According\nto the current forecast of the US-American research company und consultants Gartner\nInc., growth in the field of wearables has increased steeply. The company\nestimates that the worldwide turnover of wearables will already rise to 52bn US$\nin 2020, corresponding to an increase of 27 percent over 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reasons\nfor growth are obvious: the technology is becoming ever smaller and ever more\nefficient while there are more and more potential areas of application. The\nacceptance of wearables is also substantially greater today than it was just a few\nyears ago. Whereas smart watches, fitness bracelets and data glasses used to be\nviewed as nothing more than technical gimmicks, more and more consumers and\ncompanies now recognise their everyday practicality. Smart watches and fitness\ntrackers are purchased in their millions in the meantime. Data glasses may still\nseem a bit exotic but they are already used in professional life in the field of\ncommissioning, for example, in jobs where it is considered advantageous to have\nboth hands free. They are also used in industry, e.g. in remote assistance\nsystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In future,\ntechnology will not just be worn on the body like an accessory. Instead it will\nbecome an integral part of clothing. Textile technology has developed rapidly\nover the last few years and co-developed new strategies with other industries\nwhich it hardly came into contact with in the past: e.g. electronics companies.\nPrinted, electrically conductive dyes or yarn can easily be integrated into\ntextiles in the meantime, enabling totally new applications. Existing printing\nprocesses can still be used, however, which keeps the expense down. The same is\ntrue for electrically conductive yarn which is processed using conventional looms,\nknitting or embroidery machines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As one of\nthe leading thread manufacturers, Amann is presenting its collection of \u201csmart yarns\u201d\nthis year. The smart threads work as sensors, data and power conductors and can\ngenerate heat over a specific area, or measure humidity, pressure points and\ntemperatures. By weaving an RFID aerial into the fabric you can also obtain\ninformation about how products are used: e.g. where they are, how they move\nthrough space and even how frequently they are washed. We will also encounter light\nin textiles in the future more and more often. Light patterns that move through\njackets, bags or backpacks, for example, decorative spots of light that also increase\nvisibility. Light is not just useful for promotional wear, it also makes sense\nin other areas too. Thus, airlines are already experimenting with uniforms that,\nwith the aid of electronics and integrated light, can take over new assignments.\nIntegrated microphones to enhance communication on-board, and sensors for checking\nair quality or staff\u2019s state of health are also being tested. Lunative\nLaboratories from Hamburg are already integrating light into personal\nprotective equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And just how\ndoes Gartner see the future of \u201csmart\u201d clothing in particular? Global expenditure\nfor textile wearables was 848bn US$ last year. In 2019 the company anticipates\nan increase worldwide to 1.15bn US$, and predicts a figure of 1.75bn US$ for 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Image:\nLunative \/ Regina Henkel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
According to the current forecast of the US-American research company und consultants Gartner Inc., growth in the field of wearables has increased steeply. The company estimates that the worldwide turnover of wearables will already rise to 52bn US$ in 2020, corresponding to an increase of 27 percent over 2019. The reasons for growth are obvious: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":1095,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[368],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-textiles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n