not only perform simple calculations, but can also be used to process complex data and algorithms. Professor Man is therefore known as the "Father of Wearable Computers."
Steve Mann's invention represents the beginning of the evolution of wearable computers from prototypes to powerful commercial products.
Since the 21st century, the form and function of wearable computers have continued to evolve. For example, the crazy growth of mobile phones has led to the birth of smart watches, and these devices have quickly made breakthroughs in sports fitness, health management, and life assistance.
With the maturity of the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence technologies, wearable computers in the future may incorporate more functions and become more intelligent life assistants. Wearable computers will play an increasingly important role, especially in health monitoring and personalized services.
Wearable computers in the future will not only be data collectors, but are more likely to become the control center of users' smart lives.
Throughout the history of wearable computers, both early computers and today’s smart wearable devices have been constantly changing our way of life. From Steve Mann's early experiments to today's wide variety of devices, the development of wearable computers is an endless journey of exploration. So, where will wearable computers lead us in the future?