When Did it Begin? The History of Wearable Technology

What do you know about the History of Wearable Technology?

OrCam was featured at CES 2016 in Las Vegas in January where we had the opportunity to demonstrate the OrCam MyEye’s abilities to other innovators in the wearable technology field. With this in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to trace the history of wearable technology back to its beginnings.

High-tech fashion was just an idea a few years ago. Today it’s a $20-billion-dollar industry, with technology touching everything from watches that track our health to cameras that connect to our helmets. These days, wearable technology has become the newest and coolest trend. Wearable technologies are becoming part of our daily lives. We have become so used to these devices that we don’t stop and wonder where the concept of wearable technology even began.

Before we get into that, we must understand what technology is.

When we think of technology, things like smart phones and computer chips come to mind. But technology is much broader than that. Technology, defined by Merriam Webster, is “the use of science in industry, engineering, etc. to invent useful things to solve problems”.

Technology can be traced all the way back to the Stone Age where the development of simple tools from wood or shards of rock were technological developments which allowed people to accomplish tasks more easily and quickly. As time went by, technology continued to advance.

Wearable technology is technology devices that can be worn by a consumer. Simply put – an invention that solved a problem that could be worn on one’s body.

So now can you guess what the first wearable technology was? Here’s a hint….its connected to OrCam’s MyEye literally).

That’s right, the first recorded wearable technology dates back to the invention of the eyeglasses over 700 years ago. Long before the OrCam device helped you “see”, eyeglasses were one of the first wearable “devices” that allowed the wearer to see more clearly and enhance his perception. Although the inventor is unknown, eyeglasses are believed to be invented between the years of 1268-1289 in Italy. The earliest eyeglasses were worn by scholars and monks. These early glasses had convex lenses that could correct both farsightedness as well as vision loss caused by aging.

Problem —> Solution + able to be worn = Wearable Technologies

The invention of the printing press 200 years later led to a growing rate of literacy ultimately leading to mass production of affordable eyeglasses.

Just as the eyeglasses have changed overtime, so has technology that helps you see. OrCam is proud that we are a part of this technological phenomenon.

We are blessed to live in a world that has the tools and knowledge to continue to grow technology to its highest potential. OrCam continues to use the latest technologies to advance and improve our device to help enhance the lives of people in the visually impaired community and change the history of wearable technology.