Wearable Devices in Healthcare

Abstract

The miniaturization of electrical and electronic equipment is certainly not a new phenomenon, and its effects have long been evident in the healthcare sector. Nevertheless, reducing the size of medical devices is one thing, wearing them is quite another. This transition imposes a new set of design requirements, challenges and restrictions and has further implications on their use, as they are often intended for operation by non medical professionals in uncontrolled environments. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the use of wearable devices in healthcare along with the key enabling technologies behind their design, with emphasis on information technologies. Furthermore, it aims to present the current state of development along with the potential public benefits in both technological and healthcare terms. The devices described are those involving some degree of digital information handling, thus excluding conventional wearable devices such as eyeglasses, hearing aids and prosthetic devices from the discussion.