Diversity and Inclusivity in the Age of Wearables: A Buzzword, a Myth, an Uncertain Reality

‘Wearable Technology’ is a buzzword of our contemporary era. It could be argued there are few examples of aesthetically pleasing devices that are designed to meet our needs and/or our consumer desires. However, do we focus on design and aesthetics of technology as a holistic action with the capacity to simultaneously engage conceptual and practical shifts that make our society a place with no boundaries? To design inclusively is to engage the user deeply throughout the design process, sharing our practices and amalgamating people’s unique knowledge as technological interventions. Design diversity and inclusion seems to be used interchangeably with two other terminologies, a) Universal Design and b) Design for All. The terms have a parallel purpose but their origin and use is distinguished in various parts of the world. For example, Inclusive Design is used within Europe and goes beyond age, ethnicity, gender, sex, and disabilities to focus on other excluded groups to deliver mainstream solutions. Inspired by the limited understanding and choices around aesthetics and personalisation in wearables, this article discusses how we use technology to empower individuals in a variety of contexts; to improve our way of living in the world, through a number of contextual resources and practice-research, which were devised and conducted to address women’s concerns and preferences on wearable technologies.