How wearables could transform our cities and transport experiences

Brands using wearable tech should be looking beyond the health and entertainment sectors to how these products could change our entire relationship with the city, including its transport, says Luke Miles of New Territory

The topic of wearable devices that measure our emotional state is becoming more and more salient, with some companies closer than ever to cracking the code. The problem is that developers have tunnel vision when thinking about possible use-cases for them, failing to look beyond the health, wellness or entertainment sectors to discover more impactful ways they can influence our lives.

For example, drinks brand Mountain Dew has used skateboarders’ biometric data to create ambient art to bring its ad campaign to life. Similarly, Adobe has measured consumers’ emotions to create a light installation, demonstrating their digital credentials. Degree Deodorant, a sports sponsor in the US, used biometric wristbands to measure the excitement of fans as they watched their teams play, visualising the emotions of each team’s fanbase. These are all novel ways of connecting brands to consumers using this emerging technology, but in my opinion, they don’t go far enough.