When wearable tech first entered the industry, there were mixed reactions regarding the possibilities it held and how it would influence the direction the IT industry would take into the future. Today, the tech is still yet to catch on with the masses.
Nevertheless, it has made significant progress, especially given that more brands have joined the niche in efforts to redefine the technology. As a result, more than any other time in the past, the stakes in the industry are higher and customers want functional designs that are also visually appealing.
When most people hear about wearable tech, they immediately think of smartwatches. Yet, while smartwatches may have led the way into this industry, today’s wearable tech includes smart rings, smart glasses, augmented reality helmets, wristbands, diet & fitness monitoring trackers etc.
To create wearable designs, there are a number of considerations that have to be made. Here are a number of considerations that InertiaEngineering Industrial Design professionals make when conceptualizing wearable tech:
Minimal design
Designers had a hard time getting used to designing for mobile when it first became apparent that mobile was the next big thing in the tech industry. Now, designers are realizing that it is even more challenging to create wearable tech. For instance, how do you create an effectively interactive smartwatch where the size of the screen is only a few millimeters? It calls for a shift in the design approach. The way designers are dealing with this is by keeping things simple.
Using other senses other than visual
A major change in design approach for many designers involved in conceptualizing wearable tech is considering other senses other than visual, including feeling and hearing. A good example of this is the increasing use of vibrations to tell a wearable tech user which way he should turn, or voice diction that is being used to compose text and messages.
Using simple typography
Sans serif font is a favorite font for use in wearable tech because it is easy to read and unsophisticated. Designers also use different font sizes to draw as a way for a user to determine which content is more important than the other and which one requires their immediate attention.
