Wearable Technology Part 1 Blue Paper

Wearable Technology
Part 1
4imprint.com

Abracadabra … introducing the magical world
of wearable technology
Do you believe in magic? Most people don’t, but you might change your mind
when you see what can be accomplished using wearable technology. In some
ways, it is even more entertaining than a magic show, because it’s actually
real and anyone can participate. For example, what if a watch could translate
foreign languages on the spot, both spoken and written? Or what if you could
charge your smartphone as it sits in your pocket? How about taking a picture
by blinking an eye or composing a text message by drawing in the air? Would
these things change your mind? These are just a sample of the activities you
can do using wearable technology, and while it’s not exactly magic, it helps
you do mysterious things. No one will have to pull a rabbit out of a hat to be
impressed—wearable technology enables you to view the world through a
digital lens—both figuratively and literally.
We are clearly in the midst of the wearable technology revolution—companies
such as Nike®, Apple®, Samsung® and Google® are developing products to
satisfy growing market demand. In fact, in 2013, spending on wearables
reached 4.6 billion in global sales.1 (Yes, that’s billions, not just millions.) Some
researchers claim that 2014 will be known as the year of wearable technology,
and considering the speed at which new wearables are introduced, that
prediction might hold true.2
As new technologies are unveiled, wearables are becoming more commonplace,
leaving consumers wanting more. According to a Nielsen® survey, 70 percent
of U.S. consumers are aware of wearable technology and 50 percent plan to
purchase some type of wearable technology in the near future.3 Currently, 15
percent of the population already uses some form of wearable technology.4 Of
that 15 percent, 61 percent use fitness wristbands, 45 percent use smart watches
and 17 percent use wearables for mobile health tracking.5 Although a 15 percent
usage rate might not seem like much, it represents nearly 36 million people, and
this number is expected to reach more than 100 million as the demand grows.
Clearly, wearable technology is one of the hottest and most profitable trends—
gaining traction daily and infiltrating markets at an unprecedented rate.
1 Jones, Scott. “The Future of Wearable Technology.” Inc.com. N.p., 3 Oct. 2013. Web. 02 June 2014.
2 Afshar, Vala. “Wearable Technology: The Coming Revolution in Healthcare.” The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 04 May 2014. Web. 08 June 2014.
3 Sterling, Greg. “Survey: Nearly Half Of Americans Interested In Wearable Tech.” Marketing Land. N.p., n.d.
Web. 09 June 2014. <http://marketingland.com/survey-nearly-half-americans-interested-wearable-tech-77438>.
© 2014 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved

This Blue Paper® is the first of a two-part series that examines the realm of
wearable technology and the impact it will have on the business world. This
paper explores the basics of wearables and explains how it might transform the
workplace and impact certain industries. You’ll also learn about real life examples
that are mind blowing yet beneficial. Finally, it will provide a list of considerations
to address if you’re going to use wearables in your business. So hang on to your
magical hat and wand, because this is a show you don’t want to miss.
What is behind the curtain: Wearables explained
The history of wearable technology actually traces back to the 1970s, when it
was used to cheat casinos by counting cards. Since then it’s moved from casino
to consumer, gradually changing the world as we see it. Basically, wearable
technology is the concept of gadgets, worn on the body, that do everything from
monitor personal body performance or help you complete activities otherwise
performed on a computer or laptop. A wearable can come in the form of
many things—from eye glasses, clothing, watches and more. Using a wearable,
you might be able to send and receive emails or take pictures with a single
command or movement. You could even wear a shirt that could save your life.
Yes, you read that correctly, a Life Shirt® is a wearable technology in the form
of a shirt that contains sensors to monitor vital signs and 30 other important
biometric readings for the chronically ill, elderly and others who suffer
from life-threatening illnesses. If you’re still not sure about what constitutes
wearable technology, BBC News® created a great video that explains wearable
technology and summarizes the different types of technologies available.
Wearables first made a big splash in the health and fitness arenas, and you’re
probably familiar with some of the early devices that tracked steps-per-day or
logged miles jogged. But today’s wearables take that concept a lot farther. For
example, Fitbit® not only tracks physical activity, but it also automatically tracks
sleep patterns, food intake and calories consumed. In fact, some say that wearable
technology will revolutionize healthcare by assisting doctors in the operating
room and providing real time access to electronic health records. You’ll also see
a surge in technology that enables patients to monitor their overall health by
wearing potentially lifesaving devices. Today’s wearable devices track everything
from heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels and oxygen saturation. By 2018, it
is estimated that 130 million wearable devices will be shipped to consumers.6
Keep in mind that despite the convenience and wow factor, wearable technology
will not replace existing devices—they pair with them. There will still be a need
6 Afshar, Vala. “Wearable Technology: The Coming Revolution in Healthcare.” The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 04 May 2014. Web. 08 June 2014.

for tablets, smartphones, laptops and computers; wearable technology works
with these tools. Most wearables can be synced to an existing app or platform so
you can do things like send and track email or review documents.
Figure 1. shows what a typical individual might look like using multiple wearables
and where they can be attached. It’s truly a fascinating world that stands on its
own—magic is not required.
Figure 1. Wearable technology from head to toe
More than an illusion: Examples
of wearable technology
Wearable technology is not just an illusion, and as demand increases, companies
are developing more ways to use and implement wearable technology. It’s safe
to say it isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, there’s some disagreement on
how much it will grow—some estimates claim there will be as many as 177 million
wearable devices in use by 2018, jumping from an estimated 22 million in 2013.7
Last year, Google® introduced Google Glass®, which is the first wearable computer.
With Google Glass, the user appears to be wearing simple glasses, but in reality,
there’s nothing simple about them. Although they appear to be glasses, on the
frame is a device that has all the characteristics of a smartphone—a processor,
16GB of storage, a Bluetooth® radio, Wi-Fi, speakers, a camera, a microphone
and more.
7 “Get Ready for the Coming Wearable Evolution - in the Office.” BizTech. N.p., 28 May 2014. Web. 10 June 2014.
<http://www.biztechmagazine.com/article/2014/05/get-ready-coming-wearable-evolution-office>.

How does Google Glass work? There is a tiny screen about the size of your
finger in front of the right eye that enables the user to view anything he or she
commands. Think of it as a mini tablet in front of your eye—only it is commanded
by voice, actions or through use of the frame that can be controlled using your
finger. You can do things like surf the Web, check emails or take pictures and
videos. In case you have a hard time picturing what the glasses look like, Figure
2. provides a visual example. Are you curious to know what you see when you are
wearing them? Check out a video from ABC News® that gives you a peek into life
behind Google Glass.
Figure 2. Google Glasses
Google Glass is controlled two ways: either by voice command or using a trackpad
located on the right frame of the device. For example, you can tell Glass to take
a picture simply by speaking aloud. Simply say “take picture” and it will. If you
don’t want to use your voice, the arm of Glass is touch-sensitive—you can slide a
finger to move through the interface and tap to make selections. It’s straight from
science fiction, and as it gains in popularity it won’t be unusual to see people
wearing them as you walk down the street.
Google Glass is just the tip of the iceberg—there are many other wearable
technologies that are flooding the market and are designed to make life
easier and more convenient. There are some that can even magically transform
reality. In fact, it would be impossible to mention all the wearable innovations
in a single paper, especially considering it’s a moving target and more gadgets
are introduced daily. According to ITPRO®, a technology news hub for IT
professionals, consumers will soon see wearables explode in a number of
areas and activities, including:
• healthcare,
• airports,
• language translation,
• extreme sports,
• navigation, and
• assistance for the disabled.8
8 Suleman, Khidr. “Google Glass: 10 Use Cases for Wearable Technology.” IT PRO. N.p., 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 08
June 2014.

The paper already mentioned the impact of wearables to healthcare, but have
you thought about the using wearable technology in airports? In February
2014, Virgin Atlantic® began a six-week trial of Google Glass at Heathrow
airport. The airline provided concierge staff Glass to provide a more personalized
customer experienced—Glass can assist with check-ins and provide passengers
with information about their flight, weather, and suggested activities at
their destination.
Wearables also have the power to transform the way we translate languages.
SIGMO®, for example, is a wearable technology that can be clipped to your shirt
or worn on your wrist to translate 25 languages in real-time. It uses a Bluetooth
connection with your smartphone and provides voiced translation services on
the spot in your native tongue. It’s almost like having a translator at your side,
and at an initial cost of only about $50, it’s almost more affordable than
language lessons.
What about using wearable technology for extreme sports? New technology can
help athletes with training and gathering critical data to improve performance.
By wearing a sensor-equipped headband, for example, athletes can track multiple
biometrics such as temperature, heart rate and motion to improve their game. In
soccer, it will become more common for athletes to wear shirts and shin guards
with sensors that can track information and overall performance on the field.9
For example, the German soccer club TSG Hoffenheim is using wearable
technology to improve by placing sensors in clothing and even the ball itself. In a
single match, the club records 60 million positional records that can be streamed,
analyzed and stored using the SAP HANA® platform, which is a data source-agnostic
that allows customers to analyze large volumes of data in real time.
The data is used to develop customized training plans based on the strengths
and weaknesses of each player. It can even help reduce the risk of injury as it
ultimately boosts levels of play. Data from sensors can be applied to individual
and team movement profiles to track distances, speed averages, ball possession,
player tendencies and more.10
Do you remember when the introduction of a Global Positioning System (GPS)
was a big deal? Wearable technology will take the concept of GPS beyond simply
providing directions and give pedestrians just-in-time navigation. It can alert
those traveling by foot to upcoming crosswalks or human traffic jams as they
9 Renna, Alli. “How the Wearable Tech Industry Will Impact the Future of Sports.” SportTechie. N.p., 25 Oct.
2013. Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.sporttechie.com/2013/10/25/how-the-wearable-tech-industry-will-impact-
the-future-of-sports/>.
10 SAP Voice. “Wearable Technology, Spatial Analytics: Future Of Sport Is Now.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 26
Sept. 2013. Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2013/09/26/wearable-technology-spatial-analytics-
future-of-sport-is-now/>.

make their way to their intended destinations—it will even reroute you to a less
busy route if you prefer. In shopping malls, indoor mapping will not only provide
guidance, but it will help determine things like which elevator bank will get
you to your floor faster because it has the ability to track the location of other
elevators. Depending on how busy the registers are at a given store, it will tell
you which stores to visit first to minimize wait time.11
For people with disabilities, the rise of wearable technology means greater
independence. For example, through the use of wearables like Google Glass,
those that don’t have use of their arms can take pictures, answer the phone or
respond to texts. For the blind, wearable technology can help guide them safely
to their destination by identifying potential obstacles. These types of activities
were previously impossible for some of the disabled—wearable technology lets
them to do more and achieve greater self-reliance.12
Get ready to take to the stage:
Where wearables will be prevalent
You’ll probably start seeing more wearable technology in healthcare, retail,
manufacturing, real estate, and travel, and it will become common to see more
wearables being used on a regular basis. Retailers might suggest that customers
use wearable wristbands to get a discount on purchases or use automatic
checkout. In turn, customers may want to wear wristbands and allow companies
to access data that will help them find what they need in order to expedite the
shopping process. This will help stores track where customers spend the most time
and what products and displays caught their eye and provide customers with a
more enjoyable shopping experience.
Even places like Disney World® are using wearable technology. Disney recently
invested $1 billion on what its calls its MyMagic® program.13 Visitors are given
wearable MyMagic wristbands that provide Disney unprecedented access to
data about visitors—including where they are, what they buy, and ultimately
what they may do next. Families can use the wristbands to place food orders and
proceed to sit anywhere in a restaurant while the food is delivered straight to the
table. It’s magical—even in a large restaurant; servers know exactly what table to
serve. MyMagic bands can do even more, like secure Fast Passes and open hotel
room doors. Not only does it provide Disney with insights on user behavior, but it
enhances the overall customer experience.
11 Davies, Chris. “Looking Glass: The Apps for Must-wear Wearables.” SlashGear. N.p., 7 June 2014. Web. 10 June
2014. <http://www.slashgear.com/looking-glass-the-apps-for-must-wear-wearables-07332528/>.
12 “Wearable Technology Enables People With Disabilities.” Scioto. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.
scioto.com/wearable-technology-enables-people-with-disabilities/>.
13 Della Penna, Michael. “A Week With My Wearable – 5 Reasons Why I Love My Smart Watch.” ClickZ. N.p., 24
Apr. 2014. Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2341226/a-week-with-my-wearable-5-
reasons-why-i-love-my-smart-watch>.

In the manufacturing world, the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) is
already in full force, but experts claim that smart wristbands and “toughened”
smart watches might be used to monitor dirty or dangerous environments.
Wearable technology will also help production workers report problems and get
real time updates on inventory in areas where it’s impossible to use a PC or tablet.
It could also have a huge impact to those in real-estate. Agents that are
selling homes will be able to provide real-world tours without having clients
visit all properties. Sensors can even be placed on a yard sign so that when
buyers get close to a house on the market, they are immediately notified with
information about the property. It will make the home buying experience
more efficient, saving time for both the buyer and agent.
As mentioned, Virgin Atlantic is transforming the travel industry by using
wearable technology to improve customer service. As soon as a passenger arrives,
technology delivers personalized information about individual travelers directly to
an airline representative through Glass or a smart watch, thus providing a unique
customer experience. From the traveler’s perspective, weather, boarding pass
reminders, gate updates, reservations and other related information required for
travel could be available on your wrist, thus making traveling easier.
Obviously, technology companies will see a huge surge in profits from wearable
technology. Companies like Google, Microsoft® and Apple® are coming out with
more types of wearables almost every day as demand and market potential
increases. Technology giants stand poised to realize incredible profits that will
yield millions, if not billions. If you are interested in some of the key players
of wearables, take a look at the top 20 companies that will benefit from the
wearable revolution. Without doubt, it’s a booming industry that doesn’t seem to
be losing momentum anytime soon. Technology companies will also continue to
invent new and better wearables for almost anything imaginable.
Is it just a disappearing act? The corporate
benefits of wearable technology
A good disappearing act will hold the attention of the audience, but does the
success of the show depend on it? In business-speak, although it’s fascinating,
is there a business benefit to using wearable technologies? The short answer
is yes—research shows that not only does wearable technology make life
easier, but it can also boost productivity.14 A study conducted by The Human
14 “Wearable Technology Can Boost Employee Productivity, Job Satisfaction: Study.” Tech Times RSS. N.p., n.d.
Web. 02 June 2014. <http://www.techtimes.com/articles/6396/20140503/wearable-technology-can-boost-employee-
productivity-job-satisfaction-study.htm>.”

Cloud at Work (HCAW) looked at the impact of wearable technologies in the
workplace and found that not only do wearables improve job satisfaction by 3.5
percent, but they also improve productivity by 8.5 percent.15 The study looked
at three different types of wearable technologies and in each case, wearable
technology had a positive impact on productivity and satisfaction. The effort
was spearheaded by Dr. Chris Brauer from the Institute of Management Studies
at Goldsmiths, University of London, and he concluded that “results show that
organizations and employees need to be developing and implementing
strategies for introducing and harnessing the power of wearables in the
workplace.”16 Overall, Brauer believes that wearable technology will play a
major role in the competitive business environment simply because it helps
employees be more effective.
According to experts, there are several areas in which companies can benefit from
this trend. Specifically, experts say it can help with:
• tracking mileage and business expenses more accurately;
• distributing business cards;
• gathering biometric data; and
• providing on-the-fly sales data.17
Think of how you currently track business-related mileage and business
expenses; it’s a manual process that may or may not hit the mark on accuracy.
But using a wearable technology or device that knows when you are travelling
for business can help keep track of mileage and other expenses that could
make the reimbursement process a lot easier for both the employer and the
employee. Receipts for planes, trains and taxis may be a thing of the past—
wearable technology can be used to track all business-related travel and
quickly be turned into an invoice-ready data set.
You might wonder why people are still using paper business cards, especially in
the paperless age. In the near future, wearable technology can make swapping
business cards a thing of the past as wearable technologies scan and record data
from business cards, filing them immediately so they can be accessed whenever
they are needed. Wearable technology will provide an easier, less physical way of
trading business cards.
15 “Wearable Technology Can Boost Employee Productivity, Job Satisfaction: Study.” Tech Times RSS. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 02 June 2014. <http://www.techtimes.com/articles/6396/20140503/wearable-technology-can-boost-employee-
productivity-job-satisfaction-study.htm>.”
16 Ibid.
17 Purdy, Kevin. “4 Ways Wearable Technology May Soon Benefit Your Business.” Workintelligently. N.p., 17 Feb.
2014. Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.workintelligent.ly/technology/trends/wearable-technology/>.

Wearables will also be able to provide on-the-fly data that can lead to improved
sales. If a salesperson is wearing Google Glass, for example, rather than saying
they’ll get back to the customer with an answer, he or she can find what is
needed instantaneously. Sales teams can access a database of frequently-asked-questions
or key statistics so that they never have to leave the customer at the
moment when he or she is most interested in buying. This will help customer
service representatives or sales associates bring in extra revenue simply by having
access to information they need on the spot.
Again, the ability to collect biometric data will be another corporate benefit,
especially if your company is a healthcare or medical provider. Wearables can help
target specific health problems rather than relying on a patient to describe how
and when health problems occur. It takes the guesswork out of what’s happening
and pinpoints problems using concrete data.
Specifically, medical professionals will be able to diagnose patients more
efficiently and quickly, thus reducing liability risk and reducing overall health
care costs. If you think about it, the healthcare benefit makes perfect sense. Say
for example a patient has knee pain when he or she runs. By wearing a wearable
running suit, doctors can pinpoint knee pain to posture, stance or even diet.
Sensors can even monitor glucose levels and food intake to see if there may
be other causes to the problem. By tracking a number of factors, healthcare
providers can determine exactly how, why and when knee pain is likely to
occur and provide better medical care from the beginning. Forget trying to
troubleshoot a diagnosis, wearable technology will tell you exactly what’s
wrong and how it can be fixed. And it probably won’t stop there—wearables
may even help uncover health issues you may not even know about, such as
cancer or heart problems.
What really goes on behind the stage:
Using wearables in the office?
Enough about the benefits—what is the practical application of wearables? How
can you really use them in the office? Some say wearable technology will become
so widespread in the workplace that organizations may soon wonder how they
lived without it. According to a recent article in Forbes®, although it might take
a few years before wearable technology is fully integrated, wearable smart
watches, glasses, earpieces and tech-embedded waistbands could be part of the
work wardrobe.18
18 “Will Wearable Technology Be The Next Office Tool?” Forbes Magazine, 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 10 June 2014.
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/unify/2014/04/15/will-wearable-technology-be-the-next-office-tool/>.

Currently, the demand for wearables in the business realm is increasing almost
daily. In fact, in a survey that looked at the impact of wearable technology on
adults 18 and over, found that 61 percent self-described technology geeks said
they would buy and wear a smart watch and 56 percent would do the same with
smart glasses.19 Even more surprising, 37 percent of those that claimed to be less
technically savvy were also interested in smart watches, while 35 percent were
interested in smart glasses.20
In the future, perhaps you will hold virtual meetings using augmented reality to
make it seem like everyone is in the same room. It might sound a bit sci-fi, but
in reality, the possibility is almost here. Improved live data and video sharing
technologies will also enable multiple groups to tackle problems and spread the
workload. Once again, as seen with the advent of mobile devices, improvements
to social collaboration will change how the business world operates—increasing
connectivity and access. While you probably won’t see colleagues developing
elaborate spreadsheets using smart watches, it might be common to check a
document on a smart watch while you are on the phone with either a customer
or colleague.
How else might you use wearables in practical settings? Google Glass, for
example, will let users execute complicated tasks like locating GPS-enabled
smartphones, deleting files and dictating emails. Simple voice commands and
hand gestures can help employees execute basic activities to increase efficiency.
You won’t have to boot up a computer to access what you need, it will literally be
somewhere on your person when you need it.
Some also believe wearables have the ability to change day-to-day life in the
office, much like smartphones and tablets did. Today, almost anything can be
connected to the Internet. With the trend of ever-smaller and more portable
devices, wearables could be the next big thing to change businesses.
Magic is in the eye of the beholder: Why some
companies avoid wearables
Some organizations still believe that the benefit of wearables is only an illusion
or a bad card trick—and that any potential benefits are outweighed by cost
and risk. Indeed, only 6 percent of businesses are using wearable technology
with staff.21 It could be due to a combination of factors—with expense as one of
19 Jones, Scott. “The Future of Wearable Technology.” Inc.com. N.p., 3 Oct. 2013. Web. 02 June 2014.
20 Ibid.
21 Miller, Michael. “Wearable Tech Business Revolution.” BBC News. N.p., 5 Aug. 2013. Web. 02 June 2014.
<http://www.bbc.com/news/business-23579404>.

them. Wearable technology doesn’t come cheap because it’s still a relatively new
phenomenon. Google Glass currently costs about $1,500, pricing many potential
users out of the market. According to research from the U.S cloud technology
company Rackspace®, 72 percent of users said they wish wearables were less
expensive. 22 Moreover, companies might not adopt wearables simply because
they don’t know how or what is available in the market.
There are other reasons why companies are not using wearable technology. For
starters, some say it’s less versatile than traditional technologies and smartphones.
For example, even if you’re notified of incoming emails, you probably won’t want
to compose or send an email using a wearable watch. Certain things, like making
a phone call, will still be easier on other platforms.
Also, interfaces with wearable technologies tend to be small and some consumers
are turned off by this fact. It makes doing things like surfing the Web difficult
and cumbersome, so chances are consumers will continue to use iPads and laptops
for this purpose. On the flip side, some wearables can be too big, and users don’t
want to walk around wearing a gadget the size of a smartphone. They also don’t
want to look geeky, which is a common complaint with Google Glass.
Keep in mind that not all wearables are widely accepted, and this can be another
reason why companies are not using them. Wearable technology is not necessarily
understood by the masses; until it becomes more prevalent, early adopters might
be viewed as outcasts. Genuine privacy concerns are also an issue, since no one
will really know if they are being photographed or recorded without consent. In
addition, some companies are even skeptical of the value wearable technology
brings to the market and shy away from using it. Overall, privacy is a huge
concern and will be addressed in detail with part two of the series.
Wave the magic wand … it’s time for the show!
How to prepare for wearable technology
A good magician is prepared for anything, and you might want to do the same
when it comes to wearable technology. It’s a good idea to start preparing for
wearable technology in case your organization or employees start using it.
Information technology professionals are already concerned about how networks
will cope with consumer-driven wearable gadgets if wearable technology
becomes as commonplace as an iPhone®. It won’t be easy, and technology leaders
say that implementing wearable devices across the organization will make the
22 Sterling, Greg. “Survey: Nearly Half Of Americans Interested In Wearable Tech.” Marketing Land. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 09 June 2014. <http://marketingland.com/survey-nearly-half-americans-interested-wearable-tech-
77438>.

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) implementation seem like child’s play. You might
recall a previous Blue Paper on BYOD Trends that you might want to revisit to
obtain key pointers that can help with wearable implementation. Overall, those
that tackled the challenges of BYOD will find they are at a huge advantage and
may be able to leverage some of the policies and security issues already addressed
with BYOD.
Part two of this series dives into detail and covers everything that needs to be
considered when adopting wearable technology, and how functions like human
resources (HR) will have to adapt. You’ll also find tips on how to establish and
enforce guidelines and usage policies. But for now, there are three simple ways to
get ahead of the wearable technology revolution.
First, according to Forbes®, companies should start designing explicitly for
wearable devices. If you recall, it took a while for companies to understand
what it meant to design for mobile instead of a traditional mouse and laptop
experience. The same will hold true with wearables—companies will need to
modify how they think and design to accommodate wearable technologies. Just
like you couldn’t leverage a traditional website for mobile devices, you’ll need to
develop new ways to serve up business content. Wearables will have a new set of
practices, challenges and constraints. According to Bill Briggs, chief technology
officer at Deloitte Consulting®, wearables will require a significant shift in
thinking. Briggs notes that “we can learn from the transition from desktop to
Web, and Web to mobile, to accelerate the process, but ultimately companies
need to learn a completely new paradigm.”23
In order to be prepared for the wearable revolution, experts suggest that
companies should move forward instead of waiting for standardization. It will
be quite some time before standards are developed around technologies, and
wearables present a snooze or lose opportunity. It’s not a good idea to wait for
the market to settle, especially if you want to gain a competitive advantage.
Finally, to make sure you aren’t blindsided by the wearable storm, companies
should be open about privacy and security. Privacy and security are the two
most common concerns surrounding wearable technology and organizations
should be fully transparent on what is being done to protect employee
information. Likewise, the security and privacy concerns of the organization
should be considered. Since you won’t necessarily be able to tell when
someone is taking a photo or recording events there must be stringent rules
as to when and how employees can use wearable technology in the office.
23 CenturyLink Voice. “Three Ways To Get Ahead In The Wearable Tech Race.” Forbes Magazine, 22 May 2014.
Web. 10 June 2014. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/centurylink/2014/05/22/three-ways-to-get-ahead-in-the-wearable-
tech-race/>.

The list below provides other tips to consider when implementing wearable
technology:
• Prepare for an increased data flow. Many gadgets will access networks via
Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and could slow down the network. For this reason, just
as you did with mobile devices, you need to make sure that networks are
able to handle capacity and security issues.
• Create usage policies. Some say it’s only a matter of time before businesses
are forced to embrace wearable technology, so address clear policies early
on, outlining the parameters of bringing wearables into the workplace and
connecting to the network.
• Review security. This point bears repeating; wearables will impact the IT
network and require access and endpoint security. Nowadays an employee
may have only a few devices accessing the network, but this number could
jump to as much as 15 to 20 per employee in the upcoming years.24
From a security standpoint, the ability to establish oversight and data
management that infiltrates the existing network will be the biggest challenge.
Determining what devices can access the network or what information being
transmitted is critical. And don’t forget that the surge of different devices seeking
access will leave networks vulnerable to malicious attacks in the form of viruses
and other cyber threats.
How about a round of applause for the magician?
Now that you’re well versed in the magic of wearable technology, it’s time to
consider whether or not your organization will be leading edge and take the
show on the road. Even if you’re not completely ready, since the wearable trend is
not slowing down, it’s a good idea to start thinking about how you will prepare.
If you have a bit of stage fright, the second part of this series is a must-read. It
will examine implications of wearable technology, particularly what it means to
the workplace and human resources (HR). It will also give HR professionals tips
on how to establish and enforce guidelines and usage policies. So, stay tuned,
because the show is not necessarily over—there’s an encore to learn even more.
4imprint serves more than 100,000 businesses with innovative promotional items throughout the United States,
Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. Its product offerings include giveaways, business gifts, personalized gifts,
embroidered apparel, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it Notes, custom calendars,
and many other promotional items. For additional information, log on to www.4imprint.com.
24 “The Effect of Wearable Technology on the Corporate Network in 2014.” TechRadar. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June
2014. <http://www.techradar.com/us/news/world-of-tech/future-tech/the-effect-of-wearable-technology-on-the-
corporate-network-in-2014-1207314#null>.

Wearable Technology Part 1 Blue Paper

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (18)

Similar to Wearable Technology Part 1 Blue Paper

Similar to Wearable Technology Part 1 Blue Paper (20)

More from 4imprint

More from 4imprint (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Wearable Technology Part 1 Blue Paper