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Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed an incredible light, flexible, and fast new type of transistor that could very well power the future of wearable technology.

This transistor operates at a record 38 gigahertz, with simulations showing that it could reach speeds of as much as 110 gigahertz. This puts them on part with even some of the fastest computers.

See also: E-skin might be the slightly creepy future of wearables

How these transistors are created is also unique. It involves a reusable mold created with nanoimprint lithography and cutting the membrane with a nano-knife.

This gives you a small, ultra-thin and flexible transistor that can be used in a greater range of applications while providing extraordinary performance.

Not only that, but because the mold can be reused, it can be used to scale production in a process called roll-to-roll processing which will enable semiconductor manufacturers to produce devices on a roll of flexible plastic, in mass quantities.

Not only that, but their ultra-narrow design makes it possible to pack more transistors into a narrow space.

One type of product that can be made with this technology: wearables.

Because these electronics are flexible and thin, they are a perfect candidate for the world of wearables where weight and flexibility are of critical importance.

Wearable fitness trackers, heart monitors, smart clothing, watches, and more could be made using these flexible transistors without sacrificing in power or performance. In fact, they might even make them inherently more powerful.

Here’s the downside. This technology isn’t ready for commercial production yet. There is still a lot of research to be done, and there hasn’t yet been any official estimates as to when it might be ready for prime time.

Even today, engineers are struggling to find new ways to make wearable devices smaller, thinner, lighter, and more powerful. We’ve reached a point where if we want to make a more minuscule computer, we’re going to have to create new technologies to do so.

With this, and other technologies on the horizon, it’s safe to say for all the great devices on the market, we’ve seen nothing yet.

Brands are poised to benefit greatly from the Internet of Things (IoT) over the next several years, as companies are being connected with their consumers in ways they never could before.

Engagement is at the heart of IoT. It isn’t a dusty server sitting in a back office, it isn’t your laptop or even your smartphone. It is a concept built around connecting the various items we interact and engage with throughout the day in a way previously only reserved for what we would describe as computers.

This means that brands have a variety of new methods by which they can connect with and deliver value to the consumer, and to create a lifestyle around interacting with their brand and the environment around consumers.

In much the same way that Michelin generated brand awareness and encouraged use of its tires by creating the Michelin Travel Guide, brands like Under Armour are becoming all-in-one solutions for customers that want to live a healthier and more active lifestyle.

Customers are buying Under Armour apparel, fitness trackers, and in return providing a ton of useful data to Under Armour to help them create new, targeted products.

The brand previously only associated with tight-fitting fitness apparel is now becoming synonymous with life goals: health and fitness.

Retail outlets like Amazon are branching out from their traditional sales approach and into IoT in a big way. Amazon has recently launched an entire line of products and services aimed at making their services accessible throughout your home. This includes buttons that place orders for common household products with a single press and actively-listening devices that respond to voice commands.

For consumers, this is a good thing. It means that you can get more value from the companies you do business with. They get to branch out and become better connected to you and your individual needs.

Electronics giant Flex sees wearables becoming a vital part of the company’s success in the future, says CEO Mike McNamara.

A major player in the electronics world and currently one of the largest electronics manufacturers on the planet — with 200,000 employees working across 30 countries in the realm of design, manufacturing, distribution, and aftermarket services – McNamara says says he’s sees wearables moving beyond the small slice of company production where it currently sits.

Wearables, a range of personal electronic devices including smart watches, pedometers, heart rate monitors, smart clothing, and more – only makes up about 1% of Flex’s current business.

That’s a relatively small piece of a $25 billion-per-year pie, but one that McNamara believes is set to become a much bigger part of the long-term electronics industry.

In a recent interview with the South China Morning Post, McNamara said: “There is just so many different use cases for wearables that I think it will continue to grow.”

In case you’re wondering why you haven’t heard much about the Flex brand, it’s because Flex produces components and products for companies that then sell them to consumers.

For example, FitBit is a popular wearable item around the world. Flex would be the company that produces the electronics that go into FitBit’s devices.

“We work very, very hard for wearable technology,” he said. “We try to work on the underlying core process technologies that enables wearables to happen.”

The wearables business is booming. Over 110 million devices are expected to ship in 2016 which is a projected 38% increase from the previous year. That’s about one new device for every three people living in the United States.

In 2020, market experts expect that number to increase to $237 million.

One of the primary reasons for McNamara’s optimism is the potential for new and interesting applications for wearable technology. We are already seeing professional sports organizations talking to wearable manufacturers about adding wearable technology to their player’s uniform in order to better track and evaluate performance during the game.

Hospitals and other health care facilities are also looking to wearables as a step forward in patient care.

With all this in mind, we can be certain that McNamara isn’t the only CEO placing a bet on the wearables market.