Discussing The Future Of Wearables With One Of The World’s Foremost Experts

Tom Emrich

Recent AMAs within the SportTechie Slack Community (STHQ) have brought some exciting heavy-hitters into the mix, but I was beyond ecstatic when Tom Emrich joined STHQ for a discussion about wearables. For those that don’t know, there may not be an individual who’s more passionate and excited about the future of wearable technology than Tom. In fact, that’s how he introduced himself during the AMA.

“Well I call myself Wearable Tech’s biggest fanboy, but I think the professional term is “Wearable Tech Evangelist”.

Tom is a writer, a consultant and a community builder who uses his love for emerging technologies to educate the world about wearable tech and its potential. He has one simple goal…

“My goal /mission has always been one thing: to bring the future on faster by educating people on the VALUE that tech has in their lives…and making the tech accessible so they get it ….”

This is a great mission for Tom, but his emphasis on “value” seemed begging to be probed a bit more. Wearable tech is innovative and exciting, but it also makes some people feel a bit uneasy. So what’s the value of wearable technology? Essentially, what’s the end game here?

“Ultimately the value of wearable tech (all of it) is to make you SUPER human in that you are more than what you were at birth. Technology or tools have always enabled us to be better humans, and wearables will do the same. This is VERY obvious with people with disabilities e.g. exoskeletons are helping people who can’t walk…walk, and smart glasses are helping people who can’t see…see.”

Woah.

This is truly incredible to think about and conceptualize. But perhaps what’s even more mind-blowing is that this concept has already been introduced into the world of sports.

Speaking of sports, Adam Martin had a great question early in the AMA.

Adam Martin: As a designer trying to explain the importance of VR to my clients in the sports industry, how should one approach those conversations from the whole app-building standpoint? Is there a standard way of say mocking up such experiences (i.e. high-fidelity Photoshop mock-ups for apps or web) to show them instead of going all out and building?

Tom Emrich: No standards yet, but many companies like Wevr are working on content creation tools and a lexicon for VR design & development. I really like your question because what’s exciting is that the medium is new, and we are at the start of defining standards (heck, look how long it took on mobile). It’s going to take people like you who play in this space to help get us there.

But to sell your clients on an app, it’s not going to be about scale — more learnings and the marketing hype for now I would say is going to drive this. Learning is important, however, as this space is evolving fast, and those that are playing and learning now are well positioned to succeed when the mainstream catches on.

Now of course when there’s a discussion about wearable devices, VR/AR naturally find their way into the conversation, and rightfully so because VR/AR are no longer cycling through another hype phase. It’s safe to say that the immersive medium is here for good, and it’s only going to get bigger.

Matt Heid: How do you see large price tag acquisitions like Facebook of Oculus either helping or hindering VR adoption?

Tom Emrich: Facebook’s entry into VR has influenced other giants to push forward in this space (e.g. Google, Sony, Samsung) — the best saying right now within the VR ecosystem is that “a rising tide lifts all boats”. VR/AR is a massive opportunity as they represent the next big shift — they will swallow up personal computing as we know it so companies want in on that.

From a sports perspective, VR is altering several aspects of the game, and perhaps most notably is the fan experience.

“VR is giving folks the best seat in the house by letting you watch a basketball game courtside such as what NextVR is doing.”

What made this comment even sweeter was how it set up Andre Lorenceauto politely educate Tom on how his incredible VR company, LiveLike, is going above and beyond anything that NextVR and other VR companies are building.

Andre Lorenceau: NextVr and most VR plays in sports are all about ‘the sideline experience’. What were trying to do at #livelike is give users the ability to share sports watching no matter the distance with VR. Basically, if you have friends in another city you can’t watch sports with them. But with a social VR app that has VOIP, a good stream (including courtside), some avatars, and 3D audio, you can for the first time re-unite sports fan across countries.

Tom Emrich: Awesome! Social is 100% necessary in VR, especially with sports.

We may not all be “Wearable Tech Evangelists” like Tom, but it’s not difficult to see how revolutionary LiveLike’s social VR platform will be for sports fans across the world.

As mentioned earlier, the future of technology, specifically wearable tech, can make some people feel a bit uneasy or at least hesitant to accept it. However, Tom basically squashed that mindset by referencing how people will embrace the path of convenience to adopt and accept the new technological era that the world has entered.

“If we sit on our hands and do nothing (instead of try) we will never change.”

Wearable tech has already made such an impact on the world, but there is still quite a bit to understand and figure out in order for the impact of humans lives to magnify.

Sean Leaks: What one aspect of wearables do you think needs to improve in order for the industry to “go to the next level”?

Tom Emrich: User value. We still haven’t really figured it all out. We are often trying to push our old digital experiences on to this new one and that is not working. We always go through this when there is a shift from one major tech to another. It’s how we process it and eventually we get through it and then something clicks.

Matt Heid: Do you see anything on the horizon ‘clicking’ more than another?

Tom Emrich: I think we will see wearables (sensors on bodies) make sense in healthcare/medical when FDA/regulatory bodies get involved and the data is reliable. One huge trend I am noticing is that wearable companies as a whole are focusing more on data and the use of data rather than just on the hardware and the fact that they can gather data and that is a good sign.

Tom is an incredible individual to keep an eye on for the foreseeable future. He’ll be everywhere, but it’s probably best to find him on Twitter @tomemrich.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it” -Abraham Lincoln

About STHQ Community: STHQ is a Slack community for sports tech experts, professionals, and thought leaders in the industry. It’s a place to find a constant flow of motivation, discover new ideas, and learn new ways to improve, all at the intersection of sports and technology. To learn more about STHQ, join our community, or attend any future AMAs, visit the STHQ site.