Wearable Internet Appliance 67
z)bandito(_X writes "Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), Shimadzu Corporation, Colorado MicroDisplay, Inc., and Xybernaut Corporation are working on a Wearable Internet Appliance. Looks like it runs Win CE 3.0, but if the price is right it could be a big advance for wearables getting a big manufacturing name like Hitachi in on the game. It's an SH4 processor with Type 2 Compact Flash and an 800x600 display that works with glasses. A good picture of the pretty nice looking device is here, and the specs are here." This looks like a good way to seriously injure yourself.
Can you imagine. . . (Score:1)
great idea! (Score:2)
Hey, this could begin a whole new sociological revolution!
Contrarian BS (Score:4)
My God, man, corporations are practically defined as incredibly greedy, wholly self-interested entites. Do you think they aren't going to do something to make sure they don't get their asses sued before releasing a product?
Really? Go ask Thad Starner and all his friends [cnn.com]--they've been using them continuously for literally years.<ot>Damn cracked-out moderators will mod anything up on a Friday night. Why does self-serving, contrarian criticism of a Slashdot article so frequently make someone "insightful"?</ot>
Concept devices? (Score:2)
So, if you're sick of seeing concept devices, drop your interest in computers. Everything starts off as a concept. The whole point of conceptualizing is to see if the market is ready/wants whatever you've conceived.
Duh.
If you don't have a need, don't buy it. (Score:2)
Re:The lack of health consideration is appalling. (Score:1)
Another techno-hype flop (Score:1)
I don't get this. It's too "sci-fi" for 99% of Jo Public to seriously consider trying and too off the wall. I'd feel incredibly stupid for example sitting on a train or in a park wearing one of these things.
This wearable computing concept is just yet another techno fad that a couple of idealists think they can talk people into wanting. It didn't work with internet "push" technology (another hyped up concept) and I don't see it working here either.
Macka
Re:HMDs still too expensive too (Score:1)
Only 320x240 too :( At least the subject of this article has 800x600. Another poster observed that 13" isn't big enough for his pr0n, but I think i could probably survive on that.
Enigma
Re:bling (Score:1)
Re:Pretty cool! (Score:1)
Now all I need is a port of Crazy Taxi... (Score:1)
How cool would it be to have a wearable DC? Take it to the gym, hop on a treadmill and fire up Sonic Adventure. For the more adventurous hacker, figure out a way to hook up the treadmill's speed control to Sonic's in-game speed, for the ultimate VR
Re:How Useful Is WinCE (Score:2)
Xybernaut [xybernaut.com] has been doing this for quite some time. There are also quite a few single board computers (SBCs) that are a very good base to build your own wearable. EMJ [emjembedded.com] is a good place to find out more about SBC's. There are instructions for building your own matchbox server [stanford.edu] at the Stanford wearables page [stanford.edu]. With the addition of a HUD, this could easily be converted to a wearable. You can even order your own pre-made matchbox server here [tiqit.com].
Enigma
Here's what I would use it for (Score:1)
Re:How Useful Is WinCE (Score:1)
Been there for a while (Score:1)
Re:Renewable power source. (Score:1)
This is the dorkiest looking thing short of Urkel (Score:1)
Wearable computing needs to either have a display you cannot identify immediately as a computer display, or no display at all to be successful. Sure, there will be geeks who buy these things, and wear them religiously, and claim it's the best toy they ever got. But meanwhile, everyone who sees them on the street will snicker at them - Except the people who mug 'em, steal their computer, and sell it on ebay.
Frankly, I think that an intelligent audio interface is the best way to go. Sure, you wouldn't have menus, but you'd get used to it. "Computer, I need a phone number for <insert name here>." The emphasis denotes the speech the computer is actually interested in. (I figured I could forestall a bunch of idiot posts with that gimmick.)
Otherwise, glasses which don't look dorky which function as a HUD is the next best thing. Still lets you have an interface, doesn't interrupt your vision. At the point when it can do pupil tracking and head positioning (a nice trick out in the real world) then you can do all kinds of cool stuff, like paint lines on the ground and whatnot. The bummer is, it's not like a football field, where everything is instantly recognizable - Oh, there's a player, there's the ball, there's some nice convenient marker lines on the field - It's a rough-and-tumble kind of place in the real world.
The other point is that that computer looks way too big. Really, it should be something I can wear on my belt buckle without looking like a (stereotypical) Texan. Barring that, I could handle a palmpilot-sized device with a super-thin (yet strong! ha ha) cable running up to one arm of my transparent video overlay glasses.
--
ALL YOUR KARMA ARE BELONG TO US
How Useful Is WinCE (Score:2)
It seems that Hitachi has a decent display and they should focus on bundling it with a system that is actually flexibile enough to run complex Internet/Intranet connectivity applications.
Lenny
heh. (Score:3)
--
* CmdrTaco is an idiot.
Jordi to the bridge (Score:1)
Re:Woo hoo (Score:1)
If you're so hooked on it that you need to strap the Internet to your body, there's something really wrong.
--
* CmdrTaco is an idiot.
a different kind of GUI? (Score:2)
I think it would be better if the view screen were paper thin and transparent. This way I could focus through it to the outside world if need be, and it would be less intrusive. Maybe something like a double blink to turn on/off the display.
Then it can used as a heads up targeting display, etc. In that kind of mode, a GUI is possibly the wrong angle, or else would have to be redesigned on rather different principles.
Re:HMDs still too expensive too (Score:1)
It was a black day, no doubt.
Re:Pretty cool! (Score:1)
Re:The lack of health consideration is appalling. (Score:2)
engrish at it's finest (Score:1)
So Just remember trolls, "Without HDD - reliable"
Re:How Useful Is WinCE (Score:1)
http://sourceforge.net/projects/linuxsh/
Having used both Wince and Linux on an SH4, Linux performas much better and is more functional. Hitachi has plenty of developers working on this, and if Xybernaut uses Linux too, I can't see why they only talk of Wince.
Hands-free (Score:3)
SCO UNIX??? (Score:1)
--
Laptop006 (RHCE: That means I know what I'm talking about! When talking about linux at least...)
E-Plate gets a new skin... (Score:1)
And this improves on the iPaq [compaq.com] how?
-Mr. Cranky (dvd_tude)
Re:Renewable power source. (Score:2)
No, it won't be pretty. I guess we'll just have to buy treadmills.
Here's an idea... (Score:1)
Oh well, I guess it does sorta match my "Linux 0wNz y00" t-shirt.
Re:Vaporware (Score:2)
Best example I can think of: Aibo. Horribly expensive, hard to find, produced in very limited quantinties, and insanely popular.
Shortly after its release, the market was flooded with cheap little animatronic pets. Sure, they're not nearly as fancy as Aibo, but you get a good market spread, from low-end to high-end.
So, concept products often do create something, eventually.
Good thing it doesn't run Linux ... (Score:1)
This toy lack a lot (Score:1)
So I believe it will be only be limited to campuses where either the administration supports the efforts or the student self-organization does the same.
Unfortunately, the authors have not mentioned any network access mechanism on their page.
The second problem is the absence (at least visible) of any keyboard input. So, it becomes the browsing ONLY device - NOT the organizer, NOT the electronic notepad, NOT the programming tool.
The hated MICROS~1 OS, lack of open-source OS, the terrible price, possible eye injury are IMHO secondary compared with these two.
Re:How Useful Is WinCE (Score:1)
That might seem like a problem to you, but this device is clearly intended for vertical markets. Do you think that a technician using one of these to access online blueprints and doc is going to care if it runs the latest version of [whatever]? How about the delivery guy who uses it to access maps and scan barcodes for package tracking? Setups like this usually run a single app, a small suite at most, and nothing else. The guy delivering packages shouldn't be playing Quake at work anyway.
Counting the number of people who would actually consider using one of these and an everyday machine would probably give you a fairly accurate estimate of the slashdot's population.
Re:How Useful Is WinCE (Score:2)
oh please. it's attitudes like this that keep us locked into those rediculous bloated processors that Intel keeps spewing out.
embedded devices aren't going to run the same types of applications as your average desktop for the near future. they're designed for totally different markets. this device is not going to be a consumer-level device at first: it's going to run very customized software for customized work environments.
additionally the PIII/4 are lousy processors. yes, they'll run pretty damned quickly, but they need to be clocked to rediculous clock speeds to do so. the only reason that the Pentium series is still a leading processor is because Intel is pouring billions of dollars into its development! if they were to pour that many dollars into a well-designed RISC processor, the results would be even more impressive. there will aways be more life in the x86 family, but those improvements come with huge development costs because they're tacked onto an infrastructure that really wasn't meant to do it.
on a related note, if you put a PIII in a device like this and wore it on your belt you'd probably get third degree burns on your hips. the PIII was never meant for embedded applications. it's all about using the right tool (or chip) for the job
but anyhow, i'm ranting. but still, i don't see why x86 has to be everywhere. there are better processors for these types of environment, and hanging onto this archaic backwards compatibility is seriously hampering development. embedded devices should use embedded processors, and hey, maybe it's even a chance to help break the WinTel monopoly: Linux runs perfectly well on every embedded processor i've worked on. eventually you have to give up, and move to a new architecture that's better designed for the task at hand. embedded devices are a great place to start this change.
so do yourself a favour and start looking into the PowerPC, MIPS, SuperH and other embedded processors. the x86 is not the be-all-and-end-all of microprocessors!
- j
What purpose does anything serve? (Score:1)
all's quiet on the /. front (Score:1)
its quite dead around here
can you tell?
I can. That's becuase I'm still awake.
p.s. - mod me down! its fun! everybody does it!
Vaporware (Score:1)
Am I the only one sick of seeing "concept" devices?
FP
Woo hoo (Score:1)
That would suck (Score:1)
I have a palm pilot, and debate about whether or not to get Omnisky or something. But, I'd rather socialize with REAL PEOPLE than check the spam email I get or see if Commander Taco posted a new story so I can try to get a FP.....
--
How about not (Score:2)
Re:Pretty cool! (Score:1)
If you really have a need for colorfull shells, then check out the Visor.
--
Other uses (Score:1)
Using bluetooth, you could LAN onto any buildings in-built information system, keeping track of train times for instance, or ordering tickets for the cinema standing in the lobby.
Use it as a citrix or remote terminal server client. Sit in your front room, use your desktop from the other room.
Put a face on that doll you've got using animated-gifs or pngs...
Ben^3
this will never catch on-- (Score:1)
heh.
but seriously folks
"The Mobile Assistant IV (MA IV), Xybernaut's patented wearable PC, runs all major PC operating systems, including Windows 98/2000/NT, Linux and SCO Unix."
I'll be looking for support for this in, what, kernel 2.4.3?
and one more quote to pick at before I go to bed:
"WIA indicates a key direction for Information Appliances in the post-PC era"
It's lines like this that speak volumes as to the vaporousness of the product...
Re:What purpose will this serve? (Score:2)
So the price point isnt for you college
oh christ bluetooth again (Score:1)
Anyhow I'm just sick of all this junk that never leaves the drawing board. Netwinder anyone? $2500 for a small server with an IDE hard drive.
Re:This toy lack a lot (Score:1)
18-BIT Color! (Score:1)
Without HDD - reliable
Question on Internet Appliances and w3.org (Score:2)
Do they even adhere to a common standard?
What capabilities do they have for updating their code to adhere to standards in the future?
As a designer, I keep my eye on a variety of browsers. I keep my eye on Webstandards.org [www.websta...argetblank] and Mozilla [mozilla.orgtargetblank] and I try to see where the trends are and where they're going.
But Internet appliances are another story. If they are following a common standard in any way shape or form, I simply can't find it. And that scares me.
Ignorance does that to people.
-----
Device was shown at CES (Score:1)
Anyone played with one of these wearables or catch a price?
Re:Vaporware (Score:1)
"I finally figured out why we haven't sold any of these things. No one is a big enough dork to actually wear a PC."
HMDs still too expensive too (Score:1)
---
The lack of health consideration is appalling. (Score:2)
Nobody knows what the long term effects of wearing a tiny screen a few inches away from your eye might be, and nobody has bothered to find out. This is characteristic of the technology sector, though. No one considered the risks of keyboards until people started losing the use of their hands. No one asked if monitors were healthy until people started going blind.
I am not anti-technology, by any means. However, it is ridiculous to destroy one's body for whatever short term gains you may be pursuing. Ultimately, it is an individual's responsibility to assure their own safety, but callousness of manufacturers is appalling. Until congress forces a change, though, I doubt health considerations will be taken into account when designing a product.
What purpose will this serve? (Score:2)
Sure, they look cool, but I won't be buying one anytime soon. Besides, I would probably have to stop paying rent just to afford it anyway... I'd be kicked out of my apartment, but at least I can browse the interet with a headset!
--
VR (Score:1)
Renewable power source. (Score:2)
Either way, portable computers + shoes that produce electricity when you walk == exercise and hacking all in one. The geeks dream come true (well, at least the hacking part. the exercise shouldn't hurt.).
And what if you could add in sensors to sense your body movement. What if the machine was powerful enough to run Quake. Yes, you could have a virtual game of Quake for a seemingly infinite length of time (until you died or were too tired to go on) since you should be producing enough electricity by running and jumping to keep your machine going. That would add another element of skill to the game: physical endurance!
kickin' science like no one else can,
my dick is twice as long as my attention span.
Wireless internet.. (Score:2)
They are going to be primarily used for entertainment. The only information services people are going to use are stuff like mapping, movietimes and directions. In the near future, nobody is going to be typing novels or trading stocks or anything like that on these wireless do-dangles.
I think that they'll sell like crazy, and I might buy one myself, just so I can
I certianly want to try one out. I mean, what better client than someone who's posting online at 22.44 on a friday night?
Brant
Re:HMDs still too expensive too (Score:2)
$500. That cheap enough for ya
I really would wince if WinCE was in MY eyeball! (Score:1)
Bleck.. WinCE?!
I guess i cannot blame corporations for choosing (or being bullied..?) into using this POS OS, all i'm saying is: dont expect me to shell out any hard-earned dough for something as unstable/laughable as WinCE.
I actually saw one guy's WinCE-powered handheld freeze (Gray Screen of Death?) once.. *LOL* My Palm is worth 10 times anything WinCE powered i assure you.
Just a thought.. :-)
BTW: Mozilla 0.8 [mozilla.org] is mighty fly if you havent used it yet!
the psychological effects of a wearable computer. (Score:1)
As if we Americans need more distracting stuff (Score:1)
Just think of this scenario: "Yes, your honor I am addicted to pr0n. I was surfing when I should have been driving, but I only looked away for a second..." The only people that will probably make more money off this than the manufacturers, will be the lawyers!
For that price, I'd rather... (Score:1)
Re:Pretty cool! (Score:1)
"Geeks should stick to designing the technology, and leave the aesthetics to people who actually have design training"
Although you didn't mention it, I assume your talking about "hardware" when you wrote about Geeks sticking to technology and not aesthetics. I say that because I'm a programmer for a small law firm in NYC, and have written numerous GUI's for some of the Applications our associates use. One of the responsibilities I have with writing the programs is the User Lay Out(or Aesthetics as you write). Your post seems to insinuate that my employer should take on a design consultant which is highly unreasonable not to mention much to costly.
So, being a "geek"(I assume you're one like many here), are you involved with putting furnishings in your residence, or putting clothes on in the morning, etc. Since these are nothing but aesthetics, should we leave these things to people with design training as you wrote? It doesn't make sense to me.
Re:Wireless internet.. (Score:4)
When mobile phones and pagers first came out, they were used for business, primarily ... doctors etc. Later, as prices fell, a lot more people got them, and a network effect later, a lot of us cannot live without our mobiles.
Having information at hand will be a requirement will be a must for the businessman of the future. A CEO addressing a group of stock analysts will want to know 1 minute b4 he speaks how his stock is doing.
A salesman will want to be able to confirm delivery date to the customer by checking available factory capacity, and also book/reserve this capacity by placing an order in realtime.
The possibilities go on.
While these devices will span an entire entertainment category, do not discount their business / work usefulness!
Just to beat anyone else to the punch (Score:3)