A Study on Wearable Computing

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A Study on Wearable Computing

• Kunal Ganguly
• CS898A Mobile / Wireless Communications

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What is Wearable Computing (WC)?

• Technology which allows for the human and
  computer to interact, process data, and perform
  tasks as one unit.
• The concept of wearable computers attempts to
  bridge the interaction gap between the computer
  and a human.
• Wearable computing promotes devices that should
  be as natural to the user as wearing sunglasses
  or clothes.

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What is a Wearable Computer?

• A computer that is subsumed into the personal
  space of the user
• Controlled by the user, and always with the user
  it is always on and always accessible
  (operational and interactional consistency)

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Definition of a Wearable Computer

• A wearable computer offers all the features
  of a regular computing system, but is also
  inextricably intertwined with the wearer.

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Human-Computer Feedback Loop

• Operational Flow

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Fundamentals of Wearable Computing

• Humanistic Intelligence (HI)
• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Mediated Reality

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Humanistic Intelligence (HI)

• HI is the intelligence that arises when a
  human is part of the feedback loop of a
  computational process in which the human and
  computer are linked. This symbiosis creates a far
  more powerful entity than the individual parts.

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Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

• HCI typically treats the human and computer as 2
  separate entities.
• WC extends the HCI concept where the computer can
  be regarded as a second brain, with its sensory
  modalities and additional senses adding to the
  wearers (paradigm shift).
• The idea is to move the tools of augmented
  intelligence and communication directly onto the
  human body.

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Mediated Reality

• It is possible for the wearable computer to
  change the reality that the user is experiencing
  (based on user preferences) by altering sensory
  data.
• Examples
• Giving directions to a location by highlighting
  the path in the users vision
• Filtering out background noises

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Goal of Wearable Computing

• Rather than attempting to emulate human
  intelligence, the main goal of the wearable
  computing paradigm is to produce a symbiotic
  relationship between the human and computer. The
  computer simply performs tasks at which it is
  much better and faster at doing.

Click for Movie
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The Wireless Aspect

• Wireless communication is an integral part of
  WC. Present-day WCs use standardized
  communications such as
• 802.11x
• Bluetooth
• Infra-red

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The Hardware Aspect

• Ruggedized chassis
• Small size and light-weight
• A WCs function is decided by where on the body
  it is worn, however, head-mounted are the most
  common
• Multiple standard connectors, such as USB
• Innovative power use
• Innovative design of components

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The Software Aspect

• Common Operating Systems
• Windows
• Linux (popular)
• MS-DOS
• GUIs are typically minimal
• Installed applications depend on the function of
  the device
• Use of Agents is mandatory, not optional (such as
  remembrance agent, context-aware agent, etc)

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Devices in the Market

• Mobile Assistant V (MA V)
• OS - Windows
• Connects to a variety of display and input types
  including bundled wrist-worn full keyboard
• Integrated speech recognition, wireless and wired
  connectivity
• Market Mobile workers (doctors, salespeople,
  construction, etc) and students

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Devices in the Market

• ServicePoint Server
• OS Windows/Linux (RedHat Professional)
• All features of the MA V
• Can function as an Access Point
• Enhanced Magnesium-alloy shell
• Powered by Lithium-Ion batteries

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Devices in the Market and under research
Spot
Sprout
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Conclusion

• The convergence of communication, computation,
  and wirelessness is inevitable. A single device
  will replace all separate informatic items we
  carry and use on a daily basis.
• Major obstacles power, cooling, processing
  power, lightweight components.
• WC remains the bastion of academia, but companies
  are slowly catching on.

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QA