From horse driven carriages to electric sports cars, mankind has proven time and again that anything is possible in the realm of technology. Now we are seeing the emergence of Virtual Reality systems that promise to immerse us into digital worlds even further, allowing these worlds to come alive.
Today, the very clothes that we wear are catching up to the tech rush. It’s actually been going on for quite some time now, with the introduction of anti-bacterial socks, odor fighting apparel and even body contouring shapewear. Here are a few high tech clothes that are capable of being game changers.
Wearable Sunscreen
The UNIQLO UV Cut collection includes cotton tees, blouses, hoodies and linen pants designed to filter out 90% of harsh UV rays from the sun. The apparel collection comes in a variety of styles and colors to choose from so you’ll never get bored or go out of style.
Inspector Gadget Coat
If you want to look and feel like the iconic cartoon character Inspector Gadget, you have to get your hands on a ScotteVest Trench Coat. It has 19 pockets to store anything you might carry with you. Pens, a digital camera, your iPad, two phones, your passport and a whole lot more. The clothing line also has shorts, pants, coats, shirts, vests and even caps with concealed pockets. The technology is amazing because all the things you stuff into your pockets won’t bulge at all. With all these pockets, who needs a man purse?
Spray on Clothing
Wouldn’t it be nice to just spray on your clothes? It would be a definite space saver and you wouldn’t waste time thinking about what to wear. Spanish fashion designer Manel Torres and Particle Technology Professor Paul Luckham worked on seamless, spray-on clothing called Fabrican Spray-on that you just spray on bare skin. The technology was originally intended as a dressing for wounds and burns, but it makes a hell of a fashion statement as well.
Portable Airbag for Cyclists
Scandinavian Industrial Designers Anna Haupt and TereseAlstinwere definitely on to something when they chose to design a wearable airbag for cyclists as their master thesis in 2005. The result is Hövding, a cool looking scarf that deploys as an airbag that protects the entire head and neck during an accident. It deploys like a hood and uses a cold gas inflator that uses helium during deployment. It’s made out of an ultra-strong nylon fabric that won’t break or tear even when it scrapes off the pavement and will keep the pressure constant for several seconds before deflating.
Jacket/vest + backpack combo
The ultimate in preparedness, the backpack with a hidden jacket for those emergency rain situations are great for the times you do get caught and want to save your gear and yourself from getting wet. Funnel has a really cool backpack + jacket combo that’s easy to deploy even while you’re wearing the backpack. Just pull on some strings on the side and viola, your backpack turns into a jacket! Just slip yourself in and start singing in the rain.
BC Vest has a built in backpack that you wouldn’t even know was there. Designed for skiers and snowboarders, this 2lb wonder vest can keep you warm and keep your stuff. No more getting snagged on tree branches!
See you in the Future
With all the advancements in technology, I wouldn’t be surprised to finally see the invisibility cloak and powered exo-suits (ala the movie Oblivion) in action, helping soldiers on the battlefield and giving paralyzed people the ability to walk and lift heavy objects again. The future is going to be fashionably awesome.
