Wearable technology is not a new idea; for example, people have been wearing hearing aids for decades. Technological advancement in the use of sensors, cameras and algorithms are facilitating more capable and useful wearables in all aspects of everyday life, including the workplace. Among the latest inventions are glasses that can identify objects and describe them out loud, as well as clothing that translates spatial data into vibrations.
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.