Wearable Computing CMSC 466/666 UMBC05/04

Outlines Overview Overview Wearable vs. Ubiquitous Wearable vs. Ubiquitous Motivation Motivation I/O Interface, Communication, Power, Heat I/O Interface, Communication, Power, Heat Applications Applications Definitions Definitions Current State of the Industry Current State of the Industry Trends and Limitations Trends and Limitations Resources Resources

Wearable vs. Ubiquitous Wearable computing: Wearable computing: Computers/sensors on people Computers/sensors on people Ubiquitous computing Ubiquitous computing Computer/sensors embedded in the environment Computer/sensors embedded in the environment Complimentary Complimentary

Complimentary Duality Wearable: Know more about persons Wearable: Know more about persons privacy, authentication, and security personalized information Ubiquitous: Know more about environment Ubiquitous: Know more about environment local environment information local environment control resource management

Motivation Why do we want/need wearable computers? Why do we want/need wearable computers? To communicate To communicate to know things you CARE about whenever you can to know things you CARE about whenever you can To organize/remember To organize/remember to get a hold of the reality for the BUSY people to get a hold of the reality for the BUSY people To get information that we don’t know here now To get information that we don’t know here now I don’t know it but I can get it right NOW right HERE I don’t know it but I can get it right NOW right HERE As a life style or fashion statement As a life style or fashion statement I’m cool because I’m technologically up-to-date I’m cool because I’m technologically up-to-date

Motivation What do we want from a wearable computer? What do we want from a wearable computer? Physical/Hardware Features Physical/Hardware Features Application/Software Features Application/Software Features

Hardware Features light-weight (small) light-weight (small) durable durable comfortable comfortable long battery lifetime long battery lifetime easy to use easy to use affordable affordable cool (invisible, hidden, disappearing) cool (invisible, hidden, disappearing)

Application Features person-to-person communication person-to-person communication personal organization/remembrance aid personal organization/remembrance aid context awareness context awareness effortless usage effortless usage natural, intuitive natural, intuitive

Big Picture Application I/O Communication HeatPower

I/O Interface Visual Visual Audio Audio

Visual Input Input computer vision computer vision Output Output overlaying things overlaying things

Example: Eyeglass Display Human factors studies Human factors studies health and safety health and safety social acceptance social acceptance Concentrating on bi-ocular displays Concentrating on bi-ocular displays for viewing 2D text and images for viewing 2D text and images

Audio Input Input speech recognition speech recognition background noise separation background noise separation speaker identity (voice fingerprint) speaker identity (voice fingerprint) Output Output speech synthesis speech synthesis

Speech Interaction Speech-driven user interfaces Speech-driven user interfaces large vocabulary recognition (Cambridge University) large vocabulary recognition (Cambridge University) dialog for interfaces (MIT) dialog for interfaces (MIT) Speech as data Speech as data efficient coding efficient coding word spotting word spotting

Big Picture Application I/O Communication HeatPower

Communication Requirement Security Security short range -> low probability of leaking short range -> low probability of leaking Energy Energy low frequency -> low power low frequency -> low power

Far-field vs. Near-field Communication examples examples radio vs. bluetooth (kind of) radio vs. bluetooth (kind of) signal strength signal strength 1/d 2 vs. 1/d 3 1/d 2 vs. 1/d 3 carrier requirement for devices size of a watch or credit card carrier requirement for devices size of a watch or credit card gigahertz vs. 0.1 to 1 megahertz gigahertz vs. 0.1 to 1 megahertz

Local Communication Examples Transfer data between: Transfer data between: wearable and handheld wearable and handheld wearable and desktop wearable and desktop wearable and environment wearable and environment

Big Picture Application I/O Communication HeatPower

Power Requirement The traditional bigger ones: 5 W The traditional bigger ones: 5 W head mount display, 2GB hard disk, 133 MHz Pentium, 20 MB RAM head mount display, 2GB hard disk, 133 MHz Pentium, 20 MB RAM The improved smaller ones: 0.7 W The improved smaller ones: 0.7 W MicroOptic TM eye-glass display, Flash memory (.5 GB), StrongArm microprocessor (.3 W at 115 MIPs) MicroOptic TM eye-glass display, Flash memory (.5 GB), StrongArm microprocessor (.3 W at 115 MIPs) without communication without communication Must come with the person wearing the devices Must come with the person wearing the devices

Big Picture Application I/O Communication HeatPower

Heat Dispensing requirement requirement -15 intolerably cold -15 intolerably cold OK OK hot hot pain pain 43 - tissue damage 43 - tissue damage

Big Picture Application I/O Communication HeatPower

Application Examples: Miniature Head-up Displays

Application Examples: CharmIT Wearable Computer

Wearable Computer Definitions Simple Definition Simple Definition Packet or clothing based computing Packet or clothing based computing Peripheral s distributed around the sensors and actuators of the body, connected wirelessly Peripheral s distributed around the sensors and actuators of the body, connected wirelessly Runs entire day Runs entire day

Wearable Computer Definitions Formal Definitions Formal Definitions Rhodes (1997) Rhodes (1997) Portable while operational Portable while operational Enable hands-free or hand-limited use Enable hands-free or hand-limited use Capable of getting user’s attention Capable of getting user’s attention Always “on” Always “on” Sense the user’s context in order to serve him better Sense the user’s context in order to serve him better Starner (1999) Starner (1999) Persists and provides constant access Persists and provides constant access Senses and models context Senses and models context Augments and mediates Augments and mediates Interacts seamlessly Interacts seamlessly

Human-Computer Evolution Mainframe->mini->PC->wearable Mainframe->mini->PC->wearable Initially lose on features Initially lose on features Less CPU capacity Less CPU capacity Lower bus speed Lower bus speed Less disk storage Less disk storage BUT Gain on interface BUT Gain on interface Personalization Personalization Interactivity Interactivity (Starner PhD 1999) (Starner PhD 1999)

Current State of the Industry

2003

Application Areas Warehouse picking Warehouse picking Inspection Inspection Maintenance Maintenance Repair Repair Security Security Military (Land Warrior) Military (Land Warrior)

Examples

Trends Computation in the wild Computation in the wild Working in hostile or uncontrolled environment Working in hostile or uncontrolled environment Continuous monitoring Continuous monitoring

Trends Personal Server ( at Intel ) Personal Server ( at Intel ) Always with you Always with you Uses outside interfaces Uses outside interfaces Represents you to ubiquitous computing world Represents you to ubiquitous computing world

Trends Interactive lifestyle Interactive lifestyle Seamless integration into everyday life Seamless integration into everyday life Augment the senses and the mind Augment the senses and the mind See as you see, hear as you hear See as you see, hear as you hear

Challenges for the Wearable PC Seamless connection Seamless connection across different kinds of network across different kinds of network Occasional connection Occasional connection in and out of range in and out of range Local communication Local communication ad-hoc peripherals ad-hoc peripherals Modes of interaction Modes of interaction visual and vocal visual and vocal Health and safety Health and safety strain on the senses strain on the senses Unobtrusive Unobtrusive socially acceptable socially acceptable Connectivity Usability Situatedness Awareness Awareness capturing context capturing context Interpretation Interpretation use of context data use of context data Augmentation Augmentation personal assistant personal assistant Technical Social

Resources Charmed Technologies ( ) Charmed Technologies ( ) IEEE Wearable Information Systems Technical Committee IEEE Wearable Information Systems Technical Committee