Smart Mouthguards and Anti-Aging Lights - IDTechEx Explores Wearables

BOSTON, April 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wearable technology could increase safety in sport and decrease stress with red-light therapy. Wearables is a market covering a wide range of applications, from health and wellness, smart mouthguards, to virtual reality headsets, and offers many benefits to different technology sectors.

Sporting injuries

Sport is a large sector for the wearables market, but it gets better than simply wearing a smartwatch. Contact sports such as rugby have opened a gap in the market for smart mouthguards. This basic piece of equipment has long been used for safety, but now by installing tiny sensors, they have been developed to assess the force and impact upon players' heads during play to get a better understanding of injury and concussion. For some rugby positions, the need to wear this mouthguard has already been enforced, as it can help with impact injuries that might not be immediately obvious. With the data collected, medics could be aware of potential issues in the future. It could also be a possibility for managers and coaches to decide to remove players from the pitch based on impact to the head to prevent further trauma.

In-ear devices are also a future possibility for football players, as they are more discreet, and the use of mouthguards might not be suitable. Developments in this wearables sector could mean greater awareness and understanding of the impact of head injuries in sport and could work to protect players from sustaining any extra damage by seeking appropriate medical care.

Red-light therapy

Wellness has been a popular topic in the media for some time and has been a focal point for many companies, including companies in the wearables market. Stimulating hair growth with a helmet, alleviating stress, and exploring anti-aging techniques with face masks are just some reported benefits of red-light exposure when done in the right way. Despite not being medically regulated, the wellness sector has seen this technology become increasingly popular at home or in spas.

Transferring energy from light waves onto the body using headbands with red-light installed could also have positive impacts on dementia and mood disorders such as depression with consistent use, though they will likely need to be experimented with for some time to obtain medical evidence. Companies like CeraThrive have models of these infra-red headbands under development.

Gut health could be another benefit to red-light therapy, with belts emitting red-light around the stomach, which could be thought to benefit digestion. Although it is in its early stages, this innovation demonstrates companies wanting to employ wearables for health purposes and not just wellness.

Smart workwear

Firemen could have smart jackets to detect stress levels whilst on the job so the right decisions can be made about whether to pull them out of a mission if their mental or physical state could put them at risk. Smart helmets have also been designed to assess stress levels and are fitted with sensors to measure core-body temperature and heart rate to ensure the health and safety of workers and also their ability to be productive. With the data, managers could make informed decisions about how to proceed with the workday.

Augmented and virtual reality glasses could be used on building sites, with built-in cameras and a display over reality, so workers can communicate with each other or see building plans and engineering structures come to life. For more information on VR and AR headsets, see the IDTechEx report, 'Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Headsets 2023-2033: Technologies, Players, and Markets'.

Comfort accessories

Wearables is a market that offers unique products specific to certain environments. In really hot countries, neck coolers have become popular, distributing cool air hands-free without needing a fan. If it's muggy or the air quality isn't the best, Dyson headphones have designed an attachable mouth cover to filter air so people can breathe normally. These products are likely to only be used in extreme conditions, but the scope for new ideas is huge.

Flexible audio headbands and smart rings could enhance comfort and peace of mind while sleeping. For sleep sounds, calming music during bedtime, or calming activities, the headband could offer softer fabrics so people don't need to compromise comfort. Smart rings have also been designed to track sleep cycles and fertility in a non-invasive way that is more comfortable than a watch. Both products aim to enhance wellness and the user experience.

The opportunities for innovation within the wearables market are vast, with products benefitting people across all industries. Having sensors incorporated into accessories and equipment used every day could mean revolutionizing safety in sport and during the workday, whilst a new approach to wellness could bring about a more natural way to bring people results. For more information, visit IDTechEx's overview market report, 'Wearable Technology Forecasts 2023-2033'. For the full portfolio of wearable-related research from IDTechEx, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/WT.

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx provides trusted independent research on emerging technologies and their markets. Since 1999, we have been helping our clients to understand new technologies, their supply chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts. For more information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

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