Technology is becoming more intuitive than ever, with new products and devices that can instantly adapt to their surroundings.
Livio AI is elevating the hearing aid with integrated sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) for real-time feedback. Most notably, the device provides live language translation for 27 languages. It can also be used as an activity tracker, an Alexa voice controller, to alert emergency personnel in the event of a fall, or to stream music or TV audio.
Reebok released a shape-shifting sports bra in August 2018 that adapts to wearers’ movement called the PureMove. The material incorporates a thickening fluid which changes texture in response to movement and is also used in NASA spacesuits and bulletproof vests. The substance allows the bra to adapt support for different levels of activity, stiffening to provide more support while moving, and softening while the wearer is at rest.
Puma partnered with the MIT Design Lab to create adaptive shoes that respond to the wearer’s fatigue, which were revealed at the 2018 Milan Salone del Mobile design week. The Deep Learning Insoles use bacteria that responds to sweat to collect biological information about the wearer. A layer of electronic circuits then detects any changes in this biological information and transmits that data, to help prevent fatigue and improve performance.
These developments are interesting because they are examples of a growing trend where advances in technology are now imbuing devices and materials with biological capabilities, turning them into an extension of the wearer’s body.
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