Pioneer's Wearable Computer Jacket

i4u writes "Pioneer develops a wearable computer jacket with organic film electro-luminescent (OEL) display. On the photo, Kayoko Tanaka, a PR staff member of Pioneer, tries on a prototype of a wearable computer, a jacket with a built-in display in its sleeve in Tokyo Thursday, June 5, 2003. Pioneer works on this technology since 2001. I also found an article in the Taipei Times from 2001. Back in 2001, the jacket looked a bit fake compared to the one shown today. When the computer display jacket hits the market is unclear."

Comments

Re:Cool.

[m3djack]

If we based future research upon the answer to the question, "What's the point, does anyone actually need this?", I think we would fail to advance as far as we have today...

And you thaught advertising wasbad now...

[s10god]

Just wait for the whole back and front of the thing to be a OLED with ads.

And how far off are OLEDs from billboard useage?

Summer?

[Kjuib]

What happens when it gets to hot to wear a jacket? Will you have to go with out your email on your arm?

design for wearable computing

[metamanda]

That jacket is pretty cool (that display actually looks pretty good for being so tiny)... but it still leaves me computer-less May through September. Can you imagine only using your laptop 6 months out of the year?

A pair of pants would be great because I could wear those just about any time, but then you have the issue of frequent washing. (OK, well maybe not everyone on /. has that issue, but I do. :P) Having to dry clean the thing would be a show-stopper, I wouldn't buy it. I think it may be entirely possible to make wearable computers washable with the removal of a few components, so I'd rather go the pants route than get a jacket I'll only use sometimes.

Ideally, I want body jewelry with processing power. It comes in the shower with you, but that's probably less damaging than being thrown around in a washing machine... and you'll always be wearing it. I can't wait until my cell phone consists of an earring and a lip librette.

For those who are not so punk, how about belts that sync when you hang them on your belt rack? That way you can always accessorize well without sacrificing your computing needs.

I just want to point out that wearable computing will not catch on with women until they start offering products that match our nail polish and make our butts look good.