What is wearable technology?

Read the text about technology, and for questions 1 to 8, complete the sentences.

Wearable technology, or “wearables”, is the name for the type of electronic devices we can wear as accessories, implanted in our clothing or even in our body. Wearables are hands-free gadgets with microprocessors and a connection to the internet.

Wearables have existed for hundreds of years. Pocket watches, which later became wristwatches, or glasses were some of the first examples in the history of wearable technology. People wore them to have a more comfortable life, and we still do! Glasses help you see, and watches give you helpful information. But modern wearable devices are more complicated. They are electronic, and they use the internet to collect, store and send different kinds of information.

The first popular electronic wearable technology was Fitness trackers, like ‘Fitbits’, which became popular in the 2010s. They monitor your heart and movement and help you keep fit. Now, wearable technology helps people stay healthy in new ways. For example, the ‘iTBra’ is a patch. Women wear it inside their bras, and it checks for breast cancer. ‘Heartguide’ looks like a smartwatch, but it can measure blood pressure. It can also track information about a person’s lifestyle, for example, how much they exercise. Then it shares this information with a doctor so that the doctor can give better advice. ‘SmartSleep’ is a soft headband. It helps people to sleep better. It collects information about people’s sleep patterns, gives advice and makes sounds to help people fall asleep.

However, not all wearables are about health. Some are used for protection or to find the place you want to go, and some are just for fun. For example, you can hug someone from miles away with a smart jacket! You can also buy smart jewellery. These rings and necklaces can change colour to match clothes or make-up, or they can send the police an alert if you are in danger. And with a smart hat, you can listen to music and answer calls without using headphones!

Reading comprehension test

Fill in each gap with a word from the box. There are TWO EXTRA words that you will not need.

patch – glasses – smartwatch – headband – bra – jacket – make-up – fitness tracker – ring – hat

Explanation

Register for more Content without ADS!

We are working on this!

We're developing a NEW LEARNING PLATFORM with a subscription plan that includes additional features at an affordable price. One of those features will be PDF downloads.

Learn more!