Wearable computers?

[jishk]

Is anyone here into wearable computing? If so, lets hear your results/gear!

I'm trying to turn my Asus Eee netbook into a wearable... I know which display I'm going to get, but would love to get some advice on input devices that are more friendly than those chord keyboards.

 

[Rhetoric Camel]

wearable computing? Like make it part of your clothes?

 

[Slighter]

pics or it didn't happen....please

 

[jishk]

That's the idea down the road (and it's possible now), but so far there haven't been very many products actually made to go into clothes seamlessly.

Right now it's more just like a portable computer where you end up wearing it. Most people go with a small computer or high-powered phone, a head-mounted display, and some simple input devices.
::shrug::

Right now it's mostly just a project for hobbyists and Computer Science majors. A few hours on youtube will give you tons of interesting ideas from the newest bits of (really expensive) gear, to vids of modders making their own rig.

Edit: and slighter, I'll post pics as soon as i buy/mod my display. =] then you can all see me looking like a cyborg. Hahah

 

[tribalmasters]

I have some nifty small computers that are 'almost' perfect for the task but not quite. Have you taken a look at Gumstix? gumstix - dream, design, deliver they are so cute and can have the options you need even Bluetooth!! As for devices howabout some mini bluetooth keyboards like the ones from quirky Chinese gadget sites?

 

[justsomeguy]

Definitely the future... probably faster than we think (just like most tech)

YouTube - Pattie Maes & Pranav Mistry: Unveiling the "Sixth Sense," game-changing wearable tech

 

[TWolf]

Wow! I'm impressed!

 

[Mac]

My father told me that he got a pair of video glasses that simulate an 80 foot screen for like a hundred bucks. He said that his is wired but they make wireless ones that can sinc up with your blue tooth. (so that you can walk around while watching a big screen???)

LOL Skynet here we come!

 

[chrisl317]

I just want a jack in the back of my head or an air card! Could you imagine an implant that would allow you to see the web transparently as you walked around, navigate and change pages just by thinking, and be in 3D!

 

[Stephaniems]

I think we are all "plugged in" enough really.

 

[chrisl317]

We have the most expensive, sophisticated and under used computer in known reality sitting between our ears. I want to be able to use more of it's capabilities.

 

[jishk]

I just want a jack in the back of my head or an air card! Could you imagine an implant that would allow you to see the web transparently as you walked around, navigate and change pages just by thinking, and be in 3D!

There's a really awesome video on youtube about just that. It's one of Google's Tech Talks with Prof. Thad Starner - a pioneer of the whole cyborg thing at MIT/Ga Tech. A word of warning before you click 'play'... it's an hour and twenty minutes long, and full of really great info about wearables. Towards the end, he starts talking about brain-to-computer interfaces: where they're at now, and where they would like to go.

YouTube - Reading Your Mind: Interfaces for Wearable Computing

Apparently, half of what you said is currently possible, but far from feasible (as the other half is not currently possible at all).

In my opinion, real optimization between two separate entities is a two-sided process. In the case of computing, the Computer must evolve to better interface with the User, and the User must evolve to better interface with the computer.

So I guess here's an interesting question:
There are seemingly few that would be willing to devote the time, energy, and/or money to creating a wearable computer. If you had a wearable computer, what would you use it for?

 

[5cardstud]

How about those implant tattoos that change with your mood. Pretty soon the comutor advancement is going to go crazy. I love it. I want a magnetic harddrive but they're still to spendy.

 

[chrisl317]

There's a really awesome video on youtube about just that. It's one of Google's Tech Talks with Prof. Thad Starner - a pioneer of the whole cyborg thing at MIT/Ga Tech. A word of warning before you click 'play'... it's an hour and twenty minutes long, and full of really great info about wearables. Towards the end, he starts talking about brain-to-computer interfaces: where they're at now, and where they would like to go.

YouTube - Reading Your Mind: Interfaces for Wearable Computing

Apparently, half of what you said is currently possible, but far from feasible (as the other half is not currently possible at all).

In my opinion, real optimization between two separate entities is a two-sided process. In the case of computing, the Computer must evolve to better interface with the User, and the User must evolve to better interface with the computer.

So I guess here's an interesting question:
There are seemingly few that would be willing to devote the time, energy, and/or money to creating a wearable computer. If you had a wearable computer, what would you use it for?

Well, if it's running windows, not much.

 

[tribalmasters]

Please can I have an Android computer in my head? It must play internet radio so I can listen to soulful house and jazz all day and allow one to read instruction manuals! Augmented reality that tells one which part to replace in the Boeing 737 with a circle around the part perhaps? That would be soooo cooooool! Then I can use it to think of witty comments instantly to annoy people!

The best part would be to power it from the heart! Ohh and it needs a golf game no make that an instant Golf Pro button that makes one really awesome at real golf