How many backpacks do you own that function as real-time world observers and sketch artists? Jansport this is not. Enter the Situationist Drawing Device, a real invention intended to map out the world around us.
It was concocted by designer Ji Soo Han and Paul Ornsby. It sits on your back, acting as a backpack of sort. Then it observes and sketches the world around you. How in the heck does it do that? It uses a series of placed mirrors that reflect to and from the user and, finally, to the input connections of the device. It is more or less an artistic expression than something that has real world applications. However, it sure is cool.
Obviously, this unit is concept only and probably won’t be turning up in store shelves anytime ..read more
Posted in: Backpack, Concept Design, Wearable Computing
Researchers at North Carolina State University have almost prepped the “holy grail” of wearable tech, conductive nanocoating. This technology, once mastered, could turn any article of clothing into just about any gadget imaginable. The future is almost here my friends.
The researchers are developing a technique called atomic layer deposition, which grows an inorganic coating atop cloths like woven cotton. The treated fabric conducts electricity, opening the door to thin, wearable devices with the flexibility of everyday clothing. Sign me up!
The technology, of course, is in the very early stages, so don’t be getting too excited. However, it does bode well for a future where wearable tech is as commonplace as regular ole cotton is now. Who knows, maybe we’ll have to change this website’s name to Wear.com.
Posted in: Concept Design, Textiles, Wearable Computing
Sure, there is some cool tech that wraps around your arm, but what about the lowly finger? This Ring Mouse by Genius does just that, finally making a wearable mouse you prop around your finger. It’s like you are getting engaged to your computer.
Word on the street is the mouse works great and is actually comfortable. This could be perfect for people who just wanna lay around in bed without being too close to their computers. It could also be perfect for a really dorky James Bond type.
The peripheral is available now for $70. Be warned, it currently only works for PCs. Sorry Macheads, you’ll just have to keep your fingers bare this go around.
Posted in: Armbands, Genius, Wearable Computing
The Eurotech Zypad WL150 may look like some 1990s vision of a tablet, but that doesn’t mean it’s not cool. It’s a computer you wear on your arm. This thing is perfect for the medical field, among other uses. Plus it has kind of a retro Star Trek look which is always nice
The WL150 features a 3.5 inch QVGA resistive display, a Marvell PXA320 processor, a paltry 128MB of flash storage, 3G connectivity, WiFi and Bluetooth. The OS of choice is Windows CE 6.0. Now, you may have realized by now that this doesn’t have far reaching consumer implications. However, it is being marketing to a variety of industries, including the medical and law enforcement fields.
It will be formally released later in the year. The price has not been disclosed.
Posted in: Armbands, Bluetooth, Display, Eurotech, Wearable Computing, WiFi Detection
True computational clothing is the holy grail of this site We all want to be draped in microchips that can do whatever it is our imaginations can cook up. Well, we’ve just gotten one step closer to realizing that dream. Researchers from IMEC have created a cheap (About 1/10th the cost of microchips), bendable microprocessor.
How does this work? The researchers layered a plastic substrate, gold circuits, organic dielectric, and a pentacene organic semiconductor to create an 8-bit logic circuit with 4000 transistors. Yeah, that’s a whole lot of words. Let’s just say they merged the bendy and the not-so bendy into an amalgam of wonderfulness.
Thus far, they only engineer 6 processes per second, which won’t make it win any intelligence contests anytime soon. Still, it’s a good start ..read more
Posted in: IMEC, Tech Clothing Industry, Wearable Computing, Wearable Tech
Alphyn Industries have officially released their PADX-1 Ledge jacket. This innovative piece of clothing features a “kangaroo pouch” that can be outfitted with an Apple iPad.
The PADX-1 Ledge is a form-fitting polyester and silicone pullover jacket with a zippered pouch in the center that the iPad rests snugly in. It makes access to the touchpad-enabled device convenient and easy. This is perfect for you iPad users that are constantly on the go. It’s also perfect for those of you practicing baby rearing.
The unit is out now and costs $285. Order it at the company’s website.
Posted in: Accessories, Clothing, Jacket, Techno Fashion, Wearable Computing
Sebastian Merchel first brought us the Sweetspotter, and now the mad genius is back with his Ar-Tees. These t-shirts put the augmented in augmented reality, allowing you to essentially wear a webcam.
How does it work? Just set up your webcam, click on your mouse a few times, and then don the t-shirt. The shirt will show on-screen whatever it is the cam is capturing. Become a hit at parties! Meet girls! Maintain untold riches and fame! Ok maybe not that last one. Girls will definitely talk to you though.
It’s available now for around $30, which is actually less than a Celine Dion shirt so you should probably go for it.
Posted in: T-Shirt, Wearable Computing
There are a lot of cool jackets in the world, but only one will control your entire multimedia live performance. The Vjacket does just that. The Vjacket allows you to send OpenSoundControl or MIDI messages wireless to the VJ program of your choice, letting you control video effects and transitions, trigger clips and scratch frames all from the comfort of your own jacket.
The jacket was created by Tyler Freeman and Andreas Zingerle, who embedded the jacket with 5 sensors. The 1 Softpot, 2 piezos, 2 bend sensors and 1 photo resistor combine to give you a rough and tumble live performance controlling machine. Oh yeah, it’s also a jacket.
It’s not available for sale yet, but you can watch a video of the Vjacket in action right here.
Posted in: Jacket, Wearable Computing, Wearable Tech, WiFi Detection
Jeff Rowberg has designed the extremely functional Keyglove, which is essentially a wearable keyboard. We’ve certainly profiled some cool gloves in the past, but this may just take the cake. Touchscreens have been all the rage the past few years, but Mr. Rowberg has taken the touchscreen out of the equation and essentially made the entire world into one.
The Keyglove is a portable Arduino/Atmel-powered glove that uses touch combinations for keystrokes and a built-in accelometer for mouse control. Best of all, everything is done using only one glove which leaves your other hand free for sandwich eating and high fives.
The whole thing is intended to work wirelessly with the computing device of your choice. This is just a concept, albeit a working one, for now. Head on over to the ..read more
Posted in: Accessories, Concept Design, Gloves, Tactile Feedback, Technologies, Wearable Computing, Wearable Tech
The Beagleboard is a fan-less single board computer. As such, it can be put to work in a variety of functions. The coolest and newest one? A designed named Martin Magnusson has turned the humble Beagleboard into a wearable computer. Yeah, for a site called Crunchwear, that pretty much makes our heads explode.
The rig runs Angstrom Linux, uses a modified pair of Myvu Crystal video glasses for a display, and relies on a Bluetooth keyboard for input and a tethered iPhone for internet connectivity. Pretty cool, right?
You wear it via a shoulder strap although the innards can also fit inside of a standard CD case. At lease there’s finally a use for that Collective Soul CD you’ve inexplicably held on to.
Posted in: Bluetooth, Concept Design, Wearable Computing, Wearable Tech, iPhone Integration
