From wrist watches to brain wearables: What next?

The fad and popularity of wearables is on the rise. When it came to wearables, smartwatches caught up with people rather quickly. Today, you will find both young and old wearing them. Some want to know how many steps they have walked, how much they have run and how active they have been during the day. Others are keen to monitor their blood pressure, pulse and heartbeat. Somewhere, wearing a smartwatch has also become a bit of a status symbol. People like to own the latest model and show it off.

But there is a functional side to it as well. These watches provide a few health parameters which people like to keep track of. How accurate and reliable these readings are is a point one can deliberate. Can they be compared with medical equipment? Perhaps not in every case. But that has not stopped people from buying them. The craze is on, and it looks like wearables are here to stay.

Now, We Have a Wearable for the Brain

Just when we thought that wearables were largely about watches, we now have something new. Deepinder Goyal, founder of Zomato, has introduced a wearable called Temple. It is worn near the temple of the head and is designed to track changes associated with blood flow in the brain.

What has brought this device into the limelight is that two of India's top sportspersons, Shubman Gill and PV Sindhu, have been spotted wearing them. One has noticed them wearing these devices only recently. Perhaps they are trying to find out whether it helps them somewhere in their respective games. Whether it can give them some additional information about their physical condition and recovery is something we will have to wait and see.

With both these well-known sportspersons wearing the device, there is a lot of conversation happening around it. People are curious to know what it does and why they are wearing it. This has certainly helped create awareness about a new kind of wearable.

Is It Meant Only for Sportspersons?

The question that comes to mind is whether this device is specifically meant for sportspersons or whether anyone who wants to monitor changes in brain blood flow can wear it.

We have seen how people have taken to smartwatches. Not everyone who wears one is a fitness enthusiast. Some simply like to keep track of their daily walking, while others are interested in knowing more about their health. Will brain wearables also attract a similar set of consumers?

There could be interest among professional sportspersons, fitness enthusiasts and people who are always keen to try out new gadgets. There may also be those who like to own the latest technology. But how curious would the ordinary Indian consumer be about wearing such a device? Would someone who already owns a smartwatch feel the need to buy another gadget? These are questions worth asking.

The Test Market Will Give Us Some Answers

At present, the product is at an early test-market stage. There will be a few learnings once more people start using it. The company will get to know what users think about the device, whether they find it comfortable and, more importantly, whether the information it provides is of any use to them.

There could be improvements in the product after the initial feedback. The design, features and the way information is shared with users may undergo changes. This is quite normal when a new technology is introduced. The first version need not be the final one. The company will have to work on the feedback and see how the product can be made more useful.

Will the Indian Consumer Take to It?

India is a market where people have shown considerable interest in new gadgets. Smartphones and smartwatches are good examples. But a brain wearable is a different proposition altogether.

The first set of buyers may well be sportspersons, fitness enthusiasts and people who are interested in technology. But to reach a larger market, the company will have to explain why an ordinary person should own one. What additional information will it provide? Will it help people understand their health better? And is the price justified? These are some of the things that will influence a purchase.

The product is also being positioned for the global market. This is interesting because it gives an Indian-origin technology product an opportunity to reach consumers across countries. We have seen Indian companies make their mark in different businesses. There is no reason why brands from India cannot earn the trust of consumers worldwide when it comes to technology.

However, when a product deals with brain-related measurements, people will naturally look for reliability and scientific backing. Celebrity visibility can help create awareness, but the product will eventually have to establish its own credibility.

What Next for Wearables?

We will keep seeing new technology every few years. Some products catch on and become part of our everyday lives, while others remain popular for a short period. Smartwatches have managed to sustain themselves because people have found reasons to use them regularly.

Will brain wearables also find a place in our lives? Or will they remain a product for a smaller group of people who are interested in sports and technology?

For now, there is curiosity around this new concept. But the real test will be how many people are willing to buy it and continue using it. After all, getting people interested in a new product is one thing; making it part of their everyday lives is quite another.

It will be interesting to see how this new category develops and whether brain wearables can sustain themselves in the years ahead.