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Clothes Make the Network

Posted by timothy on from the wait-for-the-dirty-clothes dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Howard Rheingold is looking at how "wearable computers create ad-hoc wireless communities." Here is the main idea, introduced by Gerd Kortuem, a 38-year-old assistant professor, who recently moved to Lancaster University in England from the University of Oregon's Wearable Computing Lab. "As he sees it, the crowds who surround us every day constitute a huge waste of social capital. If you live in a city for instance, there are many who pass within a few yards of you each day who could give you a ride home, buy an item you're trying to sell, or consider you as dating material. Dynamic networking makes it possible to tap those resources through a momentary alliance among transient interest groups." Check this column for a summary or the full article if you have more time."

7 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. Damn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hate people. Now I'll have to keep some around so I can get decent bandwidth.

  2. Ad hoc drug dealing by GigsVT · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you live in a city for instance, there are many who pass within a few yards of you each day who could give you a ride home, buy an item you're trying to sell,

    No longer will drug dealers have to stand suspiciously on corners or in parks!

    --
    I've had enough abrasive sigs. Kittens are cute and fuzzy.
  3. So when... by sielwolf · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is the first War-Pantsing going to occur?

    "Woah, I sure hope that's a 802.11b antenna poking into my backside!"

    --
    What is music when you despise all sound?
  4. Or the people who: by iamwoodyjones · · Score: 5, Funny

    1) Want to stuff you into a barrell.
    2) Want to rip you off.
    3) Put you in their basement forever.
    4) Want to spam you constantly for deals. Can't wait for the first Nigerian coat spam scam.
    5) Trolls who will be constantly broadcasting that, "In Russia, you are the wearable computer...Searching for girls named Natilie and grits...First Shirt Post...Hey is this a first of a beowulf of cloths!"

  5. Yet another spam delivery vehicle? by VenTatsu · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can't wait till I walk down the street, my wearable stating that I'm single, and I receive a message like "Looking for a guy like you, check out my live web cam and chat at TeenCollegeSluts.com" every ten steps.

  6. Re:Why 'wearable'? by Lemmy+Caution · · Score: 5, Funny

    Do you realize that the underpants gnomes are suddenly a lot closer to a revenue model?

  7. A bar scene... by Sayjack · · Score: 5, Funny
    As I scan the bar....

    nmap girl.in.corner.of.bar


    Starting nmap V. 3.00 ( www.insecure.org/nmap/ )
    Interesting ports on girl.in.corner.of.bar (192.168.1.23):
    (The 1596 ports scanned but not shown below are in state: closed)
    Port State Service
    13/tcp open daytime
    517/udb open talk


    Muttering to myself...damn, port 79 is closed...
    Did I just post this? Gawd I'm a geek....
    --

    -- Good judgement comes with experience. -- Experience comes with bad judgement.