At the U.S. Open, instead of watching the game, a lot of eyes will be on the ball boys and the Ralph Lauren Polo Tech shirts they'll be sporting.
Marking Ralph Lauren's first foray into the world of wearable technology, the Polo Tech shirt will be able to monitor your heart rate, stress level, and breathing, and send this information to your smartphone or tablet. What allows the Polo Tech shirt to gather all of this biometric data, are the biosensing silver fibers that are woven into the shirt. The shirt itself is made of nylon and looks a like a typical black workout shirt.
The Ralph Lauren Polo Tech shirt will available to consumers in 2015. There are also plans to release a sensor-infused Ralph Lauren dress shirt as well.
Tech-Infused Polo Shirts
The Ralph Lauren Polo Tech Shirt Merges Fashion and Technology
Trend Themes
1. Wearable Technology Clothing - Adoption of wearable technology in clothing beyond smartwatches raises disruptive innovation opportunities for multiple industries.
2. Smart Clothing Personalization - Opportunity for disruptive innovation to create personalized smart clothing that monitor biometric data for improved health and wellness.
3. Integration of Clothing and Smartphone Technology - Innovative opportunity to integrate clothing technology with smartphone and tablet technology for improved wearable tech user experiences.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion Industry - Fashion industry could benefit from adding wearable technology elements to clothing lines for a more holistic customer experience.
2. Sports Industry - Smart clothing technology that monitors biometric data has potential to provide better training and health management in the sports industry.
3. Healthcare Industry - Collaboration between healthcare and wearable technology could lead to more effective health monitoring and management for patients.