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Whereables?

Posted by Cliff on from the still-a-small-niche dept.

d4 asks: "Thad Starner has been using a wearable computer daily since 1993, and Steve Mann has had an impressive amount of press coverage over the years. But if you want wearable computing in 2005, it seems you must build your own system. Why, after all this time and attention, are wearables still not commercially available?"

4 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. Actually, they are out there. by bruciferofbrm · · Score: 4, Informative

    Look at: http://www.xybernaut.com

    They have been at it for some time.

    I use dto want to play this game too. Spent a lot of money (of what I could afford) on some gear. Closet thing I had to a mobile processor was an old laptop.

    But at the time, display technology was below perfomance / dollar expections of the everyday man. But persevered I did. Even wrote a contact manager that runs in low resolution with a one handed keyboard.

    In the end I made the same decision most other people will. For the dollar, you can't get where you want to be. The only real people capable of advancing this field are still the R&D gang and the college kids (usually the same group).

    In addition, as mentioned by others, it hard to beat some of eht computing power availble in the PDA form factor (especially in Japan). I have been oon PDAs since the original PALM 128k unit. No need for a bulky monocular display hanging off my head, great run time, and lots of applications for the mobile user. And yet.. nothing truely pervasive as seen in the wearble experimental world.

  2. No marketing by QuantumG · · Score: 3, Informative
    Seriously, that's the problem. Steve Mann's EyeTap systems are the best wearable argumented reality systems available. Unfortunately he doesn't even consider it necessary to add some sunglass lenses to the front of the EyeTap, making himself look like a cyborg, which is the point really, being that he does "performance art" with it. The irony of it is, the EyeTap systems would look like normal sunglasses if you put sunglass lenses on them.

    Now I have to wonder. Steve Mann isn't interested in commercializing this stuff, but he does provide full specs on how to make them, so which isn't someone commercializing this technology? I'd buy a pair of sunglasses that looked cool and let me google whilst talking to people, wouldn't you? Imagine someone asking you a question and you being able to answer with the power of google at your disposal!

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
  3. 9/11 by phlegm · · Score: 2, Informative

    This is the guy who was detained on 9/11. He sued Air Canada claiming that he was bleeding after having his chest electrodes removed. If they are growing into your skin you might want to clean a little more. Ick

    --
    tabooki.com
  4. Re:No 'Killer App' by golgotha007 · · Score: 3, Informative

    If you're not trolling and really interested in a "killer app" with regards to wearable computing, I suggest you read this paper by Steve Mann which explains exactly how augmented reality can improve your awareness in everyday situations.

    The man is truly a genius and well ahead of our time.