Athletic clothes now being sold in Japan react to the temperature around the wearer and warm up or cool down to keep the person inside the clothes comfortable. Smart exercise clothes might eventually send information to a doctor to let her know how your heart is working, or they could be treated with chemicals to kill bacteria that smells bad. If you wonder why someone would want their socks and shoes to kill bacteria, think of how an old pair of sneakers stinks. Clothes designers already are making pants and shirts with special pockets to hold computers and cell phones. Some workers are beginning to use them.
Video screens hang from helmets, and lightweight keyboards are attached to wrists or shirts.
With a computer strapped to his body, an airplane mechanic wouldn't need to carry around a huge manual, but could log on and find everything he needs. One company is experimenting with sunglasses that remember faces. The sunglasses take pictures of faces and store the pictures with information about the person. And if you think you don't dance well, smart clothes may be able to help. One of the people he works with won a prize for developing shoes that take many careful measurements of how a person is moving during a dance.