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You can try here to start, but there are lots more. Like this. I just figured that since that was a linux driver for console controllers, it'd be appreciated around here. I built my NES controller for my PC from about $10 worth of Radio Hack parts and an old NES controller. It hooks up to the game port. None of this new fangled USB bullshit that these kids today are into. And is it just me, or does it seem like cheating to buy a prebuilt kit to solder onto your controller?

DailyWireless has more on Wearable Communicating Costumes and the Adidas Hot Shoe.

"Smart clothing" and wearable computing developers include:

• France Telecom invented a flexible fiber optic system that can be embedded in clothes. Static or animated graphics can be displayed.

• Chipmaker Infineon has created a packaging technology that allows circuitry to be woven into ordinary fabrics, which can then be normally washed or even dry-cleaned. The company created a prototype jacket with an embedded MP3 player.

• Orang-Otang Computers has patented designs for gadgets like a phone that fits under a shirt sleeve, a wrist-mounted audio recorder, a wearable laptop and a wearable camera.

• California's Charmed Technology, an MIT Media Lab spin-off, is poised to be a world leader in affordable, wearable Internet products. Their CharmBadge is designed for aiding the communication and networking.

• Fossil, best known for trendy watches, has created wrist devices that exchange information with handheld computers and Microsoft's Spot.

• The Smart Shirt System uses biological sensors to monitor heart rates or the locations of those wearing the technology, says Jeffrey Wolf, CEO of Sensatex Inc.

• Tactex Controls uses "smart fabric" for a touch-sensitive MIDI controller.

• Zigbee-equipped sneakers might record speed, body telemetry and even external sensors.

• Orientation, communications and geographic positioning electronics can all be incorporated into outdoor clothing. Heat can be transferred through conducting fibres to colder areas of the body

• The SCOTTeVEST shows the way traditional garments may be altered to meet the demanding needs of spies and undercover agents.

And for people who want a wearable computer right now, a company called Charmed sells them. Bit pricey, though.

And for people who want a wearable computer right now, a company called Charmed sells them. Bit pricey, though.

Hello. There's a driver for PS-PC parallel port adapters in the Linux Kernel (2.4 at least). The file 'Documentation/input/joystick-parport.txt' contains a schematic for an adapter and mentions that it's DirectPad Pro compatible. The DPP web site doesn't appear to be there any more, but there's a mirror.

ya, it'll be retinal scanners and 'decks' before we know it. I know lan parties will be a hell of alot better then.

Whatever happened to the consumer grade retinal scanners? charmed has the closest thing I can find to that.

Hey! It's BG's wife!

I don't know, but these people sure don't think so. Though I don't think those hot supermodels would actually enjoy carrying around computers that are hot and cumbersome.

This is Steve Mann. This is Thad Starner. These are the people at Charmed. Steve Mann is not among them.

Also, the $6000 price tag is not particularly unreasonable for a commercial wearable computer, eg. Xybernaut's stuff isn't much cheaper. Last year I had the job of purchasing a wearable for our lab -- we almost went with the earlier model of CharmIT, but in the end decided that we needed a bit more power and expandability, so we rolled our own. Had the Crusoe version existed then, we quite probably would have chosen it.

Cheers,
-j.

Also, the $6000 price tag is not particularly unreasonable for a commercial wearable computer, eg. Xybernaut's stuff isn't much cheaper. Last year I had the job of purchasing a wearable for our lab -- we almost went with the earlier model of CharmIT, but in the end decided that we needed a bit more power and expandability, so we rolled our own. Had the Crusoe version existed then, we quite probably would have chosen it.

Cheers,
-j.

The image TechFitsYou.jpg (the bottom of the article) should be saved as a PNG, instead of JPEG (just a 4 or 8 color PNG would look great and would be small, while the highly compressed JPEG looks terrible). The same with the header logo (Header_wireless_everywear.jpg) and the photos (charmit.jpg, CharmITTwiddler146.jpg). If someone knows the webmaster, please tell her/him about it, because it looks very unprofessional. And while I believe that they know the technology and I can believe them about this product, if I hadn't read the Slashdot comments I wouldn't be so sure. Thanks.

The image TechFitsYou.jpg (the bottom of the article) should be saved as a PNG, instead of JPEG (just a 4 or 8 color PNG would look great and would be small, while the highly compressed JPEG looks terrible). The same with the header logo (Header_wireless_everywear.jpg) and the photos (charmit.jpg, CharmITTwiddler146.jpg). If someone knows the webmaster, please tell her/him about it, because it looks very unprofessional. And while I believe that they know the technology and I can believe them about this product, if I hadn't read the Slashdot comments I wouldn't be so sure. Thanks.

The image TechFitsYou.jpg (the bottom of the article) should be saved as a PNG, instead of JPEG (just a 4 or 8 color PNG would look great and would be small, while the highly compressed JPEG looks terrible). The same with the header logo (Header_wireless_everywear.jpg) and the photos (charmit.jpg, CharmITTwiddler146.jpg). If someone knows the webmaster, please tell her/him about it, because it looks very unprofessional. And while I believe that they know the technology and I can believe them about this product, if I hadn't read the Slashdot comments I wouldn't be so sure. Thanks.

The image TechFitsYou.jpg (the bottom of the article) should be saved as a PNG, instead of JPEG (just a 4 or 8 color PNG would look great and would be small, while the highly compressed JPEG looks terrible). The same with the header logo (Header_wireless_everywear.jpg) and the photos (charmit.jpg, CharmITTwiddler146.jpg). If someone knows the webmaster, please tell her/him about it, because it looks very unprofessional. And while I believe that they know the technology and I can believe them about this product, if I hadn't read the Slashdot comments I wouldn't be so sure. Thanks.

The image TechFitsYou.jpg (the bottom of the article) should be saved as a PNG, instead of JPEG (just a 4 or 8 color PNG would look great and would be small, while the highly compressed JPEG looks terrible). The same with the header logo (Header_wireless_everywear.jpg) and the photos (charmit.jpg, CharmITTwiddler146.jpg). If someone knows the webmaster, please tell her/him about it, because it looks very unprofessional. And while I believe that they know the technology and I can believe them about this product, if I hadn't read the Slashdot comments I wouldn't be so sure. Thanks.

This reminds me of this Charm-IT wearable, but for my purposes, I like the OQO better (I'm not swimming in spare cash).

That is precisely why the CharmIT exists - to
help nerds make useable systems that can be
tinkered with.

CharmIT

It's not linked of the main Charmed site yet, so the link you should visit for the build-it-yourself wearable is http://www.charmed.com/charmit. Forgive the lack of content at the moment - I threw this together in about an hour after Timothy told me he was going to mention us. =)

It's not linked of the main Charmed site yet, so the link you should visit for the build-it-yourself wearable is http://www.charmed.com/charmit. Forgive the lack of content at the moment - I threw this together in about an hour after Timothy told me he was going to mention us. =)

Then again, I can't wait to go around looking like this :)

From their website :

Tillotson joined Charmed Technology in February 2000 as a sensory designer. Her focus is the introduction of smell technology to wearable computing and digital fashion. Jenny is responsible for setting up the London Sensory Design Lab(TM). ...

Through the addition of smell technology and pheromones to the world of fashion design, clothing and accessories, Jenny is creating a whole new 'multi-sensorial' environment.

Sorry, honey, all of the clothing I own is already saturated with my own patented HebGb(TM) pheremone blend. Most of my geek friends have gone far beyond, carefully refining their UltraStink(TM) and MegaStink(TM) bioengineered pheremone capsules, which are now strong enough to elicit responses from over 10m away (depending on prevailing winds), as well as strip paint.

NANIX will become the standard operating system for these types of Internet connected devices." NANIX is a Linux-based operating system distribution optimized for small wireless Internet devices. Support will be included for power management, wireless connectivity (802.11, IRDA, Bluetooth), and non-conventional input/output such as handheld keyboards, voice-recognition, head mounted displays, and palm-sized LCD monitors. Support will also be provided for cameras, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, MP3 music files, and broadband streaming audio/video. NANIX can be configured to function on a variety of systems ranging from laptops to small embedded computing devices.

A little thinking out loud...

HUDs are the way to go to cure the physical screen limitation. Bonus is you get a little more privacy.

Micro Optical Corporation has the right idea with their Clip-On. IBM could pull it off with their Wearable stuff.

For audio, look to the In-Ear monitors musicians use...

For the rest of it, I think Charmed Technology has the right idea. The ultimate form for our every-day tech is when it no longer looks like tech. It's the peripherals that count. A single screen that can pull the video from any device, clip-on headphones to listen to any audio, and cameras and microphones added as you see fit - the Blue Tooth promise.

To be honest, the barriers to physical size reduction are power-source and connectivity between chips. Watch the SOC developments (System-On-Chip) for significant shrinks from multi-chip to single-chip forms. At the rate feature size is shrinking on-chip, the limitation isn't how many transistors or gates you can squeeze on, it's how many bond-pads you need to I/O with the chip.

Aside: Bought myself a couple of E-holsters to take care of more immediate gadget-loading. Works well under a sweater or jacket.