The market for smart clothing and body sensors is developing rapidly, and is the main area of focus of the latest Tractica report.

According to them, the long-term market opportunity is particularly large for body sensors given the diversity of device types being developed and the specialized applications being pursued. The research firm expects that healthcare will be one of the biggest markets for these sensors, particularly connected wearable patches, but other key application markets will include consumer, sports, enterprise and industrial.

Overall, Tractica expects that cumulative worldwide shipments of smart clothing and body sensors will total 190 million units between 2015 and 2021, with annual shipments reaching 92.7 million devices by the end of that period. The firm anticipates that body sensors will represent approximately 70% of the total market, with smart clothing accounting for about 30%.

“Unlike fitness trackers, smart watches, or smart glasses, which have fairly well-defined form factors and use cases, smart clothing and body sensors are seeing a greater degree of experimentation and innovation,” research director Aditya Kaul said in a statement. “The applications for these devices span a range of markets including high fashion, medical devices, professional apparel, professional sports, mental wellness, and baby monitors, to name a few.”

As for the global healthcare wearables market, Tractica forecasts it will account for $17.8 billion in yearly revenue, with 98 million annual device shipments.