Advances in Wearable Technology

Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality

Task-Specific Applications

"Wearable technology" was the hot topic
at the January 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, according to Andrew Karp, group editor Lenses & Technology for 20/20 and Vision Monday. Comprising a burgeoning category within
that was electronic eyewear, which was highlighted at the Digital Health Pavilion
within the humongous CES. "A few years
ago, electronic eyewear began to make an appearance," says Karp, "but now it really claims its own space."

"Wearable technology" has branched off in several directions, Andrew Karp explains. Some electronic eyewear generates an augmented reality that lays text and image
atop clear lenses so you can interact with
the world in an information-rich
environment. Virtual reality devices provide
an immersive experience, sealing off the wearer in a world within goggles. Beyond
that are niche products, often with health
and wellness features, all built into eyewear.

Innovations in "wearable technology" are driven by a trend toward task-specific applications for lifestyle and work-related needs, according to Andrew Karp. Some electronic eyewear captures sports action with HD cameras; other devices generate an immersive 360-degree action environment for gaming, manipulating virtual objects or viewing 3D movies. Still others allow you to interact with actors in a movie. "Eyecare practitioners have long looked at patient lifestyles to offer products that enhance one's experience," he says. "Now manufacturers of wearable tech are doing the same thing."