| Wired News March 12, 2002 PST AUSTIN, Texas -- The human body is being broken down, analyzed and reimagined as part of an effort to build a better wearable computer. Using the contours and movement of the human body to improve technology, the government, private corporations and universities are creating new products -- usually a blend of hardware and software -- that will radically reshape how people interact with themselves and the world around them. "There's an idea of understanding and appreciating the body, then designing better technologies that are more sympathetic (to how the body moves) and (more) powerful than desktops," said Chris Kasabach, head of product development at Body Media, a company developing medical armbands that patients wear outside of hospitals. The idea of the wearable computer evokes scary thoughts of sci-fi super-soldiers, intelligent cyborgs and an always-on government tracking its citizens. Kevin Warwick, the professor who embedded a chip in his arm to link him to his research lab, and the Jacobs family who want their medical records implanted, have done little to quell those fears. But most computers have benign purposes, meant to enhance an individual's experience through the use of technology. College professor Steve Mann has developed devices, which by using a pair of sunglasses and a handheld clicker, enable people to link to the Internet, surf the Web and send e- mail. Mann is the most extreme case, designing his own prototypes. Consumers can expect to find wearable technology much more user-friendly. The Wearable Computer GroupM at Carnegie Mellon maps the body, looking for the parts that rarely move no matter what the motion. Then, the group develops an outline shape. New technology is designed to fit within that space, since those places are less likely to disturb the technology. There are pockets in the mid stomach and hamstring area, but the most obvious place is the one that watch makers have known about for years. "As technology is shrinking, new forms are taking the shape of the wrist watch," said Francine Gemperle, a design researcher at Carnegie Mellon. "Simple technologies need to add function to our body." One of the most talked-about wearable computers is NTT DoCoMo's cell phone Whisper, which is still in development. The phone vibrates on the inner wrist when there is an incoming call. To answer, people touch their forefinger to their ear and speak. The device uses bone conduction to transmit voices. Mapping human motion is an evolving science but it has already brought breakthroughs in everyday products. Kinetic maps of divers have led to innovation in wetsuits for surfers and Navy SEALs. The Wright Patterson Air Force Base is home to new three-dimensional imaging projects that show how well equipment handles body contours. While the entertainment usages are fun, medical care could be the biggest beneficiary of wearable computers. Joint and cochlear implants, prosthetics and tooth replacements are being refined and experimented at medical facilities. Right now, doctors have the ability to monitor their patients once they leave the office, using devices that monitor various body functions. "In the case of medical technology, (wearable computers) means prolonging and changing the quality of life," Gemperle said. |
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