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Next Generation Xybernaut Wearable

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the fashion-trends-I-can-get-behind dept.

shanenewsom sent in linkage to a story running on the BBC which talks about the new Xybernaut Poma. A little light on the specs, although the headmounted screen is 640x480 and it runs WinCE. But it really does look like the first practical wearable. It should be available in March. Update: 01/21 18:52 GMT by T : Reader Eureses points out that the display is actually 800x600 rather than 640x480.

14 of 151 comments (clear)

  1. Why I'll never buy one by interstellar_donkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    When I take my laptop down the bar, girls might find me attractive. They might confuse me with a writer or something.

    That'll never happen with one of these.

    --
    The Internet is generally stupid
  2. new excuse... by bje2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    now the excuse can go from:

    "Sorry officer, I didn't see that other car, i was too busy shaving and drinking my coffee..."
    to...
    "Sorry office, I didn't see that other car, i was too busy checking my e-mail and reading the latest stories on slashdot...."

    --

    "Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true." - Homer Simpson
  3. Hey! It might run Linux. by dbarclay10 · · Score: 4, Informative

    I saw an interview with a head honcho from Xybernaut a month or two ago on the Space channel. They showed this thing, and I'm almost positive he said it would run either Windows CE or Linux.

    IIRC, though, it was still priced pretty high(several thousand dollars).

    --

    Barclay family motto:
    Aut agere aut mori.
    (Either action or death.)
  4. Effects on the eye by Infonaut · · Score: 5, Interesting
    The only thing that makes me nervous about these things is that essentially your eyeball is just a few millimeters from a bright light source. Has anyone seen any research information about the long-term effects of close-proximity displays? I've got a gut feeling that it just can't be good for your eyes.

    --
    Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
    1. Re:Effects on the eye by stereo_Barryo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I played around with the MA IV and found the curved silvered mirror to be comfortable and easy on the eye. I don't believe the light source could get to the "dangerous" level. I'd be happy to use the head display for an extended period of time, but the MA IV was heavy in the vest we wore. Since the company has moved on to smaller devices the weight might not be relevant now. Also, according to this: http://www.xybernautonline.com/eCommerce/Poma/Plac _Poma.htm the screen is 640x480, not 800x600.

  5. Help! by NiftyNews · · Score: 4, Funny

    Help! My shoes have a virus and my jacket just got caught in a nonzero loop!

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    Today's Top Deals
  6. Re:Print page, keep safe... by TooTallFourThinking · · Score: 4, Funny

    With one of the expansion slots, I believe you can plug in a keyboard.

    As if listening to cell phone conversations wasn't annoying enough, now we'll be listening to AIM conversations as well.

    "...I love you. Smiley face. Ok, I've got to go. I'll see you tonight. Wink smiley face."

    "No, you log off first. No, you first..."

    Blah!

  7. Dork by Konster · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's bad enough that I'm a dork. Now I have to look like one, too?

    $1500 bucks for an embedded processor, Windows CE driven headgear that will scare away potential mates and attract the law enforcement?

    Thanks, but I'll pass.

  8. Ergonomic Nightmare by guttentag · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The device puts a one inch box directly in front of your nose and expects you to read text from it? Can you imagine the number of people who are going to end up cross-eyed?

    "Sure, my carpal tunnel syndrome is gone, but I broke my right arm when I tripped over a desk in the office."
    1. Re:Ergonomic Nightmare by ruzel · · Score: 3, Informative

      Moreover, you don't have to be an ergonomic engineering genius to figure out that the design they have is not going to stay where you put it. Even one ounce eyeglasses need to have nose braces to keep them from falling off. Besides that, without semi-transparency (like these guys), the device just blinds you -- fine for a desk but it can't help mobility any. (Ever tried working on an old style microscope for several hours?)

      Incidentally, according to an old CNN article, Xybernaut cut a deal with microvision to distribute head-mounted laser displays within the year. Since the article is old, maybe its not happening anymore, but it would seem to be a good reason to wait on these devices improving a little.
      _________________

  9. Linux and Divx by LuxuryYacht · · Score: 4, Informative

    Debian already runs on the SH4. The SH7751V they seem to have chosen has a 0.9GFLOP FPU so it's capable of pretty decent Divx encodes and decodes. This unit could make for a pretty decent portable DVR.

    --
    Quidquid latine dictum sit altum viditur
  10. Xyber-snatching? by Dan+Crash · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I admit that the wearable idea is pretty intriguing, but wouldn't this be even easier to steal than a laptop?

    Imagine walking down the street, surfing the web, when suddenly you feel someone jostle your side. Your expensive new Xybernaut is yoinked off you and the thief takes off at Mach 1 while you're still trying to click the Back button.

    Until the price of wearable PCs drops down to the price of a cell phone (or world peace spontaneously occurs), a wearable PC will be like a sign that says "I'm a big, rich, nerd. Please rob me."

    --
    He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.
  11. I can see a ton of uses for this... by acidfast7 · · Score: 3, Insightful
    in my field and in others. Imagine if Dragon came out with a WinCE version of the popular Dragon Dictate software. I would be able to take notes while performing experiments at the bench. I could keep an electronic lab notebook on the fly because my hands would be free.

    Also, it would be of great use to physicians, especially those in the ER. As an emergency patient rolled in, the doctor could fill out all the forms electronically (once again with Dragon Dictate-style software) and electronically send them to the nursing station and the "board". It would be very efficient and save critical time.

    I do have a question about the hardware. Does the display track retinal movements to position the mouse pointer? That would eliminate the need to open all of the software and menus with vioce-operated commands (perhaps an extended blink could serve as a mouse click).

    All in all it's an interesting concept, perhaps not for the general popultaion.

  12. Re:C'mon by Glytch · · Score: 3, Insightful

    One use I'd heard of is in construction work where there's limited room to move around. Instead of constantly moving in and out of small spaces to check a paper contruction plan, one could just put on a wearable, review the design without having to get out, and in the end be able to get the job done a lot quicker. Might be useful for diving, too. Wearables seem destined for industrial use in the near future. And maybe those who really, really want to be gargoyles. But I'm probably 100% wrong. :)