top of page
Smartwatch
Walking down the streets or everywhere, I have noticed a lot of people are wearing smart watches. This device is normally connected to a smartphone. This electronic equipment normally can mimic some task a normal smartphone or computer can do. In 1994, with a collaboration between Timex and Microsoft,launched the Data Link 150. 150 meant that the watch could store up to 150 phone numbers. Then Microsoft SPOT( Smart Personal Objective Technology) was introduced in 2004. It could receive information like weather, news and stock updates through FM Radio. SPOT had the capability to receive email and instant messages but not reply. (Gregersen, 2015) As of now, there are plenty of options available in the market. Now, the most famous brands are the Apple Watch and Sony Smartwatch. Smartwatches nowadays are so advanced that some tasks normally done through a computer can be done in smartwatches. Smartwatches are capable of monitoring health, like checking heart rate or oxygen level, contactless payment, sending and receiving messages, receiving calls, GPS Tracking and many more.
Will the smartwatch impact sustainability?
Sustainability has been a hot topic for the past decades. Every company wants to be on board and wants to be sustainable. Some companies might see it as a niche to attract more consumers but some companies are genuinely care about sustainability. Every step a company does, the question about their impact on sustainability lingers on. The same question can be asked about new technologies.
As we all know, smart watches are like smartphones. They need updates. Will it have the same downfall the smartphones have? When smartphones can not handle new updates, a new phone should be purchased. For this E- waste became prominent. As of now, there is no sustainable smartwatch in the market. If you are a smartwatch user, the only thing you can do is recycle. Most manufacturers will have recycling programmes for free. For example, Apple has Apple Trade In where you can return your old device and they will give you a certain amount to use towards a new device. The other option is to sell the smartwatch for a lower price.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of smartwatch?
Every technological invention has advantages and disadvantages. Same with smartwatches. Having a smartwatch is convenient because you do not need to take out your phone for messages or calls. It can also help you track your health and activity to motivate you to stay fit and healthy. Tracking your heart rate, blood oxygen level and blood pressure.(Panday, 2023) Some smart watches have fall detection features that can be practical for older people. Some also have GPS that can help authorities in case of getting lost or just trying to find the way. Lastly, entertainment features can also be attractive too. However, smart watches, just like smartphones, need batteries and these batteries only have limited life. This can be inconvenient because it needs to be charged regularly. Unlike smartphones, smartwatches can have limited functions. Some applications may or may not be available in the smartwatch. Since it tracks some personal information, the privacy of the person using it may be compromised. It is not a secret anymore that anything that is connected to the internet is vulnerable to hackers. Finally, smart watches are lavish items. They are expensive and may attract unwanted attention.
What decisions can or cannot be delegated to smart things?
Most smartwatches in the market have built in health trackers like blood pressure, heart rate or glucose tracker. It is amazing that those trackers are incorporated in a small device. For example, K’Watch Glucose is a CGM smartwatch (Continuous Glucose Monitor). This is a device that tracks glucose discreetly and without using blood. It will give an alert when the glucose is high or low.(PKVitality, 2022) For this, the person wearing the K’Watch will be able to act accordingly. A new study by researchers at University College London suggested that smart watches which have a heart rate tracker “may help with detecting and preventing heart disease.” The questions are, are they really accurate? Will they be able to decide if we are healthy or not? According to Eadicicco (2022), who wrote an article in CNET with the title “Fitbit and Apple know their smart watches aren’t medical devices. But do you?”, these wearable devices are not intended to diagnose a person. They can be inconclusive but they can track metrics and help you decide if you need to visit a doctor. (Eadicicco, 2022)
As technology gets smarter, will our abilities to think, feel and act be affected?
Smartwatches can sometimes be distracting because of the notifications. They can also affect your abilities to think. People using smart watches can have goals with their fitness journey. It is inevitable that people can be obsessed to meet these goals. It can reinforce body image issues and unhealthy obsessions that may cause eating disorders and over exercise. Anxiety is another issue when there are inconclusive results from the metrics. (Smock, 2022). Wearing these smartwatches can also affect your feelings. A person might get a “sense of fulfilment” if he/she is able to attain the goal. Smartwatches may affect the way a person acts too. According to Wagner (n.d.), a new study was done where 58 physically inactive young adults wore smartwat and provided a goal for three months. They were given the freedom to self monitor. Most of the participants were able to increase their physical activity and self reflecting forced to act and reach their goals. (Wagner, n.d.)
What is the biggest risk associated with smartwatch?
The biggest risk associated with smartwatch is the security or the privacy risk. Cyber attackers may access your location with the built-in GPS in some smartwatches. Besides the location tracking applications, data like your health tracking metric are stored in it. Smartwatches are mostly connected to other devices like a smartphone which makes it easier to connect data between the devices. When the smartphone is compromised, there will be a big chance that the smartwatch will also be compromised. Hackers then will be able to steal information about you or might even be able to access other smart devices you have. It is important that you purchase a smartwatch from a reputable company that prioritises your data privacy. Do not connect from public Wi-Fi too because they are mostly unprotected. Lastly, update the OS regularly to avoid attackers exploit the security weakness of the device.
Conclusion
Internet of Things (Iot) have come a long way. It has created an “intelligent world” to adapt to our certain needs. IoT improves the efficiency, sustainability and make life convenient for people. Just like other technologies, IoT have advantages and disadvantages. There is also the question about the ethical implications. We humans must know how to weigh those differences and make sure that laws are not being compromised with our decisions about internet of things.
bottom of page