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Wearable Technology Fashion Show
jlouderb writes "I know, it's been done before. But at the recent CTIA show I stumbled onto a wearable computing fashion show. It was weird. I had my camera and filched a copy of the show script. Combined together, you get a bizarre pastiche of scrawny models attempting to make phones, notebooks, video cameras and more into fashion statements. Just too surreal for words."
Wearable computing is a technology that simply hasn't come to maturity yet. Things need to get smaller. But as some further down this page have done lets look at the possibilities.
First, realize that the human body isn't designed to support any large quantity of hardware where most of the sensory organs are clustered, consequently we have to seperate the display from the CPU. The torso is an ideal place to put this sort of thing, both for weight purposes and for its relitivly easy access for the user (try typing on your head sometime).
As for applications, the possibilities are limitless. I'll stick to Augmented Reality for most of my examples.
1.) Imagine a surgon with a system capable of integrating the data from Xrays, CAT scans, and other probes on the fly and displaying that data in real time, actualy altering the view of the patients body. This amounts to fewer head movements, faster surgeries (particularly key in an ER), and fewer mistakes. This same principal can be extended to an auto mechanic, or any number of other occupations.
2.) Tired of lugging your laptop, cellphone, PDA, etc around? Meet the ultimate virtual office. A pair of MEMS projectors mounted on a pair of sunglasses traces the "office" in 3d onto your retinas. Tracking systems (much like those allready in use today) track the movement of your fingers in relitive position to your body. By tracking these movements the user can type on a non-existant keyboard and navigate a 3d "desktop" in real space. Metaphors provide interfaces for important applications. Integrate an audio device with this and you can easily move your entire office to the bench in the park without anyone being the wiser.
It doesn't take a lot of immagination to work out how this could be an amazing application. Yes, right now it looks like a bad cross between C3P0 and a Electircal Engineering project gone awry. Nonetheless, in 10 years you'll probably see it integrating into the lining of a designer series of jackets, sunglasses, and hats worn by every trendy highschool and college kid in the country.
You're forgetting about the MOTR people out there. We all know that the most nerdy people couldn't care less about the look of their tech, they just care that it works. Conversely, no matter how cool it looks, the high fashion snooty types would never WEAR a phone. That's just too lowbrow.
/.'ers. Those are the people that these things target. Lots of disposable income, average IQ.
Ah, but then there's the majority of people out there that would think, "How cool is that phone! I have to get one!" Believe it or not, those are the people that drive sales like the iPod mini and things that seem wasteful to us
gg
Everyone of those models, no matter how attractive, still looked like a dork with all those gadgets straped to them. It looked just like any other geek gear. Things like this will take a giant step forward when designers stop trying to make a PDA look cool, but instead, hide it in a Gucci handbag. Then they'll sell like hotcakes.
That brings up an interesting point.
I thought the Emaciated Ghoul look went out of style? I was hoping. I like tall thin girls. Quit a bit, oh yeah! But many of those models look like sunken-eyed junkies. Vaccuum sealed bags of bones too malnourished to provide life support for a modest pair of breasts. I always thought sexy and healthy went hand in hand?
Each to their own I guess.
Back on topic, that Wildseed phone looks like it came straight from a ST:DS9 Bajoran.
Operator, give me the number for 911!
Ah, but then there's the majority of people out there that would think, "How cool is that phone! I have to get one!" Believe it or not, those are the people that drive sales like the iPod mini and things that seem wasteful to us /.'ers. Those are the people that these things target. Lots of disposable income, average IQ.
Dude. That's way too harsh.
I think you should give people some credit for knowing what their needs or wants are versus what they can afford.
I wouldn't know, since I couldn't see the pcture. Instead (after a click) I got this:
Site Requirements
If you're visiting this page it probably means that you are experiencing some technical difficulties (or you're a computer nerd).
Our sites use advanced internet technologies that require the latest and greatest internet browsers and plug-ins. The good news is that you can upgrade for free.
Well THANKS mr/ms webmaster but actually I *AM* up to date (latest version of opera), but am out of luck because we use linux at work.
It's annoying enough not to be able to look at webpages because of some totally unnecessary plugin, without being told that it's because I'm behind the times. Flash/QT/Whatever is NOT needed to show a fucking picture. Back to amazon I go, which is focused on being as accessible to as many potential customers as possible, rather than allowing some web designer to toss off.
> no matter how cool it looks, the high fashion snooty types would never WEAR a phone.
As a mid-fashion average man who has been known to go into fairly nice sports bars with his fishing vest still on (oops)..
I can tell you it NEVER looks cool to wear a phone. Think about it, they're now the same size as a pack of cigarettes, or smaller. You haven't seen anybody WEAR a pack of cigarettes since Schneider.
It's didn't make him cool, quite the opposite, in a very similar way as wearing a phone will never make one cool today.
We see your tiny pocket-sized phone displayed on your hip buddy, it would go very nicely with a BMW hood-ornament necklace.
Operator, give me the number for 911!
90 pounds? Man, 2/3 of Americans are overweight, and half of those are obese.
I'm still dating - I don't need folks encouraging fatties!!
Cool-looking wearable devices have been made. But these aren't it. Gaultier's 80's styles would have been a better base to work from. Gadgetry fit better with punk style.
With today's more conservative styles, a phone divided into a locket, an earring, and a base unit, using Bluetooth to tie the components together, would have more fashion potential. Small earring speaker, locket microphone. Choice of big, clunky wristband with screen ("sports phone") or handbag-carried base unit. It would be nice to eliminate the base station, but the battery is the limiting factor there. Add a jewelry box which inductively recharges the units placed inside it, and you have a product with fashion potential.
rofl. I don't know where you live. Where I live people's needs are driven by whats hip ATM. I've watched kids I worked with at retail stores for just above min wage blow two weeks pay on a platinum watch. I watched a 27 year old guy working at UPS for 15.00 an hour, living at home with his parents so he can drive a pre-owned Lexus with $1500 Rims. I've known people who change their cell phones everytime a new one is released. I've known several people who own a cell phone, two way pager and a Handspring and carry around all at once, and for no work related reasons.
So tell me again how people know what their needs are...
My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle...
Hopefully this won't be taken as too sexist, but - it's not for you. Men typically care more about function than form. Look at how long the tool belt has been used. We're happy to just have the stuff, most of us couldn't care less how it looks.
The average woman on the other hand, and I stress that there are of course exceptions, very strongly follow the herd when it comes to appearence. If the alpha female dosn't say something is no longer taboo, it's "unfasionable". The whole point of shows like these is to try to give women the green light to buy these devices. Which, in turn, allows males who want to get laid to use them too.