Howdy y'all. I've got something you guys might be interested in. I posted this article today as a way to get the general attention of the FOSS and MID communities in hopes that someone might be interested in creating a wearable PC in the near future. Given that I now know that Nokia is lurking this forum (wahoo! ) I thought I'd post it here to A) bring it to their attention in hopes they might do something with it, and B) get feedback from you guys on the idea.

The article was written for the purpose of saying "This can be done, so let's do it!" while showing that it is indeed possible to create such a device. Now, given that ultra portability is one of the focuses of the MID market, and especially with the NITs, I figure, since we're already working towards a device that is essentially one step short of a full blown PC in a MID form factor, why not take the additional step and create a wearable PC? What do you guys think?

Now I'm not trying to brag up my site, so don't mistake me for that, but rather I'm trying to kick up some interest in this idea, because I've wanted a wearable PC for years, and now that the technology has reached a level where that's possible, I think we should move ahead and make it reality. Plus, I know I'm not the only one who'd be interested in such a device.

We had an interesting discussion about that subject here a while back. Apparently there was a presentation of a device that integrated into your clothing... I can't remember if it had been marketed or not. Fun concept, but practicality remains to be seen.

Integrating directly into clothes is not something I really believe in (I tend to change my clothes every day - but of course there is the trend towards mobile devices and computers converging into ... Well, or lets say mobile devices gaining most of the capabilities of traditional computers.

Then again, I personally wouldn't look at this from a technological standpoint, but rather from user need / human behaviour. The technology will come one day anyway, it's more about what do you with them and how.

Given how rude people already are with their cell phones I shudder at the idea of people having on visors.

And the idea of driving while one of these things are on is the scariest **** I've read. Really.

Yeah, that's why I suggested the one screen idea as an alternative to the two screens. Some people will want full immersion, but that's definitely a bad idea when you're on the move. Hence an ability to go one or two screens would be preferable. Of course, even if you included anti-idiot devices in the unit to keep people from driving and using one of these, they'd still do something idiotic anyways and wrap themselves around a tree, or someone else. Heck, they do it all the time with cell phones. Which means an anti-use law would likely go into effect for these too, which is fine IMHO. If you're driving, you pay 100% attention to what you're doing, period.

Finns ...

I'm waiting for the contact-lens heads-up-display a la Vernor Vinge's "Rainbows End"

codeMonkey: lol. I doubt that'll be happening anytime soon.

Why not take it to the next level: Direct Neural Interface*...


* Powered by MS WinDNi or iBrain OSxx

I think a better choice is an EyeTap, or perhaps a variant with a variable-opacity LCD shutter to block external light when desired. These have three benefits over typical HMDs, like the one you linked:

• Ability to sense what you're seeing
  • For head-motion tracking, as an input.
  • For recording. (Glogging, or simply as a camera-phone substitute.)
  • Perhaps most significantly, and certainly the main reason, is the ability to allow accurate video overlay. Anything from face recognition and showing appropriate info (from PIM) when a face is matched, to overlaying an edge-detect enhanced IR view, to weapons targeting info.

    Come with me if you want to live.

• Ability to allow largely unrestricted vision by simply not displaying anything, but leaving the headset on. (Of course, some HMDs already have this.)

I think a binocular eyetap would be quite safe for walking around and such, though the designs I've seen don't have enough viewing angle for driving with the display off. The design could be adapted to larger viewing angles, at the cost of physical compactness, or one-eyed versions, as used now, would probably be adequate.

As for displaying while driving, it could actually make driving safer if used for driving-relevant info (speedometer, tachometer, and warning lights), or other info that the driver would be accessing anyway, but would be looking down for, such as HVAC/stereo controls. Even unrelated and distracting activites like SMS would be safer when looking up than looking down.