The Challenges of Wearable Computing

Thad StarnerGeorgia Institute of TechnologyIEEE MICRO JULY-AUGUST 2001

Presenter : Chanmin Park ( 박 찬 민 )SNU CARES lab.

(cmpark@davinci.snu.ac.kr)

2005. 11. 14.

Contents

Introduction What is wearable computing? Why use wearable computers? Challenges

Power use Heat dissipation Networking Privacy Interface design Intellectual tools Facilitating collaboration Tailoring augmented-reality systems

Conclusion

Introduction

What is wearable computing

Wearable computing Not only devices, but also interface “User’s constant companion”

key attributes Persist and provide constant access to information

Everyday and continuous use mobile, unobtrusive Sense and model context

Observer and model (learn) user’s environment (state) Adapt interaction modalities based on the user’s

context Adapt its input/output modalities automatically at the

time Augment and mediate interactions with the user’s

environment Mediate between automation and the user Interruption management

Why use wearable computers?

Devices with very similar components differs the interface and the application software CPU, memory, screen, keyboard, wireless modem, battery,

etc Eliminate cost, weight and redundancy

Mediate interactions between app and the user Consistent interface

Aid communication Machine translation Interruption management (ex, call)

Provide context-sensitive reminders Intelligent assistant

Augment reality

Challenges

Power use Cost, size, and weight for the battery before designing Power supply/dissipation becomes more complicated Long lasting power supply (ex. Plutonium-238 in pacemaker) Chemical batteries Rechargeable batteries

Inductive charger hidden in the surface of bedrooms dresser, closet, hanger

Generate power from human actions or environment Radio transmission (milli-watt-level power)

In on-body wireless networking system, base unit can provide power Heat dissipation

MIPS per watt Cooling (< 40°)

Processors exceeding the 40W range cost an additional US dollar per watt per chip

Using user’s thermal environment Aggressively thermal regulation Phase-change materials

Challenges

Networking Wireless mobile devices

Bits per second per watt Three types of networking

Off-body communications Mobile devices fixed infrastructure Coverage problem

Employ automobiles as repeaters Caching

On-body communications Bluetooth Privacy : Personal Area Network (Zimmerman)

Communicating with near-body objects Radio/infrared transceivers (ex. RFID, Locust)

Interoperability Downloading appropriate software

Challenges

Privacy Privacy ≠ security Individual’s right to control the collection and

use of personal information

Barriers for protecting privacy Physical

Physical barrier between data and potential abusers Technological

Encryption and biometric identifiers (fingerprints, iris scan, etc)

Legislative Social Obscuring

Challenges

Interface design Human & computer interaction

Human-computer interface, psychophysics, human factors, ergonomics, industrial design, and fashion, etc.

Clothing, design, and fashion Science + engineering + design + fashion

Peripheral interfaces: Making simple things simple and complex things possible Portability / Usability / unobtrusiveness

Challenges

Intellectual tools “Lets the user concentrate on a primary task while

the wearable provides information support” Note taking and immediacy of interface

Head-up display & one-handed keyboard Perception and context

Retrieve the context in which notes were taken Just-in-time information

Make capturing information indexed and retrievable in a timely fashion based on current context

Presenting information Rhodes : “software that proactively retrieves and presents

information based on a person’s local context in an accessible yet nonintrusive manner”

Ex) Remembrance Agent

Challenges

Facilitating collaboration Aid communication and collaboration Collaborative primitives (Kortuem)

Remote awareness Presence Presentation Pointing Manipulation

Negotiation for cooperation Tailoring augmented-reality systems

Overlays information on the physical world Ex) x-ray, web icon (link)

Conclusion

Wearable computing pursues an interface ideal Constant access to information services Senses and models context Augments and mediates the user’s interactions with

the environment Interacts seamlessly with the user

Much works Perception on the body (new sensors) Low-attention interfaces personal head-up display User modeling (predict user’s future needs)

Ubiquitous? / Wearable?

Q & A