We are no stranger to wearable technology, from the simple heart rate sensor or sleep quality monitors to highly advanced smart watches. No matter how dependent our lives have become on these tech, they were still concepts and prototypes in laboratories 10 years ago. These developments are all a result of advancements made in the field of measurements, processing and storage which has made wearable tech an alluring field to study. Measuring has never been so small that it could be worn comfortably on the body and around the clock, providing opportunities for medical breakthroughs. We're moving closer to making reliable healthcare products that are useful, desirable and practical for people.
As global mortality rate decreases, we see increasing stress being applied on the healthcare and social well-being ecosystems. It is a common problem globally that there isn’t enough support staff to meet the demands in these systems. It is with this in mind that we at the Human Motion Rehabilitation Lab, Monash University believe that wearable devices will play a pivotal role in elevating stresses in these ecosystems. We present, three stages of wearables and their potential in the many different aspects of life typically: (1) Rehabilitation, (2) Physio-therapy, and (3) Periodical Monitoring.