THE FUTURE GYM

SMART HEADPHONES: If you work out with headphones like I do, then you know how annoying it is to deal with cords swinging back and forth. New headphones like Dash are solving this problem by becoming wireless. But that’s not all. These headphones can also detect your heart rate and thus calories burned, making them a perfect fitness accessory for any workout.

NUTRITION TRACKING: Sensor technology is getting good enough (and small enough) to fit inside areas as tiny as the tip of a fork, so that it may not be long before our utensils are telling us the nutritional status (calories, fats, sugars) of what we’re eating and drinking. Unlike checking a nutrition label on a package of food, these sensors will be able to detect exactly how much you are consuming, based on the weight of the object on your plate or fork. That will give us more precise information on exactly what is going into our bodies each day.

SMART SPORTS EQUIPMENT: Turns out, the “Internet of Things” really does mean all things. Many sporting goods products, ranging from basketballs to tennis rackets, now have sensors inside of them that can give you feedback on your game, from how hard you hit the ball to the number of baskets you made. There are even special running shoes that can track total miles ran. Will the athletes of the future be even better than today given all of the data they’ll have as they train?

PERSONALIZED MEDICINE: Because so many new technologies will soon exist that can extract all kinds of information about our health, diet, and fitness levels, in the not-too-distant future it will be easier for doctors to treat us more specifically. Isn’t it crazy that all adults, no matter our size, shape, or medical past, are still told to take the same amount of over-the-counter medications? In the future, we’ll have personalized vitamins and medications that are specifically formulated to treat our bodies.

PERFORMANCE WEAR: As discussed on page, new smart materials like graphene are getting embedded into everything from our mattresses to our clothing. When embedded into our gym clothes, shoes, and accessories, we’ll be able to track our performance simply by the objects we’re wearing—no fancy fitness tracking bracelets required.