The Wearable Cloud -- Embedded in Clothing

Wearable technology has come a long way since calculator watches and hearing aids. Today, we’ve also got fitness trackers, sleep monitoring devices, and VR headsets. Despite that, we’re only scratching the surface as more advanced research and development of wearable technology shift into high gear.

A recent survey by the World Economic Forum (WEF) reveals that 92.1 percent of corporate leaders believe 10 percent of their people will wear cloud embedded clothing by 2025. The idea of cloud clothing may be new, but researchers and companies have been working on embedding cloud technology into clothing with impressive results. Let’s take a look at some wearable clouds that will transform the way we approach clothing.

Samsung’s smart clothing

The Korean electronics manufacturer introduced Swing Golf Wear in 2016. It looks like a polo shirt, and uses a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip.  Connected to the cloud, the chip gives golfers information about the course they’re playing on their mobile device. Players can see the distance from their current location to the hole and check the weather and UV ratings. Other sportswear include tank tops and athletic pants that are capable of measuring heart rate, stance, and body fat levels.

In addition, the company has introduced what we could expect only from a James Bond movie: a smart suit. The Samsung Smart Suit uses cloud-based NFC applications to let wearers unlock their phone as they take it out of their pocket, exchange business cards digitally, and set different modes on their phone.

UAB’s personal wearable cloud jacket

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are working on a fully functioning, compact, and lightweight cloud jacket. Assistant professor of computer and information sciences, Ragib Hasan, Ph.D., and recent postdoctoral graduate Rasib Khan, Ph.D., presented this wearable jacket prototype last year.

Their goal is to integrate different mobile devices like smart watches, smart phones, exercise trackers, and smart glasses together into one smart device. By using one inexpensive garment to control all mobile devices, consumers can optimize different hardware capabilities without great expense.

The jacket uses 10 credit-card-sized computers, three power banks, and a small remote touchscreen display. It has approximately 10 gigabytes of RAM and features various mobile applications powered by the cloud. Simply put, developers can potentially build anything on top of it. Furthermore, the jacket acts as a micro tower with capabilities that are shareable with other devices on a private network  via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Google’s Project Jacquard

Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) division has been working on weaving technology into the fabric of clothing itself. Project Jacquard is not a product, but a platform that designers and garment manufacturers can use to sew high-tech garments.

The fabric requires a chip and battery housed in a small unit the size of a button sewn into the garment to work. The clothes feature interactive capabilities that turn fabric into a touchpad. You can use it to control external devices like smartphones and light switches by tapping and swiping. The electronics are sealed, which means these garments could be machine washable, depending on their material.

As a result, cloud wearables could set a new paradigm shift for businesses and consumers. At SimplyClouds, we enjoy keeping up with the latest technology, and are thrilled when it concerns the cloud. If you have questions about cloud computing or are looking for a provider with extensive experience, give us a call.