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Wearable tech has been on the rise since the 00s, but it looks like 2016 is the year it will finally blow up. There are now a slew of smart watch variants both geeky and sleek, as well as more visually compelling stabs at VR headsets (such as Oculist Rift) and different types of bracelets that track every beat of your heart with unbelievable accuracy. With the New Year comes a new array of multi-purpose, (sometimes) stylish entries into the bustling world of wearable tech.
Here are our favorites for 2016.
1. Netflix socks
Probably the most captivating (and laziest) entry in our wearable tech wishlist has to be Netflix Socks. Designed first and foremost as comfortable evening socks, they also have a handy function: they detect if you’re awake or not and once you doze off, pause Netflix accordingly. Within the socks there are extremely sensitive accelerometers that detect movement to judge whether or not you’re asleep. After a prolonged amount of time with no movement the cuff of the socks flash red to notify the otherwise-sleeping Netflix’er that their binge watch is about to be paused. The only drawback is you have to assemble the socks yourself, so you better be handy with knitting needles and a soldering iron!
2. Nuzzle
Not for humans (unless you’re into BDSM), Nuzzle is the ultimate wearable doggie-tracking collar. The waterproof collar utilizes cellular coverage to track your pup’s every move, which you can monitor via an app. Nuzzle will also notify you of any potential incidents, in case you need to take action to keep your buddy safe.
3. Drum Machine shirt
This one’s for your drummer friends that are constantly slapping beats on their tummies. With the Electronic Drum Machine shirt by ThinkGeek they can now program and record beats right on their chest. The shirt comes with a built in detachable drum kit, looper, and mini amp that could turn any situation into an impromptu jam session.
4. Ralph Lauren’s PoloTech
The PoloTech is the future of sports wearable tech. Its sleek design is interwoven with silver fibers that are able to read the wearer’s heart rate, breathing depth, and “other key metrics,” and stream them wirelessly to your mobile device. The stats can then be instantly examined on its exclusive application. Because we’ve all been waiting for that killer hi-tech shirt that will help us keep track of our polo game down at country club…uh, right?
5. Skully
The Skully motorcycle helmet is the next level of safety for motorcyclists around the world. The Skully helmet does what no motorcycle helmet has done before and give the wearer a 180 degree blindspot camera that streams video feed of what’s behind them. That’s not all, the screen also features live-action display of MPH and an optional GPS that can be activated as well. The Skully is taking 2016 into some kind of Akira-esque future.
6. Monbaby
Monbaby is a wearable sleep sensor for babies that can be attached to your child’s clothing. The sensor is designed to alleviate the need for getting up to check on your baby during the night. Monbaby will trigger an alarm if your baby rolls from is back to its stomach which is particularly useful for detecting SIDs (sudden infant death syndrome). This might be a surefire way to get some extra Z’s this year for everyone out there with newborns!
