What Is Wearable Technology?

    1  Have you ever heard someone mention wearable technology but weren’t quite sure what it meant? Simply put, wearable technology is a general term for a group of devices — including fitness trackers and smart-watches — that are designed to be worn throughout the day. These devices are often called wearables for short.

    2  Wearables have become increasingly popular over the past few years, but the basic idea is nothing new. For example, if you’ve ever worn a wristwatch, you’ve already used a simple kind of wearable. Today’s wearables can actually connect with your existing devices, like computers and smartphones, which means they can do a lot of interesting things.

    3  Whether you’re training for a marathon or are just trying to be more active, these devices can help you get a better understanding of your daily activity. They can track the number of steps you take, your average heart rate, how long you sleep, and more. This data can then be synced with another device, which allows you to see trends and patterns in your activity. For example, you could find out how far you’ve walked over the past week or estimate how many calories you’ve burned in a day.

    4  Fitness trackers are available in a range of prices and form factors, depending on your needs. Basic models that clip onto your belt or shoe can cost as little as $50, but other models — such as wristbands and even jewelry — can be more expensive. Some of the most popular brands of fitness trackers include Fitbit, Basis, and Misfit.

    5  If you have a smartphone, you’re probably used to receiving a lotof different notifications, like emails, text messages and phone calls. But ifyou don’t like looking at your phone throughout the day, a smartwatch maybe able to help. These devices can be synced with your smartphone, whichallows you to see notifications on your wrist at a glance. Most smartwatchescan also be used as simple fitness trackers, but they’re a lot more expensive.The average smartwatch starts at around $200.

    6  Most smartwatches rely on a smartphone to function, which alsomeans the model you choose will depend on your phone. For example,the Apple Watch can only be synced with an iPhone, while Android Weardevices — such as the Moto 360and Samsung Gear — can only beconnected to Android phones. Thereare some smartwatches that can besynced with just about any smartphone— like the Pebble — but they also tendto have fewer features than the modelslisted above.

    7  Safety wearables are devices that are designed to help you insituations where you feel threatened or in danger. They’re sometimesdisguised as jewelry so they can be used in a discreet way without lettinga potential attacker know what the user is doing. Most are operated by abutton that sends an alert to others, sounds a loud alarm, or both.

    8  The alerts they send can either be pre-programmed texts orrecorded voice messages. A lot of them also have built-in GPS, allowing youto immediately share your location with friends, family, nearby people, oreven the police.

1. Simply put, wearable technology is a general term for a group of devices — including fitness trackers and smartwatches — that are designed to be worn throughout the day. 

简而言之，可穿戴技术是一组设备的统称，包括健身追踪器和智能手表，这些设备被设计成可以整天佩戴。

句中的 put 意为 express sth. in words “说，表述，表达” 。

2. Wearables have become increasingly popular over the past few years, but the basic idea is nothing new. 

近几年来，可穿戴设备日渐流行，但其基本原理并不是什么新鲜玩意儿。

形容词修饰 somebody, someone, something, anybody, anyone, anything, nobody, nothing 等不定代词时，需要放在不定代词之后，如句中的 nothing new 。

3. For example, you could find out how far you’ve walked over the past week or estimate how many calories you’ve burned in a day. 

比如说，你能知道在过去的一周你走了多远，或者估算出你每日消耗的卡路里。

用 could 表示可能性，在语气上比用 can委婉。

4. If you have a smartphone, you ’ re probably used to receiving a lot of different notifications, like emails, text messages and phone calls. 

如果你有智能手机，或许你已习惯于用它接收各种通知，比如电子邮件、短信和电话。

注意 used to do sth. 意思是“过去常常做某事” ，而  be used to doing sth. 则表示“习惯于做某事” 。

5. For example, the Apple Watch can only be synced with an iPhone, while Android Wear devices — such as the Moto 360 and Samsung Gear — can only be connected to Android phones. 

比方说， 苹果智能手表只能与苹果手机同步， 而安卓可穿戴设备，比如Moto 360和三星智能穿戴设备，则只能与安卓手机连接。

句中的连接词 while意为“然而，但是” 。

6. Safety wearables are devices that are designed to help you in situations where you feel threatened or in danger. 

安全性可穿戴设备是指在你受到威胁或身处险境的情形下给你帮助的设备。

句中 where 引导的定语从句修饰 situations 。