6 Wearable Technology Startups that Could Take Over the World

by Startacus Admin

Disclaimer: headline may be sensationalist. Wearable technology hasn’t really taken off in the way some companies would have liked.

How are you getting on with your Google Glass? Is your Apple Watch treating you well? However, this isn’t to say that wearable technology is dead and gone; the market is expected to be worth $19 billion by 2018. Some wearable tech has been around for a while already – technically, normal eyeglasses are wearable technology – and there is still a lot of good to come from this area. Here are 6 Wearable Technology startups bringing some interesting tech to the market.

Skully

‘The world’s smartest motorcycle helmet’ is a slightly futuristic-looking helmet that incorporates a fair bit of tech, and it’s a lot more than just a gimmick. The aim of the helmet is to eliminate blind spots and distractions, and keep the rider’s focus on the road. The visor’s heads-up display shows you everything you need to know without taking your attention off of the road: speed, fuel, hands-free calling and music streaming, GPS navigation, and even a rear view via an ultra-wide-angle camera mounted in the back of the helmet.

In an environment where taking your eyes off the road for a second could prove disastrous, Skully is more than hip and happening, as the kids probably say – it’s important.

Sensoria

Sensoria Fitness takes pedometers and other fitness trackers to the next level: biometric clothing. As well as the usual feedback of steps taken, distance run, heart rate, etc., Sensoria’s wearable technology can help you improve your pace and foot landing, as well as helping you to avoid running styles that are prone to injuries.

All of this is done through textile sensors within socks, sports bras, and t-shirts. It doesn’t get any more lightweight and unnoticeable than that. With no wires or anything to hold on to, you can get on and run without thinking about the tech. When more than 65% of runners injure themselves every year, unobtrusive technology to help you understand how your technique may lead to such injury, and thus avoid it, seems like a good idea to us.

Ampy

On the surface, Ampy is an interesting and mildly useful piece of technology to charge your phone. Ampy can be shoved in your pocket, strapped to your arm or leg, or clipped to your waist, allowing it to harvest power through kinetic energy. A 30 minute run will get you about 3 hours charge on your smartphone.

But the reason Ampy shouldn’t been ignored is its potential. As the technology evolves and the size can be reduced and the amount of power increased, we’ll start seeing Ampy’s kinetic battery charging being incorporated directly into products. The thought of a phone battery that can last for weeks, months, or even years is a gratifying one.

Thync

If you are a regular reader of Startacus articles, you probably know how much we love/need coffee. Thync is a startup that could replace that need for caffeine. In fact, it could replace the need for a number of drugs. The devices that Thync is working on fire electrical signals into specific points on your head, stimulating or relaxing the brain.

Electrocuting your brain may sound unwise – and we would, as a general rule, advise against any homemade methods – but the Thync System is backed by a team of neuroscientists and builds on over 40 years of extensive research. So if meditation isn’t your thing, and an energetic run in the morning is a little beyond your limits, Thync might just be for you. If you like the sound of this wareable tech device, you might also want to read up on Neurovalens a wareable medical device NI startup that has developed potentially world changing weight loss technology.

UpRight

There is a lot of information floating around the internet about how working at a desk all day can be detrimental to not only your posture, but your health, and can even increase the risk of injury. You may think that regular visits to the gym will make up for your time at a desk, but it may actually make things worse! If you workout before heading to your desk, your body will heal the micro-tears into the position created by your poor posture.

UpRight is a little piece of tech that aims to combat at least some of this risk. The small device sticks to your lower back with hypoallergenic adhesive strips and monitors your posture, vibrating when you slouch. In this way, it will help to train your body and mind into a habit of sitting and standing upright.

AngelSense

AngelSense is a GPS tracker and app designed specifically for children with special needs. The device can be securely attached to clothing and can be non-removable except with a special key. With AngelSense, a parent can view their child’s location and routes right down to 30-second intervals. Through the app, they will be notified when their child arrives at and departs from their destinations and, vitally, they will alerted if the child goes somewhere the parents have not approved or their journey is unexpectedly interrupted.

Should the worst happen, and the child goes missing, a group alarm can instantly notify a predetermined group of trusted friends and family, providing them with a live view of the child’s location and directions to get there. The ability to listen in through the device can give a parent peace of mind about their child’s safety and situation, or validate any emergency situation.

According to this harrowing CBS News report, AngelSense may have already saved the life of a vulnerable child.

Written by Ross Harrison

If you like these 6 startups , then you should perhaps also take a look at 6 really cool AI Startups, 5 Drone Startups or even learn about 6 EdTech Startups aiming to make the grade. 

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Published on: 2nd April 2016