Last week, London hosted the UK’s first ever event dedicated to wearable technology. From the latest smart watches and fitness trackers to proximity sensors and intelligent headsets, the Wearable Technology Show proved this is a sector that is getting bigger as each month goes by. It is Bluetooth®Smart technology that made the incredibly rapid growth of this market possible. The wide availability of Bluetooth Smart in smartphones and tablets made the concept of digital clothing and accessories a reality, thanks to its low energy usage and the intelligent data connections it can make.

According to Intel chief evangelist and futurist Steve Brown who opened the show, the next decade will see wearables hit the mainstream, driven by the continued rise of smaller computers, larger data volumes, and more natural communication with devices.

"Computers are getting smaller and smaller, so they're getting closer and closer to our finger tips, our nerve endings and our brains...our shoes, a coffee cup or our bodies," said Brown.

As Steve Hegenderfer explained in his blog post last month, this is where Bluetooth Smart fits the bill.Tiny modules are already going into production and the energy they consume is small. And this is only the start of the wearables revolution. In another few years, Bluetooth Smart will have an even smaller energy footprint, enabling even more wearable devices.

The next year will see developers’ initial baby steps turn into strides as they realise the full potential of Bluetooth Smart for creating wearable devices. As Brown concluded, "Technology is just technology. What matters is what you can do with it."

The growth of the wearables market and the evolution of Bluetooth Smart technology go hand-in-hand. We can’t wait to see what Bluetooth Smart enabled devices are on display at next year’s show. Below is a roundup of just some of the Bluetooth Smart enabled devices on display at the show:

Lupo

We’ve seen a lot of “lost and found” proximity sensors come to the market which track your device and act as an alarm if it gets misplaced. Lupo is a Kickstarter project with the added feature of clicking and flicking through presentations and locking your computer screen when you walk away.

Misfit Shine

The Shine is a waterproof fitness tracker you can use while swimming as well as when running, walking and sleeping. Not only that, but it looks quite stylish too, and comes with a watchstrap in case you want to use it as a watch.

Samsung Gear 2

Due to be released in April, the newest model in Samsung’s smart watch range, the Gear 2 has a built-in heart rate sensor and packs a music player—listenable via Bluetooth headphones, of course!

(Credit: Russell Lindsey)