Smart clothing: The wearable computer and wearcam

Abstract

Due to recent advances in miniaturization, the 'wearable computer' of the late 1970s and early 1980s, comprising a backpack-based, tetherless computer system together with wireless communications, has been transformed from an awkward and cumbersome burden into a completely unobtrusive internet-connected multimedia computer built within an ordinary pair of eyeglasses and ordinary clothing. This transformation allows it to be worn constantly, with the goal of becoming a seamless extension of the body and mind. In addition to replacing one's cellular telephone, personal music system, dictating machine, pager, camcorder, laptop computer, PDA, and the like with a single well-integrated unit, it can perform new and previously unexpected useful functions. Equipped with various sensors which measure heart rate (and waveform), respiration, footstep rate (and waveform), etc., the apparatus can function as a personal safety device for reducing crime, as well as a personal health monitor for improving health care by encouraging individuals to take an active role in diagnosis and body-maintenance. Presently, conductive cloth in various forms is available, due in part to certain people's desire to shield themselves from radiation effects of cellular telephones and the like, as well as for decorative purposes (the aesthetics of metallic fibres). The wearable computer is embedded within nontransparent clothing which provides shielding, (radiofrequency privacy, and solitude). Conductive fibres are also being used for the antenna structure, as well as for connectivity. Smart clothing has been proposed as a form of 'existential media', which defines new forms of social interaction through enhanced abilities for self expression and selfactualization, as well as through self-determination (see, for example Frankl i994). Examples of smart clothing include intemet-connected shoes (Fig. l) which allow one to run with a jogging partner located in some distant place, but connected via the network. Viewpoints might also be shared using the 'eye-to-eye' glasses (where a portion of each runner's visual field comes from the other runner (Mann 1994).