1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:20,760 Hello and welcome back to the Paddock Room. I'm Margo. I'm here with Wayne and this is 2 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:28,900 Talking Tech with Wayne. The podcast dedicated to discussing smart phones, smart homes and 3 00:00:28,900 --> 00:00:36,640 everything in between. This show is a promise of information freely given to all that seek it and 4 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:49,840 that is a pact between us and all of you. Please log into our website www.talking-tech.org 5 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:58,560 all lowercase and click the join the discussion button to well join the discussion. While there 6 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:05,960 check out TV shows or click the schedule a call button to explore how to bring a Talking Tech 7 00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:13,280 discussion group to your local church or community center. We also have a helpline where 8 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:22,080 trained technicians are ready to answer your questions 24-7 and best of all it's 100% free. 9 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:38,920 That number is 215-406-HELP. 215-406-4357. Today we will discuss smart assistive clothing for 10 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:49,760 seniors. So Wayne what is smart clothing and how can it benefit our listeners? Smart clothing is a 11 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:56,280 wearable technology that can measure various physiological and biometric data such as heart 12 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:02,960 rate, breathing rate and body temperature among others. This data can provide valuable insights 13 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:10,880 into a wearer's health status. Help them stay healthy and active. So let's dive into the topic 14 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:19,160 and explore some benefits of smart assistive clothing. Firstly smart clothing can help users 15 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:26,880 monitor their heart health. Heart disease is a leading cause of death among seniors and early 16 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:32,680 detection is critical for better outcomes. With smart clothing seniors can monitor their 17 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:38,720 health, heart health and detect any irregularities which can be reported to their healthcare 18 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:48,240 provider. Secondly smart clothing can help them manage chronic conditions such as diabetes. 19 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:53,880 For instance some smart clothing can measure glucose levels helping seniors with diabetes 20 00:02:53,880 --> 00:03:00,760 monitor their blood, sugar levels without pricking their fingers. This can lead to better diabetes 21 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:07,920 management improving wearer's overall quality of life. Thirdly smart clothing can help folks 22 00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:15,800 stay safe by detecting falls. Falls are a major health risk for seniors often resulting in serious 23 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:22,840 injuries. Some smart clothing has built-in sensors that detect falls and automatically alert 24 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:31,040 emergency services or designated caregiver. This can provide peace of mind for seniors and their 25 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:36,960 loved ones knowing that help is always available in an emergency. Finally smart clothing can also 26 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:45,120 help those with mobility issues. For example some smart clothing can provide haptic feedback 27 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:52,280 improving posture and balance and make it easier for seniors to walk or stand. This can lead to 28 00:03:52,280 --> 00:04:00,520 improve mobility and a reduced risk of falls. So that's a brief overview of some of the benefits 29 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:06,880 of smart assistive clothing as always it's important to consult with our hair health care 30 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:15,080 professional before using any new technology or changing your health management routine. Wow that's 31 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:23,840 amazing what about temperature regulation? Yes some smart clothing can also regulate body 32 00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:29,560 temperature. For example jackets with built-in heating and cooling systems can help wearers 33 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:38,280 stay more comfortable in extreme temperatures. That's really impressive. Are there any potential 34 00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:46,920 drawbacks to using smart clothing? Well one potential drawback is that smart clothing can be 35 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:52,720 expensive so it may not be accessible to everyone. Additionally some listeners may feel 36 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:58,360 uncomfortable with clothing with technology built in so it's important to consider individual 37 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:06,400 preferences and needs. And that's a good point. Are there any other considerations folks who 38 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:13,520 consider when choosing smart clothing? Yes it's important to choose comfortable clothing that 39 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:19,520 fits well as this can affect the accuracy of the sensors and other technology. Choosing 40 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:27,760 clothing that is easy to use and maintain is also important. Thank you for sharing that 41 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:35,680 information with us Wayne. Seeing how technology is integrated into clothing to improve users' 42 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:44,160 lives is very exciting. It's an exciting time for wearable technology and I think we'll see even 43 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:50,200 more advances in the coming years. Some smart clothing can also be connected to voice activated 44 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:57,880 assistance like Amazon Alexa or Google Home so you can control your smart clothing hands-free. 45 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:07,520 What are some examples of smart clothing? A few different types of smart clothing that are on 46 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:14,800 the market today. One example is hexa skin smart shirt. This shirt is designed to track your heart 47 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:21,720 rate, breathing rate and activity level. It's made from a breathable fabric to keep you comfortable 48 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:29,160 during workouts. Another example is a Mayard skin smart underwear. This underwear is designed to 49 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:35,800 monitor your heart rate, breathing rate and sleep patterns. It can also provide hectic feedback to 50 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:42,280 help you correct your posture. While smart clothing is still a relatively new technology, it's a 51 00:06:42,280 --> 00:06:47,960 rapidly growing area. As more and more people become interested in the benefits of wearable 52 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:53,640 technology, we can expect to see some smart clothing options for seniors. So if you're a 53 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:58,960 senior looking to improve your health and well-being, consider trying smart clothing. 54 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:08,280 Wayne, any final words on smart clothing? Yes, it can improve seniors' mobility and 55 00:07:08,280 --> 00:07:14,240 independence. Smart clothing can provide extra support and adjust to the wearer's movements, 56 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:21,840 making it easier for them to move around and perform their daily tasks. Second, it can improve 57 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:28,840 senior health and safety. By monitoring vital signs and detecting falls, smart clothing can help 58 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:35,920 prevent health emergencies and alert caregivers or health care providers when necessary. Third, 59 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:43,160 it can enhance seniors' comfort and well-being. Smart clothing can adjust to the wearer's 60 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:50,480 need, providing extra support and comfort as needed. Finally, smart assistive clothing can help 61 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:56,960 seniors maintain their dignity and independence. It can be run discreetly and comfortably without 62 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:05,360 bulky medical equipment or devices. As with any technology, there's also some potential for drawbacks 63 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:12,320 to consider. One is the cost. Smart assistive clothing can be expensive and not all seniors can 64 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:19,160 afford it. Another consideration is the need for training and support. Seniors may need assistance 65 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:25,200 learning how to use the clothing and interpret the data it provides. Despite these potential 66 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:31,680 challenges, smart assistive clothing is a promising technology that has the potential to greatly 67 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:40,360 enhance seniors' lives. Absolutely. As of all the information we share here, flex your Google 68 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:50,800 search muscles, log into our website, www.talking-tech.org, or call our helpline. And that number is 69 00:08:50,800 --> 00:09:05,200 215-406-HELP. That's 215-406-4357. Well, I see that's all the time I have for today. It has been 70 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:12,600 my pleasure to be here, and I look forward to the next time we can do it again. I wish you all a farewell.