Wearable Computing

Keith Conway

Sandeep Kumar Neraturi

Matt Butterfield

Overview

•History of Wearable Computing•Some Important Pioneers•Technology Used•Current Trends•Ethical/Privacy Issues•What the future holds for Wearable

Computing

What is Wearable Computing

•A wearable computer is a small electronic

device worn by the user•Allows user to have access to information

while being mobile•New form of human-computer interaction

● ‘Always on’ capability, Continuation of user

•Devices can include:● Head-mounted Displays● Wrist-watches● Carry-on computers worn on waist, or backpack● Clothing embedded with wearable technology● Embedded into Person themself

Devices

Applications

•Capturing Images, Visual Aid•Search Engine, Data Retrieval•Communications•Facial Recognition•GPS Mapping, Navigation Guide•Military Uses•Healthcare monitoring•Augmented Reality

History of Wearable Computing

Early, Pre-1980s• 1960s, Concealed Timing Devices•Edward Thorpe, considered inventor of

Wearable Computing•Claude Shannon, key contributor• 1970s, advances in hardware (CMOS

6502)•Aids for the blind, Camera to tactile vest•First Calculator Watches

History of Wearable Computing

(cont)

Edward O. Thorp

MOS Technology 6502

Microprocessor

40-pin, 8bit chip

History of Wearable Computing

(cont)

1980s•Steve Mann, well-known wearable

computer pioneer•First graphic and multimedia capability•First head-mounted displays (Reflection

Technology), VuMan• 1980s saw first use of wearable computing

technology in US Army (Land Warrior

program)

History of Wearable Computing

(cont)

1980s

History of Wearable Computing

(cont)

1990s•Thad Sterner, well-known wearable

computing inventor•MIT Wearable Computing Project•Columbia University KARMA (Knowledge-

based Augmented Reality for Maintenance

Assistance)• 1996 DARPA ‘Wearables in 2005’

History of Wearable Computing

(cont)

1990s

KARMA Project (Columbia University)

Overlaid virtual graphics used as

instruction to operate printer

History of Wearable Computing

(cont)

Post 2000•Advances in Technology• Language Recognition•Motion, Temperature Sensing Capabilities

Mimo baby suit, allows for monitoring

of baby’s temperature, sleeping,

motion, breathing, etc.

Can alert parent using app

Example Technology

•Google Glass● Optical Head Mounted Display (OHMD)● First Person Video Recording in HD● Voice Recognition Capability● Device includes a touchpad for control,

proximity sensor

•Specifications include● 16GB of storage● 682MB of RAM● Texas Instruments OMAP Processor

Example Technology (Cont)

Google Glass TI OMAP 4430 Chip

• Concrete examples of wearable computing– Augmented Reality

– Mediated Reality

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality (cont)

• Augmented Reality means to superimpose an extra layer on a real-world

environment, thereby augmenting it

• An ”augmented reality” is thus a view of a physical, real-world environment

whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input

such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data.

• One example is the Wikitude application for the iPhone which lets you

point your iPhone’s camera at something, which is then “augmented” with

information from the Wikipedia.

Wikitude

• Wikitude is a mobile augmented reality software which is developed by

the Austrian company Wikitude GmbH (formerly Mobilizy GmbH)

How it works? (cont)

• For location-based augmented reality the position of objects on the screen

of the mobile device is calculated using the user's position (by GPS or

Wifi), the direction in which the user is facing (by using the compass) and

accelerometer. In contrast, in marker-based augmented reality a marker

(marker, e.g. QR code) is used for tracking.

• A central element in the Wikitude World Browser is the location. Compared

to regular web pages, where the location of the user plays a minor role,

Wikitude World Browser is optimized for mobile location-based usage.

• Wikitude also features image recognition technologies that allow for tracker

images to trigger augmented reality technology within the app.

Mediated Reality

• Augmented Reality system shown above can only add to "reality", the

Mediated Reality systems can augment, deliberately diminish, or otherwise

enhance or modify visual reality beyond what is possible with Augmented

Reality.

• Mediated reality is a proper superset of augmented reality.

• Mediated Reality refers to a general framework for artificial modification of

human perception by way of devices for augmenting, deliberately

diminishing, and more generally, for otherwise altering sensory input. A

simple example is electric eyeglasses (www.eyetap.org) in which the

eyeglass prescription is downloaded wirelessly, and can be updated

continuously in a way that's subject-matter specific or task-specific.

Electric Eyeglasses (Cont)

• Electric eyeglasses also allow the wearers to reconfigure their vision into

different spectral bands.

• For example, infrared eyeglasses allow us to see where people have

recently stood on the ground (where the ground is still warm) or which cars

in a parking lot recently arrived (because the engine is still warm). One can

see how well the insulation in a building is doing, by observing where heat

is leaking out of the building.

• The electric eyeglasses can allow us to see in different spectral bands

while actually repairing a roof, thus forming a closed feedback look, as an

example of Humanistic Intelligence.

Thermal Eyetap - EyeGlasses (cont)

Example Technology

Google Glass

• Optical Head Mounted Display (OHMD)

• First Person Video Recording in HD

• Voice Recognition Capability

• Device includes a touchpad for control, proximity sensor

Specifications include

• 16GB of storage

• 682MB of RAM

• Texas Instruments OMAP Processor

Example Technology

Features

• Voice activated commands

• Hands free

• Live video chat

• 360 degree

• interactive view

• Mobile maps

New Technologies / Materials

● Clothing

● “e-Skin”

● Contact Lenses

● Brain Implants

Electronic Cotton

Electronic Cotton

● Incorporates computing power directly into clothing

● Exploits natural conductive properties of cellulose that makes up cotton

● Uses a coating called PEDOT – Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) applied to the cotton fibers to enhance these properties

Electronic Cotton

● Implications:

– T-shirts and clothing that can display changing messages and information

– Clothing that can sense its own surroundings

– Display information about yourself (heart rate, etc..)

– Firefighters' clothing could detect harmful chemicals

E-Skin

E-Skin

● Tokao Someya – Japanese researcher has been working on ultra thin (1/5 the thickness of kitchen plastic wrap) flexible electronics

● Can be bent and crumpled like a piece of paper

● Made from amorphous silicon and carbon nanotubes

E-Skin

● University of Illinois scientist John Rogers also developed his own type of e-skin from stretchable silicon

● Started a company called MC10 that is currently making medical and sports devices

E-Skin

● Implications

– Unobtrusive medical monitoring

– “Skin” for prosthetic limbs

– Monitor hydration / athletic performance

– Detect sunburns

– Detect concussions / injuries in sports

– Military uses

Contact Lenses

Contact Lenses

● University of Washington researchers created a remotely powered and controlled contact lens

● Transparent chip (silicon on sapphire) with an integrated circuit, an LED display

● It worked, but was only a proof of concept – displays only one pixel of information

● Next step is displaying some simple text

Contact Lenses

● Implications:

– Superimpose images and information on the wearer's field of view

– Navigation

– Gaming

– Simulation

Brain Implants

Brain Implants

● University of Michigan researchers embedded spherical gold nanoparticles in polyurethane to create a durable, strechy, conductive material

● Idea is to make more durable brain implants that are more powerful, durable and don't damage sensitive brain tissue

Privacy and Public Perception

● Man kicked out of restaurant last week for refusing to take off Google Glass

● Resistance to technology encroaching on every aspect of our lives

Privacy and Public Perception● Steve Mann assaulted at McDonald's in France

last year – employees tried to rip off his EyeTap device

● People have negative reactions to being filmed against their will

Privacy and Public Perception

● Implications

– Wearable computing may be illegal in some circumstances (driving, security checkpoints, etc...)

– Needs to look “cooler” and be less obtrusive to gain popularity

– Once commercially viable, capabilities and popularity will probably increase dramatically

THE END

● Conclusion: The world will soon be overrun by Iron-Man-like cyborg overlords