The Future of Wearables

For 2015, wearables will exponentially grow in popularity.

Ed note: This post originally appeared on Fashion Law Blog.

At the 2014 FashInvest NYC Capital Conference (www.fashinvest.com), I moderated a panel on the future of investment in wearables. Wearables is a broad concept covering clothing and accessories (as well as actual physical applications such as tattoos) incorporating or embedding computer and advanced electronic technologies. It is clear to me that a revolution in wearables is coming.

For 2015, wearables will exponentially grow in popularity.

What is also clear, is that wearables have tremendous potential for use in the work environment. Furthermore, investors understand technology and business applications much better than fashion so I would expect we will see a lot of activity in the business wearables space. For example, smart glasses will improve productivity, expedite communication between management and employees and make the human resources process more seamless. Smart bracelets will be worn by employees to monitor their whereabouts in factories and offices

Wearables will also increase in use in the healthcare industry as wearables will be used for a myriad of purposes-from diagnostics, gamification, fitness, hearing, etc.

We have seen this winter, a burgeoning consumer wearables product offering, such as smart jewelry and smart watches with a variety of functionality and improved design. Designer wearables are starting to appear on the market and will only increase.

The key issues for wearables companies will be:

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    Functionality: Does the wearable provide a use that we want and need?

    Price: Is the product appropriately priced?

    Style: How will fashion designers impact the wearable technology we will be wiring?

    Privacy: How will employees and consumers allow their personal information to be used?

As we advise venture-stage wearable companies as well as established fashion companies and business services providers, we are looking at how the business owner can protect their intellectual property, raise capital and expedite their product to market.

Intellectual property protection is critical for both established and venture-stage wearable companies. Wearables can be protected in various ways, including design patents, utility patents and trademarks. My partner Janet M. MacLeod, Ph.D., Esq. recently obtained a patent for a client in the wearables space.

It is going to be an exciting 2015!


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