The definition of wearable technology has changed as much as technology has in the last century. In the first waves of wearable technology we got the calculator watch, you know the one, featured in back to the future. Although we have yet to see a hover board, wearable technology has gone to unbelievable heights. From the iPhone 6, to Google Glass, the bar continues to be set higher.

After the Google Glass Project (smart glasses), several other companies broke into the smart wearables market, including Apple (iWatch), Samsung (Galaxy Gear), and Sony (SmartWatch) shortly after Google. Now you can buy all types of devices, including watches, glasses, headbands, wigs, rings, etc. Using apps for personal and business computing, practical everyday tasks, fitness tracking, and healthcare monitoring.

I recently, purchased a Nike Fitband, hot pink and black of course. Syncing my iPhone with the app was the easy part, however, I learned that there was minimal features of use to me and this was not something I would keep (for $129). I returned it to the store. After that, my need for quick and convenient health data continued. I fed into the buzz around the Apple Healthkit. iPhone is wearable technology that I already was utilizing. So how could I optimize this device? The first thing I noticed was that it was automatically tracking my steps! “Sweet!” I then realized there was a plethora of data analysis tools that could keep track of my health, medical history, my fitness, and my nutrition. “Sweet, times three!”

Even as a psudo-millenial, as I attempted to use the app, I could not figure out how I could get data to input automatically. After doing some internet research, I was led to a list of Apps that can work/sync with the Healthkit. I was disappointed in the list as I was hoping to use the apps I already use, and are familiar with. They were not on the list. This list of new apps didn’t give me any indication if I needed any additional wearable technology (equals more money) to make them work. Some of them are free, some not, so how was I to choose? If I could find this information in one place, I may be able to quickly decide which apps to download or which piece(s) of wearable technology I would like to gather or start collecting.

All of this wearable technology is overwhelming. And I am only digging into the personal use market these apps are not so difficult to understand, it’s how to use them all together that is confusing. This is not only a common problem with all of our personal devices. There is a large business driven market calling for this problem to be resolved. Technology management is taking off; Hospitals have wearable and wireless technology in use all over a hospital, in many medical devices. The ability to capture and manage all the data and have it at one’s fingertips is one of the fastest going industries.

I love my wearable technology, however, just as with any market has quick progression, it may get messy before it gets better. As my life will only get busier, I am looking forward to learning all the opportunities this technology can give me to streamline my life. I encourage any busy person to look into free applications, they can simplify your day to day life in a great way. Can Siri be close to a personal assistant?! Not yet, but we are close!

I have been an athlete all my life, but since I’ve reached my 30’s, had 5 reconstructive surgeries, and moved back to the Midwest to a completely sedentary job, staying fit and healthy has become more challenging than ever before.

As an Apple lover for years, I have a myriad of Apps I enlisted to help. Between TargetWEIGHT, MYFitnesspal, MapMyFitness, myWOD, and Nike Fit Band, I have been unsuccessful in maintaining the health and fitness level of my satisfaction.

When I heard about the Apple HealthKit platform and the ability for it to sync with third party application data, the question I posed to myself was, will this help me? I have no chronic illness. I’m not sick. I just want to be healthy. After doing some primitive research, if Apple can pull this off as they say they can, it will revolutionize not just my health technology experience, but the way any doctor in my future will diagnose and treat me.

The Apple HealthKit in addition to the Myhealth App promises to connect Apple Applications & other devices to one another, and to your physician if you choose to. Alleged, my myriad of applications will update one another automatically so I can work (at my nutrition & fitness) smarter and more accurately. Or, if I choose to use the Myhealth, this data will aggregate within the application in a single profile to use and share. Myhealth has 47 different tracking options to help me reach my goals, along with tracking my health milestones and medications/allergies. Furthermore, in case of an emergency, this historical account of my vitals, fitness level, and health milestones such as a chronic illness diagnosis are logged and can be shared with the ER Doctor. This may be critical in saving my life.

I am very conscious however that many folks are extremely uncomfortable with having this type of data in the cloud. I believe this will be a large barrier for Apple along with other 3^rd party development partners to overcome. However the technology to keep this information secure exists, and I believe it can be done right. The challenge for Apple is to relay to the public the capabilities of internet security. Now educating Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Y’ers on Cloud Security and gaining the trust to make this Application helpful to all generations may be a challenge and will come with time.

Luckily, as a thirty-something that needs to keep track of my own family’s health along with my aging parent’s health, having health information at my fingertips may not just be convenient but literally may be a life saver. The Mayo Clinic thinks so, they have partnered with Apple along with Epic to make this endeavor successful. You can read more at:

http://www.imedicalapps.com/2014/06/apple-partnership-epic-game-changer/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+iMedicalApps+%28iMedicalApps%29