Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
    • Fluid power
  • Learn
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • Engineering Week
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • MC² Motion Control Classrooms
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • LEAP AWARDS
  • Leadership
    • 2022 Voting
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guide Library
  • Resources
    • Subscribe!
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Women in Engineering
  • Supplier Listings

Fashion, Function Conflict in Creating Wearable Technology that Gives ‘Superpowers’ to Users

By University of Missouri | April 5, 2016

Share

The creation and use of wearable technology, such as Apple watches, Google Glass, and Fitbits, have drastically increased in recent years as technological advances have allowed manufacturers to create devices that were once only seen on science fiction shows. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri have found that the wearable technology industry often is hampered by communication breakdowns between technology engineers and fashion designers. Deepika Raj, a doctoral student in the textile and apparel management program at MU,, says these breakdowns can hurt company productivity.

“We found that within manufacturing companies, the engineers were focused more on packing the most technology as possible into each device, while the fashion experts were more concerned with ensuring the devices fit comfortably and looked aesthetically pleasing,” Raj said. “It is important for wearable technology companies to find ways to improve collaboration among the different disciplines. Otherwise, products can ultimately suffer if one or more sides are not effectively addressed.”

For their study, Raj and Jung Ha-Brookshire, an associate professor at MU, conducted in-depth interviews with 16 major wearable technology product developers in the United States and the Netherlands. They determined that the working definition for wearable technology for these companies is a device which allows a person to do more with less, improves connectivity with the world, fits the body well, and grants “superpowers” or abilities otherwise beyond human capability.

“It was very important to these wearable technology manufacturers that their devices add extra abilities, or ‘superpowers’ to their users,” Raj said. “To achieve this goal, it is clear that these manufacturers need to find ways to combine all of the relevant areas of expertise cohesively, including engineering, technology, health informatics, and fashion. Often, we found communication gaps occurred when people from two different disciplines were using different jargon when actually discussing the same thing. It is important that these different experts work together in patient, respectful environments in order to operate as efficiently as possible.


Filed Under: M2M (machine to machine)

 

Related Articles Read More >

Part 6: IDE and other software for connectivity and IoT design work
Part 4: Edge computing and gateways proliferate for industrial machinery
Part 3: Trends in Ethernet, PoE, IO-Link, HIPERFACE, and single-cable solutions
Machine Learning for Sensors

DESIGN GUIDE LIBRARY

“motion

Enews Sign Up

Motion Control Classroom

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Industrial disc pack couplings
  • Pushing performance: Adding functionality to terminal blocks
  • Get to Know Würth Industrial Division
  • Renishaw next-generation FORTiS™ enclosed linear encoders offer enhanced metrology and reliability for machine tools
  • WAGO’s smartDESIGNER Online Provides Seamless Progression for Projects
  • Epoxy Certified for UL 1203 Standard

Design World Podcasts

July 26, 2022
Tech Tuesdays: Sorbothane marks 40 years of shock and vibration innovation
See More >
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • Advertising
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Engineering White Papers
  • LEAP AWARDS

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
    • Fluid power
  • Learn
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • Engineering Week
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • MC² Motion Control Classrooms
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • LEAP AWARDS
  • Leadership
    • 2022 Voting
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guide Library
  • Resources
    • Subscribe!
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Women in Engineering
  • Supplier Listings