Wearable Digital Tools & Tech
By Caleasana Green​
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Wearable digital tools and technology can be regarded as one step closer to transhumanism. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, transhumanism is:
The philosophical and scientific movement that advocates the use of current and emerging technologies- such as genetic engineering, cryonics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and nanotechnology to augment human capabilities and improve the human condition.
Transhumanists envision a future in which technology applications slow, reverse, and eliminate the aging process to increase human lifespan, all of which wearable digital technology has helped humans perform. Thanks to Apple watches and Fitbit, users can digitally monitor their health with wearable technology within a cultural phenomenon emphasizing personal improvement through self-tracking (Akdevelioglu, Hanson, & Venkatesh, 2021). Wearable technologies are a form of “accidental transhumanism,” a transitional movement towards a transhumanist vision based on self-quantification, self-extension, and integration with technology (2021). As technology progresses and we become more integrated through more sophisticated technologies, the promise to live longer, healthier lives will eliminate consumers’ hesitancies about nanotechnologies and other genetic software integration capabilities, as Neuralink shows.
The history and evolution of wearable digital tools and technologies have existed for ages. Still, Edward Thorpe and Claude Shannon are the credited pioneers who commercialized smart wearables as we know them today by creating a tiny computer that could fit around one's waist or in one’s shoe (Perkovic, 2022). In the 1970s, wearables entered the fashion world as Pulsar released the first calculator watch. It was 18 karat gold and sold at high-end jewelry stores like Tiffany's. Casio made the calculator watch popular as a wearable technology (2022). The future of wearable technology or the Internet of Things is interconnectivity among devices and the ability to sync data between wearables and mobile devices.
Akdevelioglu, D., Hansen, S., & Venkatesh, A. (2021a). Wearable Technologies, Brand Community and the growth of a transhumanist vision. Journal of Marketing Management, 38(5–6), 569–604. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257x.2021.2001559
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Ostberg, R. (2024, March 29). transhumanism. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/transhumanism
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Perkovic, M. (2022, September 30). Council post: How smart wearables are shaping our future. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/09/29/how-smart-wearables-are-shaping-our-future/
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