Wearable technology refers to smart electronic systems containing various sensors, processing units, batteries, and wireless modules that can be directly worn or integrated into users' bodies. These devices allow individuals to monitor their physiological and environmental data, while aiming to increase individual awareness and quality of life in many areas such as health, sports, and interaction etc. For example:

• Smartwatch: Wrist-worn digital devices that go beyond timekeeping; offering functions such as message notifications, heart rate monitoring, and exercise tracking.
• Smart Bracelet: More compact devices that primarily provide health-focused measurements such as step counting, sleep tracking, and calorie tracking.
• Smart Glasses: Glasses that project digital information into the user's field of vision and can be controlled by voice commands.
• Smart Clothing: Textile products with integrated sensors that can track muscle activity, body temperature, and posture.
• Wearable Cameras and Microphones: Devices capable of continuous image or sound recording, particularly used in journalism, sports, and security.
• Hearing Aids and Headphones: Advanced in-ear technologies that can adjust sound levels to individual preferences, sometimes filtering out environmental noise.

Historical Development Process

The foundations of wearable technology date back to the 1960s with the first portable computers developed at MIT. In the 1980s, these devices began to enter daily life with calculator watches and portable music players. Thanks to advances in wireless communication and microelectronics technologies in the 2000s, they became widespread. With the launch of products like the Apple Watch in 2014, the process of global commercialization gained momentum.

Basic Technological Components

The functionality of wearable devices relies on their basic components:

• Microprocessors: Enable data analysis and device operation.
• Sensors: Collect biological data such as body temperature, pulse, movement, and sweat content.
• Wireless Modules (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC): Enable the device to transfer data to mobile applications or cloud systems.
• Energy Storage Systems: Usually rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
• Flexible Electronics and Smart Textile Surfaces: Provide flexibility and lightness to enhance wearability.

Areas of Use

Wearable technologies are used in a wide range of disciplines:

• Healthcare: Sensor-equipped devices that measure ECG, glucose, and oxygen saturation enable chronic disease management and early diagnosis.
• Sports and Fitness: Physical performance analysis is performed with features such as pulse measurement, calorie counting, and step counting.
• Military and Defense: Sensors integrated into military clothing provide location tracking, environmental awareness, and physical condition monitoring.
• Industrial Use: Wearable sensor-equipped vests used for occupational safety can analyze workers' fatigue, temperature, or gas exposure.
• Fashion and Art: Wearable technology has also found a place in the art world, bringing together aesthetic and technological experiences such as LED clothing and color-changing fabrics.
• Entertainment, VR, and AR: Virtual reality headsets and gloves providing haptic feedback allow physical contact with digital content.

Current Developments and Future Outlook

In recent years, wearable devices have become more intuitive; with artificial intelligence, biosensors, machine learning, and flexible circuit technologies, they have begun to offer smarter, personalized services. Especially in the health sector, users' data is processed instantly and warnings can be given against potential risks. In the near future, brain-computer interaction with neural interfaces, nano-scale health monitoring devices, self-powered smart textiles, and systems exhibiting adaptive behavior according to environmental conditions are expected to become widespread.