19 COOLEST, HOTTEST WEARABLE GADGETS IN 2015

The Hottest Wearable Gadgets: from smart watches to fitness trackers and everything in between
By Nicola Porrill, Top 10 Zen, 11 June 2015.

The world of technology seems to be moving faster than ever before. These days we seem to be trying to squeeze as much technology into as small a space as possible, then make it portable so we can carry it anywhere.

By all accounts this year looks set to be the year of wearable technology. With everything from watches to vests, if you can wear it, then you can guarantee that someone's trying to incorporate a smart piece of tech into it.

Below you'll find 19 of this year's coolest wearable gadgets. If they haven't been released already they soon will be, so watch this space!

19. bPay

Contactless payment is nothing new in the world of technology - simply place your bank card over a sensor and the payment comes straight off. The clever folk at Barclaycard have taken this one step further by turning contactless payment systems into something wearable, in the form of a wrist strap.

There isn’t even a need to get the card out anymore, because in many ways the strap acts like a card itself. There has been some discussion over whether or not this will enable fraudsters, but if it offers a way to wear our electronic money, then it’s a risk we’re willing to take!

18. Tag Heuer Smartwatch

The Tag Heuer Smartwatch is still yet to hit the stores, but it’s one of the most hotly anticipated items of wearable technology of the year.

The brand name is synonymous with quality workmanship and classic timepieces, but this model will blend that seamlessly with the newest smart technology. The exact features we can expect are a little sketchy, but they will probably include apps to monitor health and fitness, as well as links to various social networking sites.

17. Whistle

Wearable technology doesn’t have to be limited to just the human members of your household - with Whistle, the canine members of your family can get in on the wearable technology trend, too!

Branded as ‘a window into your dog’s day’, the Whistle is a device which can be strapped to their collar which tracks their movement, location and fitness levels. It seems as though this is the first step towards bringing our pets into the health conscious 21st Century as well!

16. HTC Gluuv

Technology giants HTC have brought out a rather space age style glove called the HTC Gluuv. It’s designed to synchronize with the HTC One M8 smartphone, which sits on the sleeve of the glove.

We’re not sure whether this type of wearable technology will catch on in the long term (unless you don’t mind looking like a robot, that is), but for the time being it offers some pretty cool spec. A very impressive camera is just one appealing feature, while the ability to link to social media is another. All you have to do is give a thumbs up to give something a like on Facebook!

15. Magellan Echo Fit Smartwatch

We’ve all had the struggle of wanting the latest smartphone or smartwatch technology but being bitterly disappointed with the battery life. The batteries seem to drain after what seems like a matter of minutes, which can be incredibly frustrating. However, those worries are all allayed with the Magellan Echo Fit Smartwatch.

On the face of it this smartwatch has all the standard fitness tracking features that you’d expect from a smartwatch, but that’s not all. It claims to be able to survive with enough power to last for as many as eight months on just one battery. If this is a glimpse of the future, who knows how long batteries could end up lasting for?

14. Withings Activité Smartwatch

We just had to include this smartwatch on this list, not because of any extra impressive features (although it does measure all the usual things like steps taken, calories burned and distance travelled), but because of its looks.

This is one of the most stylish, sexy smartwatches on the market; this is technology that makes a real style statement.

13. Belty

The Belty isn’t quite ready for sale yet, but it shouldn’t be long before we see it hitting our shelves.

This is a motorized belt buckle which automatically loosens or tightens depending on how much you eat, bloat or grow. There’s no longer any need to undo your top button after a large Thanksgiving meal, because this belt does all the hard work for you!

12. Jawbone UP fitness tracker

The Jawbone fitness tracker isn’t your usual smartwatch. It’s true that it monitors your health and fitness, but it also takes a look at various biometrics. These include your perspiration levels, hydration and more.

As if that wasn’t enough, this smartwatch can actually sense and recognize the particular sport that you’re playing on any given occasion, meaning that the readings from that day’s workout will be tailor-made and relevant to your activities!

11. Kairos T-Band

Instead of being a simple smartwatch, this is more like a smart strap. One major drawback to a smartwatch is the inability to have a normal watch face like we’re all used to, but the Kairos T-Band allows wearers to have the best of both worlds.

This strap can be fitted to most standard watch faces, meaning that you can still glance down and tell the time as usual. However, there is technology located in the actual strap itself, so you can still have all the smartwatch technology that you’d expect, just in the position of the strap instead of the face!

10. Ringly

Smartwatches are the most common and most well-known items of wearable technology; there aren’t enough items of jewellery technology for our liking. That’s where Ringly comes in.

This is a very glamorous 18 karat ring complete with a semi-precious stone, which is enough to attract anyone with an interest in large rocks and stylish accessories! In addition, this ring can also connect the wearer to various different social media sites, meaning that your jewellery can now keep you in touch with the rest of the world!

9. Cicret

The Cicret bracelet is one of the most exciting technological breakthroughs to hit the market, which looks set to change the course of technology as we know it. With this bracelet, gone are the days of needing an actual screen on a smartphone or tablet to interact with the world. Instead, this amazing piece of technology shines a light onto the wearer’s arm, effectively projecting an image of a screen onto the skin.

Tiny sensors then pick up the movements of your fingers, which lets it know exactly where you’re trying to tap and swipe. The Cicret bracelet is revolutionary as it allows you to turn your very own skin into a touchscreen!

8. VEST

It won’t come as a surprise to learn that the VEST is, in fact, a vest. This is taking wearable technology in a literal sense, mirroring foundation garments rather than just being a fashion accessory. However, far from being boring, arguably the VEST (which stands for Versatile Extra-Sensory Transducer) is having a more worthwhile impact on the world than most of the other items on this list.

This wearable vest uses technology to combine different sensors in the wearer. In other words, they learn to associate various touches with certain words or object. In turn, this is changing the lives of blind and deaf people; this technology has already allowed people who have lost their sight to conquer an obstacle course, so it really is opening up a whole new world of possibilities!

7. Oculus Rift

The mammoth social networking site that is Facebook seems to be wading into every aspect of technology these days, and the world of wearable technology hasn’t been left out. This is a virtual reality headset: yes, it’s wearable, but it’s not the sort of accessory you’d be able to wear out the house.

The things that set this headset apart from other similar ones on the market are the surround sound and amazing visual effects, all of which go together into making this an entirely all-encompassing experience. Mobile versions of this Facebook-owned headset are already on the market, so we look forward to seeing the full version soon!

6. SMS Audio BioSport Earbuds

Fitness junkies will know that it can be a real hassle to carry lots of different types of technology during a workout. Headphones plugged into a smartphone or portable music player in addition to a smartwatch or similar fitness tracker end up leaving you feeling very bulky and cumbersome. That’s why the SMS Audio BioSport Earbuds are so brilliant; they avoid the need for quite so many gadgets.

These in-ear earbuds are built with fitness trackers inside them, so you’ll still be able to listen to music but you won’t need to wear a separate smartwatch. Biometric sensors collect all sorts of accurate measurements including the heart rate. In turn, this data will be sent straight to your smartphone ready for you to review at the end of your workout!

5. Digitsole

Wearable technology that combines fitness tracking with comfort - what more could you want? The Digitsole is a special insole which fits inside your shoe, offering an extra layer of comfort, support and shock absorption. As a heated insole, it is also able to warm your feet. However, these insoles are unlike any other foot care product you’ll find for sale in your nearest pharmacy.

For starters, they’re priced at US$200, so a Digitsole is really an investment. It’s money well spent, though, as this insole tracks various things such as the number of steps you take, the distance you’ve covered and even the number of calories you’ve burned. Using Bluetooth, you’re then able to transfer all the measurements to your computer or smartphone as and when you like!

4. FITGuard

Most fitness-related items of wearable technology that we’ve seen so far have monitored biometrics and tracked data about workouts, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way in which technology can be used in the sports world.

The FITGuard is a mouth guard which is designed to be worn by sportsmen and women who enjoy potentially dangerous sports such as ice hockey. This mouth guard measures the impact of blows which the wearer receives, alerting the medics and team officials if the blow is so hard that it might require medical attention. On the surface of it this might seem unnecessary, but it could end up saving lives in cases where the sportsperson doesn’t realize just how badly they’ve been injured.

3. Quell

The medical field is one of the most intriguing and fascinating areas into which wearable technology is expanding. None more so than the Quell, which is a powerful, effective pain reliever that is entirely drug-free.

It is a small, unassuming strap which wraps around the painful limb in question. It stimulates nerves, and in doing so the brain is tricked into releasing chemicals that relieve pain. This remarkable piece of wearable technology could change the lives of millions of chronic pain sufferers around the world forever!

2. Skully Motorcycle Helmet

Virtual reality headsets have been around for a very long time, so it’s surprising that technology hasn’t been introduced into motorcycle helmets sooner, as the two are very similar concepts.

The Skully motorcycle helmet is operated by voice recognition software, offering up a whole load of features which the rider would miss out on otherwise. This includes everything from a heads-up display to GPS tracking and even a rear-view camera, making manoeuvring a doddle!

1. Apple Watch

The hotly anticipated Apple watch has only just been released, and so far it’s proving pretty popular. So popular, in fact, that it’s predicted that a quarter of this year’s wearable gadget market will be taken up with this Apple smartwatch.

That said, this is more like a super-watch than just a mere smartwatch. Yes, it can act as a health and fitness tracker, but it can also do so much more. If you ever need to unlock a hotel room door, find your parked car, or pretty much anything else you can think of, then look no further than the Apple watch!

Top image: HTC Gluuv. Credit: HTC.

[Source: Top 10 Zen. Edited. Top image added.]