Wearable devices: making the body and perception an extension of technology

With sensors and high computing power becoming the norm in smartphones, wearable computer technology is rapidly developing.At the same time, wearable technology is increasingly being valued by industry giants such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. Wearable smart device and application developers will need to make decisions about which platform to choose or consider launching their products on different operating systems. Just like smartphone applications, developers must carefully decide which platform has the most potential and place their bets.

Augmented Reality Smart Glasses

The Google Glass of augmented reality is currently the most widely discussed example of wearable technology. This product, nicknamed "Projection Glasses," is a computerized lens that can display messages in a format similar to a smartphone, while also allowing voice control of navigation applications and browsing the internet.

Google Glass can help you find where you want to go, display the text messages you receive, inform you of weather conditions, search for constellations in the night sky, manage your music and videos, and many other features. Although ordinary users have not yet been able to place orders, it has been reported that those who previously ordered at the Google I/O Developer Conference are expected to receive stock in the first half of 2013 and should be able to open for general public ordering by the end of this year.

Google Glass has successfully created buzz, but there are also competitors emerging. At this year's CES International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, a company called Vunix showcased its Android based smart glasses.

After the user puts on this lightweight device, there is a small color display widescreen in front of their right eye, just above their line of sight. Users can press a button to fix it next to their ear or pair it with their smartphone via Bluetooth.

Although the initial functionality is only for filming and uploading videos, Vunix believes that developers will soon come up with other uses. The company believes that smart headphones and glasses will replace many users' phones in the next decade.