Wearable Computing- MIThril

Dong, Shimingdong@cs.uga.edu

Department of Computer ScienceUniversity of Georgia

http://webster.cs.uga.edu/~dong/wearable.ppt

ContentsBackgroundIntroduction to MIThril

MIThril overview MIThril projects

Memory Glasses ProjectContext Aware Cell Phone Project

Wild Ideawearable computing products

What’s a Wearable?A person’s computer should be worn.Interactive with the user based on

the context of the situation.Act as an intelligent assistant.

What is MIThril?The next generation research

platform for context aware wearable computing.

Developed by researchers at the MIT Media Lab.

Goal: develop and prototype new techniques of HCI for body-worn applications.

MIThril project overviewVisionHardwareSoftware

The MIThril VisionPeople vs. Users

starts with “people”, not “users”. Support people in their daily lives. Build technology that is: reliable,

comfortable, useful and makes max use of time and user’s attention.

Good HCIContext Awareness

HardwareBody-worn computingsensingnetworking

HardwareComputing Cores

Linux-based single-board computersBSEV, CerfBoard

special purpose wireless bridge light-weight microcontroller-based data-

gathering unitSAK board

MIThril network and body bus connect computing cores to each other,

wireless bridge, and peripherals and sensors. Provide a reliable single-cable power/data

connection between each device on the bodysensors and peripherals

IR Active tag reader, microphone and headphone driver and so on.

SoftwareInclude FPGA code, Linux OS/driver

code UI code, sensing/signal processing machine learning code, and prototype applications.

MIThril photos

The Memory Glasses ProjectGoal:

produce an effective short-term memory aid and reminder system.

Require a minimum of the wearer’s attention

Problem of the Context Blind System: The need for effective logistical and memory aid is on the rise.

The Memory Glasses ProjectSolution:

Provide a proactive, context-aware memory aid.

Applications: substantively Unimpaired Wearers Normal older people Amnesia patients Agnosia Patients Patients with other disorders

The Context Aware Cell Phone Project

Problems: A cell phone depends completely on the

user to manage its state. Solution:

Build a phone that could determine the user’s circumstances or context.

Automatically change the behavior according to the information

The Context Aware Cell Phone ProjectSensors:

GPS receiver Precision three-axis accelerometer IR tag reader Microphone

Wild IdeaSpectral Camera

A camera that can record full spectra across its field of view rather than red, green and blue.

Problems:Creating separate filters for more than a

hundred spectral bins is very painful.

Wild IdeaProjector Project

Problems:Heads-up displays only work for the person wearing

them not a group of people. Solutions:

Mount a steerable laser on the borg, andto paint vector drawing on flat surface.

However… Small steerable lasers aren’t easy to come by.

Wild IdeaLeopold Project

Goal:To determine the wearers hand and feet

positions. Solution:

Connect the wearable to position sensors and accelerometers.

Commercial Wearable Products

MicroOptical CorpVIA Inc. Xybernaut

MicroOptical CorpModel AV-1, qVGA ASCII Viewer

(320x240pixels) Goals:

Integrates a head mounted quarter microdisplay with a compact electronics module for the purpose of displaying character-based information to the user.

Applications:Wearable computers.Desktop computers.

MicroOptical CorpModel CV-1, qVGA Color Video Viewer (320x240

pixels) Goal:

Designed to attach to ordinary eyeglasses and provides a 16-Bit color image of a video screen floating in space in front of the user.

Applications:DVD playerTelevisionInfrared Cameras

ViA Inc. Via || PC

Gives users the full-function power of a laptop in a convenient hands-free format.

Adding peripherals such as a hand-held display, wireless LAN, GPS, cellular phone or a video camera.

1. Power Controls

2. Comfort Flex Point

3. Battery Connector

4. PC Card Slot Access

5. Integrated Heat Sink

6A. Serial Port

6B. USB Port

7. External Power Connector

8. Operator Interface

size: 24.8cm*7.6cm*3.2cm

ViA Inc.VGA Display

A high-resolution, color pen tablet for outdoor use with the ViA II PC.

Applications:surveying, inspection, maintenance and the

military.

Sunlight readable display

Indoor readable display

size: 15.8cm*25.2cm*1.1c

m

XybernautPoma

Gives you instant, seamless access to everything you need—e-mail accounts, attachments, Internet sites and games.

Built for optimum comfort and functionality.

-- CPU -- Head Mounted

Display

-- pointing device

XybernautXyberkids

Provides instant access to computing. Includes a backpack, powerful speakers

and an all-light readable flat panel display.

Flexibility: communication and computing function.

Mobile assistant V ---- (contain ports)

-- Back pack for storage

– Digital Flat Panel Display

Reference Websiteshttp://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Thad.Starner/http://www.media.mit.edu/wearables/

index.htmlhttp://www.microopticalcorp.com/http://www.flexipc.com/http://www.xybernaut.com/newxybernaut/

home.htm