Drawing the line, what really is a wearable computer?

A wearable computer is characterized by six distinct characteristics outline by Steve Mann. Although Mann's definition is not specific to business uses for wearable technology, his six characteristics carry over smoothly into the business world. Mann indicates that the computer the user is wearing provides increased awareness and efficiency. In the simplest context, a digital watch allows the user to be on time more often.

Another wearable computer is the digital sports watch, the user being an athlete. In this case the athlete can time his training by pressing buttons on his watch. The watch is able to receive inputs from the user and it provides outputs for the user to analyze (S. Mann 1998). To take it a step further if the athlete wraps a heart rate monitor around his arm, he is able to further analyze his training.

A more contemporary example, a bluetooth wireless headset allows the user to speak on the phone and have their hands free. Wireless headsets are probably the fastest growing application of wearable computers currently. Bluetooth wireless technology enables computers to transfer data within close proximities and remain "connected".

Modern wearable computers from Parvus fall into the more traditional idea of a wearable computer. These devices are almost extensions of their users, to "conserve power consumption by placing the unit in standby mode when the user’s arm hangs down beside the body", (www.parvus.com).


It is clear that wearable computers are the future for many aspects of the business world as well as the real world. This technology is gaining momentum but it is not in the forefront of the public eye quite yet, while business professionals still remain unsure of its true benefits.