The federal government is getting into the wearable tech market — and it’s bringing in some big names to help.
The Pentagon has paired up with Apple, Boeing and Harvard for the development of high-tech sensory gear that can be used by people as well as be placed on the outside of a jet, Reuters reported. Because the market for this type of technology is growing so fast, the Pentagon has decided to look to the private sector instead of relying on its own team, according to defense officials.
“I’ve been pushing the Pentagon to think outside our five-sided box and invest in innovation here in Silicon Valley and in tech communities across the country,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in prepared remarks. “Now we’re taking another step forward.”
The federal government’s investment also calls to spend more than $171 million ($75M in federal funds, and $96 million in non-federal contributions) in the “manufacturing innovation institute,” as it was referenced, that will operate in Silicon Valley. This particular institute will be the seventh of its kind created under the the Obama Administration. The California location will be focused on “high performance packaging and printing techniques, to integrate multiple silicon circuits and sensors on a single stretchable or wearable platform,” according to a news release.
“Bridging the gap between applied research and product development, each institute brings together companies, universities, other academic and training institutions, and Federal agencies to co-invest in key emerging technology areas that can encourage investment and production in the U.S.,” the release stated.
“This latest institute, led by FlexTech Alliance, will bridge advanced research and commercial product development, yielding critical defense and telecommunications advances—while also investing in education and workforce development to train and position the next generation of scientists, engineers and technicians to manufacture flexible, hybrid electronics in the United States.”
While this new tech doesn’t fall into the realm of the traditional wearable tech that consumers are accustomed to, it is using the expertise from the companies to engineer high-end printing technologies that enables stretchable electronics that come equipped with sensors and real-time monitoring.
The wearable market, in general, has been getting attention from multiple sectors — including fashion. For example, Ralph Lauren has taken its Polo sports line to another level — starting with a wearable tech smart shirt with embedded biometric features that are available to review in real time.
This shirt will include sensors that provide data insight into vital signs. This means providing everything from breathing and heart rates to stress levels and calories burned. For Ralph Lauren, this move into the wearable tech world shows it wants to be much more than just clothing, and for the wearables market, this move shows wearable tech is about to get more fashionable.
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