title: How wearable technologies will impact the future of health care.
abstract: After four hundred years of delivering health care in hospitals, industrialized countries are now shifting towards treating patients at the "point of need". This trend will likely accelerate demand for, and adoption of, wearable computing and smart fabric and interactive textile (SFIT) solutions. These healthcare solutions will be designed to provide real-time vital and diagnostic information to health care providers, patients, and related stakeholders in such a manner as to improve quality of care, reduce the cost of care, and allow patients greater control over their own health. The current market size for wearable computing and SFIT solutions is modest; however, the future outlook is extremely strong. Venture Development Corporation, a technology market research and strategy firm, was founded in 1971. Over the years, VDC has developed and implemented a unique and highly successful methodology for forecasting and analyzing highly dynamic technology markets. VDC has extensive experience in providing multi-client and proprietary analysis in the electronic components, advanced materials, and mobile computing markets.
authors.affiliation: Venture Development Corporation, One Apple Hill Drive, Suite 206, Natick, MA 01760, USA.
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barnard
authors.forename: J Timothy
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Shea
mesh_terms: D020811:Biomedical Technology / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D003020:Clothing; D006801:Humans; D008491:Medical Informatics Applications; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013784:Textiles