6 Types of Smart Clothing to Improve Health and Fitness

Will the future of wellness be the clothes you wear? From glasses to pants, smart clothes are already transforming fitness.

From smartwatches to fitness trackers, there are plenty of examples of wearable technology on the market that can help you keep track of your physical activity and monitor your health. But have you ever heard of smart clothing?

The latest trend in wearable tech is clothing designed to support your health and fitness. Take a closer look at several types of smart clothing that you can use to track your fitness progress, prevent injury, and take your workouts to the next level.

You may already know about smart fabrics. Smart clothing is the logical application of this technology. Smart clothing is designed with embedded technology such as biofeedback sensors, remote controls, GPS, and haptic feedback. By embedding tech within the fabric you wear, smart clothing can collect and display data about your physical activity and body metrics.

Health sensors in wearable technology, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch's BioActive sensor, can already track a range of factors such as heart rate, breathing rate, and body composition. The data collected by sensors like these can be transmitted wirelessly to a smartphone where it can be analyzed and used to provide feedback and guidance to the wearer.

Depending on the specific type of smart clothing, sensors may allow it to monitor speed and distance or control your favorite music app for running and working out.

Overall, smart clothing is an innovative way to take your health and fitness to the next level, providing you with real-time insights and personalized feedback to help you achieve your goals. Learn more about smart clothing, starting at the top with smart glasses and working your way down to smart shoes on your feet.

Smart glasses help you stay connected and informed while working out. For example, the ActiveLook glasses are designed specifically for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

This device uses a heads-up display to provide real-time feedback on your performance, allowing you to stay focused and motivated during your workout. The glasses can track and display a range of metrics such as calories burned, speed, time, distance, and elevation gain, among others.

The key benefit of smart glasses like the ActiveLook is that they display these metrics right in front of your eyes, which means you can monitor your activity hands-free.

This makes them ideal for outdoor activities such as mountain biking or skiing, as they can provide you with real-time updates without you having to pull off your gloves and fiddle with your watch or dig your phone out of your pocket.

Smart shirts are another way fitness enthusiasts can track data about their physical performance. For example, the Hexoskin lineup is particularly innovative, as they are equipped with built-in textile sensors that track a range of data points simultaneously using onboard ECG and respiratory sensors, as well as a precise "activity sensor."

The data is then transmitted via Bluetooth to a smartphone or smartwatch where it can be analyzed and used to provide you with feedback and useful analysis of your performance.

These sensors allow you to engage in advanced physiological health monitoring, stress monitoring, and performance training. They even allow you to track your sleep quality and are also designed to be comfortable and breathable so that you can wear them during even the most intense workouts.

Jackets have been tech'd out for a while—at least to some degree. Just think of those battery-powered heated jackets that have been around for years. Well, they continue to level up. New items such as the Levi's Commuter X Jacket by Google is a smart jacket that is designed to provide cyclists with a range of features to improve their daily commutes.

The jacket is equipped with touch and gesture-sensitive fabric, which allows you to control your music, receive calls, and get directions without the need for a separate device. This makes it easier and safer to navigate your daily commute by reducing the risk of distractions and accidents.

Of course, the Levi's Commuter X Jacket is also designed to be comfortable and durable, with a water-resistant and breathable fabric that is ideal for cycling in a range of weather conditions. The jacket also features reflective strips for enhanced visibility, making it safer to ride in low-light conditions.

Smart pants are here—specifically, smart yoga pants! One example is the Nadi X smart pants, which are designed to help yoga enthusiasts improve their practice.

These pants are equipped with sensors that can detect subtle changes in your posture and alignment, providing you with real-time feedback and guidance on your technique. Wearing these pants will help you to adjust your posture and alignment for a more effective and enjoyable yoga practice.

Smart socks can provide you with a range of cool functionality. For example, if you're a runner, the Sensoria Smart Socks are equipped with pressure sensors that can track metrics such as foot landing technique, cadence, and stride length.

Other smart socks, such as the Siren Socks, measure foot temperature to provide early detection of foot ulcers caused by diabetes.

Smart shoes have been on the market for a few years now and come equipped with some interesting features. For example, the Nike Adapt BB is a high-tech basketball shoe that can automatically adjust its fit and support based on your needs—it even laces itself automatically!

Other smart shoes such as the AISportage running shoes have built-in trackers to measure your foot's impact force, strike position, pronation, flight time, and stride. By tracking these metrics, smart shoes can help you optimize your technique and avoid common running-related injuries.

Smart clothing is a rapidly evolving technology that has the potential to revolutionize the way you approach health and fitness. As more and more companies invest in this technology, expect to see even more innovative and exciting products hit the market in the years to come.

Whether you're a yoga enthusiast, a runner, or just someone looking to optimize your daily routine, there's sure to be a type of smart clothing that can help you achieve your goals and improve your well-being.

Sean is a long-time tech-enthusiast and early adopter who enjoys keeping up with the latest technological advances. He focuses on exploring how tech such as wearables and AI are impacting people's health and wellbeing. He has a master's degree and, before writing for MakeUseOf, spent time as a technology instructor. He's been writing about technology for over 10 years. When he's not at his standing desk, you’ll find him on the volleyball court or on a mountain.