LEATHERHEAD, U.K.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Professional sports and wearable technology go hand in hand. New York Knicks star, Carmelo Anthony has been in the headlines for investments and partnerships through the creation of his firm M7 tech partners. Now international tennis star Andy Murray wants to get in the wearable technology game. Currently ranked number 9 in the world, Murray is the British No.1, 2012 US Open Champion, 2013 Wimbledon Champion and reigning Olympic Singles Champion.
Murray and his firm 77Group, have recently expressed interest in wearable technology and have confirmed they will be sending representation to Smithers Apex’s Wearable Technology UX 2014 event as they explore the industry for investment opportunities. The focus on user experience is the key to building a relationship with customers and a product. Murray’s passion for wearable technology derives from the data it can provide to enhance his game. Always striving, and succeeding, to be the top, Murray provided Smithers Apex with an exclusive interview into the user experience of wearable technology through the eyes of a professional athlete.
Smithers Apex: What’s your opinion on form factor exploration of wearable technologies (location on the body, the possibility of these devices becoming invisible) as we move toward technology on the body becoming nearly invisible? How would this affect your usage?
Andy Murray: As a tennis player, I need to feel that whatever I have on isn't affecting my game. I guess different sports will have different views on that - an NFL player is used to wearing a lot of kit, so a sensor to him might be no big deal. But in a sport like mine, it's very different.
Looking at it from a different angle, it would be possible, probably, to have a sensor in my racket right now. It's just the body is a very different challenge. So yeah, I think the smaller sensors - ones that stick to you and you almost forget about - will be game changing. And like I said, things that work for me in terms of comfort will work for anyone. We all want to be comfortable with what we wear after all.
The complete interview is available at www.wearabletechnologyux.com.
Smithers Apex’s Wearable Technology UX 2014 conference is dedicated to the human connection with wearable technology. The conference will take place 22-23 September 2014 in London at Central Saint Martins.
“The user is the key factor of the theme we are presenting at Wearable Technology UX 2014. Hearing from someone like Wimbledon champion Andy Murray in this interview, gives our readers an opportunity to identify with the pro-athlete and more importantly, the everyday athlete,” said Barbara Fowler, Conference Director, Smithers Apex. “If pro-athletes feel this way, want this product, like this, hate that, it’s what everyday consumers will strive toward too. This interview gives an example of what type of perspectives you’ll find at Wearable Technology UX 2014.”
With two days of presentations from industry giants like Intel, Google, Microsoft, and Adidas, this conference will complement the technology providers with the user experience models from other industries with presentations from Fred & Ginger, Fjord, The Family Business Tattoo, and Taylor Wessing among others. “This combination of viewpoints from across the spectrum will provide attendees with a new outlook on how to best approach their next product design with the user in mind,” says Conference Director Barbara Fowler.
For more information on Wearable Technology UX 2014, visit www.wearabletechnologyux.com. Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities are still available. Interested parties should contact Steve Frier at sfrier@smithers.com.
About Smithers Apex: Smithers Apex, a global business that provides events, market research, publications and strategic and technical consulting to an expanding list of niche, emerging and high growth industries, including home and personal care; lighting, imaging and displays; plastic electronics and alternative energy. For more information about Smithers Apex, please visit www.smithersapex.com