After last year's success, the Wearable Technologies Conference is back in San Francisco, CA, with interesting panels and major stakeholders from the entire ecosystem. One highlight at this year's conference in San Francisco is Wearable Technologies' release of its first research report. Created in cooperation with Beecham Research the report presents completely new insights into challenges and obstacles to the market's growth.
After defining one of the first market segmentations for wearable technologies several years ago, the Group now went one step further. The report introduces a new segmentation with 7 key sectors, and examines the opportunities and challenges. Additionally, with both companies' in-depth knowledge the report presents new insights in enabling technologies and trends, and examines strength and flexibility of partners in the value chain. With a focus on Function with Style" the report also aims to answer who will buy these products and why.
Harry Strasser, Managing Partner at Wearable Technologies AG and former CTO at Siemens says, "We envision a connected world, in which everything in people's life will have computing power, wireless connectivity, and a lot of sensors. Wearable technologies will empower people to have a heal thier and more connected life style."
"After working for the realization of a vibrant market for wearable technologies for nearly one decade, it looks like the proper factors for success are finally coming together", says Christian Stammel, founder and CEO at Wearable Technologies AG. "Important for this by now very sophisticated market was our focus on more than only connecting devices or some smart textiles. From the start, we believed in a hybrid market in which technologies and solutions from different areas and industries are linked close to the body. Standardization and interoperability are key factors and the reason why this market is already growing and is expected to increase tremendously within the next few years."
With 30 million devices sold in 2012, wearable technologies are about to cross the chasm to mass market adoption. Innovative companies and start-ups alike are nurturing this new trend. Major brands announcing their involvement with new gadgets and solutions, and carriers will further push this trend. Additional major companies from other industries, especially healthcare, insurance, automotive, and entertainment are about to enter as well.
The question, which also builds the key theme of the Wearable Technologies Conference this year, is: Are wearable technologies ready to cross this chasm? Trying to answer this, the conference is split into eight sessions, including Healthcare, Augmentation, Smarter Living on a Smarter Planet, etc., and features high-profile speakers from innovative start-ups as well as established companies.
Additionally the Wearable Technologies Conference - sponsored by Flextronics and Samsung Open Innovation Center - promotes the WT Innovation World Cup. The world's leading innovation competition, whose partners include STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, AiQ, and VARTA Microbattery, asks inventors, developers, and start-ups to submit their wearable technologies solutions until November 30th 2013.
About Wearable Technologies Group
Wearable Technologies Group is the pioneer and leading innovation and market development platform for technologies worn close to, on, and even in the body. Since 2006 the platform has successfully established a network of more than 3,000 companies, consisting of market leaders and highly innovative companies. Wearable Technologies Group aims to drive business development, technology marketing, and innovation through the Wearable Technologies Innovation World Cup, content management, strategy and technology consulting services, as well as international conferences and trade shows in partnership with leading trade organizations, associations, and other highranking partners.