A Review of the Physical, Societal and Economic Effects of Wearable Devices in Sports
Authors: Ashley N. Smith
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic and State Institute, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Corresponding Author:
Ashley N. Smith
ashleys20@vt.edu
336-408-3745
Ashley N. Smith is a graduate student in The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, pursuing a master’s degree in computer engineering and specializing in computer vision. Her areas of research interest include: the effects of technology in sports and developing software to reduce costs or improve efficiency for sports organizations.
A Review of the Physical, Societal and Economic Effects of Wearable Devices in Sports
ABSTRACT
Wearable technology has permeated the sports world throughout the last couple of decades because of the numerous advantages from collecting ample device data. Benefits of wearable devices, or wearables, in sports are extensive data analysis on performance, injury mitigation, and encouragement to monitor one’s physical health. With the diffusion of wearables into sports, its resulting effects have influenced all levels of athletes as well as the cadre of athletic personnel. Physical effects include increased general fitness and injury prevention, whereas societal effects encompass ethical changes, unprecedented privacy concerns and added stress on mental well-being. Economic effects consist of additional career opportunities as well as lucrative avenues for professional organizations and sports companies alike. This review of these various consequences helps guide the decision-making process for those investing in existing wearables and those developing novel devices in this nascent industry.
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