Smart Wearables

Buying advice

Estimate the cost per year of use

Wearables age faster than most robots, because straps, hinges and sealed batteries take daily wear and the software is tied to a generation of phone or headset. Divide the price by the years you realistically expect to use the device, then add replacement pads, lenses, straps or batteries. A cheaper pair of glasses that needs replacing when your phone changes can cost more each year than a dearer pair with a longer support life. On the October 2026 review, the Bee AI Pendant opened the price range at around $49 and the Sarcos Guardian XO closed it at around $100,000, and nine of the 59 had no published price.

Business editions charge for more than hardware

Devices made for workplaces are often priced to include device-management tools, longer warranties and support contracts, while consumer glasses and headsets rely on personal accounts and app stores. When you compare, ask whether a business price includes a management licence and for how long, and whether a consumer device can be enrolled in your organisation's device management at all. A low consumer price can turn expensive if each unit has to be set up by hand and supported one by one. For gloves and robotic hands, ask whether software and calibration tools are licensed per seat.

Regulated wearables follow different rules

Some wearables here sit close to medical territory. In the United States, 21 CFR 800.30 sets the conditions for over-the-counter hearing aids, including labelling and output limits, so ask whether a hearing product is sold under that rule, through a prescription route or as neither, since that changes the support and returns you can expect. For exoskeletons sold for work rather than therapy, ask whether the maker has designed to the service-robot safety requirements being finalised as ISO/FDIS 13482. Clinical and industrial versions of similar devices are often priced and supported quite differently.

What to look for

• Device price against required phones, PCs or subscriptions
• Fit, sizing and prescription lens options before you order
• Which headsets, engines or robots a glove supports

Common questions

Do AI pendants and voice wearables need a subscription?

Some include core features and charge for extras such as longer transcription. Check the maker's plans alongside the device price.

Are robotic grippers and hands listed here?

Yes. They sit with haptic gloves in the smart hands category, so you can compare devices that capture hand movement with devices that reproduce it.

Sources and further reading

• 21 CFR 800.30: Over-the-counter hearing aid controls — eCFR, US Government Publishing Office.
  US rules for over-the-counter hearing aids, including labelling, output limits and conditions of sale.
• ISO/FDIS 13482 Robotics: Safety requirements for service robots — International Organization for Standardization.
  The final draft revision of the service robot safety standard, for personal and commercial settings.