Heads-Up Wearable Display

selfsealingstembolt writes "Looks like the guys at NASA are trying to combine some existing technologies into a wearable computer. At the moment it is designed as headset combined with a small box to wear at your belt or so. The interesting part is, that they are looking for new technologies at outside sources (companies, educational institutions, ...). The design is still subject to change, but the general idea is great."

Comments

Ugly, Ugly, Ugly

[CaffeineAddict2001]

Why can't they make these things look more like a nice pair of sunglasses rather than a Techno-Cowlick?

Re:Ugly, Ugly, Ugly

[Shayde]

The best set of augmented vision stuff is done by Don Papp (http://www.aeinnovations.com). He's pretty well known in the wearable computing circles.

He's the only one I've seen that has put a HUD optical device behind a pair of sunglasses WITHOUT making you look like some sort of mutant. The problem is the display is small, (landscape piece of paper at a range of 4'), and is not quite VGA resolution (400x300 or therabouts, monochrome only).

What folks have to think about is what they really want to display on their glasses. A true design should allow -some- information to the user, but not totally engross them visually. A one line text display can relay an ENORMOUS amount of data - considering the baseline is zero (some data is a vast improvement over no data).

Couple a display with audio cues and a prompting system, you won't exactly be chattering on a high volume IRC channel, but you could get GPS location information, notifications of events (*bing*! - Ah, an event in the network. Let me see what happened...), etc etc.

Augmented reality is -the- application for this stuff. Being able to drive your car, and have your display mark out other cars, or show you where a turn coming up is, or point out hazards at night - or even show you there's a car in your blindspot. Mmm. How about showing you how far your tires are from the curb while you're parking? Ta heck with VR. Enhance whatcha got!

Heh...

[BJH]

From the article:

"It's kind of like having your computer with you all the time," said Devereaux.

Well, no shit Sherlock! I thought that was the point of a wearable computer...

Oh Great...

[Obiwan Kenobi]

Now those geeky enough to splurge for such a device can look even more "approachable" to women.

Can you imagine? Keep the "How to Talk To Women" e-book on your display as you peruse the club scene. That'll do the trick.

Re:Oh Great...

[Rhombus]

Can you imagine? Keep the "How to Talk To Women" e-book on your display as you peruse the club scene. That'll do the trick.

Actually, I'm imagining a modern take on the "Cyranno de Bergerac" story, where a socially inept nerd uses this wearable system (equipped with a cell modem) to communicate with his socially adept friend whilst he tries to hit on chicks. The bar scene might go something like this:

Nerd: I see a hot chick standing alone at the bar. I'm going in.

Friend: Roger. Try to compliment her looks.

Nerd: Roger. (To woman at bar) "Good evening. You have a very nice ass."

Friend: NOOOO! You moron! Abort! ABORT!

(Link suddenly broken as chick at bar breaks VR glasses with right cross.)

Why re-invent the wheel?

[zaren]

Xybernaut already has wearables for sale. They've already got contracts with branches of the U.S. military, so swinging a deal with the space jockeys shouldn't be too hard.

I could never take something like that seriously..

[Scrab]

I'd always end up walking round going.. "We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your ships........" In fact - I think I'd buy it JUST for that reason. But then that's just me..... :D

I don't know about you people...

[SkyLeach]

but I don't want to be a gargoyle.

The inevitable step

[The_Shadows]

With wearable computers comes wearable porn.

"What do you use your computer for?"
"Oh, data entry, keeping track of appointments, records, all that and more. What about you?"
"Portable porn. Check it out! It's hands free!"

Re:I'll never understand this

[Oculus Habent]

The wearable offers you what you can't get out of a PDA. Instant access.

The PDA has an appointment book, but if you want to check it, you have to pull it out, open it up, turn it on, go to the appointment book, and then look at the days. This takes time. A wearable is already on, you just have to bring up the appointment book. The alaram feature reminds you when a meeting is going to happen. Your wearable could keep your next 2 appointments in view, and with GPS and access to MapQuest or something similar, could tell you about how long it would take, with approximations for traffic.

Pulling out your PDA and trying to take notes in Graffiti is painful - it's very hard to keep up with a conversation. But with a wearable, you can type instead of write. Bringing a keyboard may not be an option, but a Twiddler allows you to type quite quickly with one hand, far better than Graffiti, anyway.

Imagine access to financial reports at the meeting with the boss without a laptop. Imagine in-view access to directions as you look for a client's office. Imagine sending someone an e-mail when you remember to do it. Imagine updating your to-do list while on the phone on the subway, without fear of dropping something. Imagine making changes to the database while the meeting is going on. Imagine never worrying about forgetting the CD you burned becuase you have the data with you. Imagine never worrying about someone else using your computer and messing up your settings.

If none of these things interest you, how about: Imagine reading slashdot during the meeting. Imagine reading slashdot on the subway. Imagine looking for new jobs while during the new policy meeting. Imagine being able to correct people by getting actual data at your fingertips. Imagine watching the Simpsons while you stare at a monitor covered with Excel sheets. Imagine organizing your MP3 collection during business hours. Imagine EverQuest.