Design and construction of wearable computers

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Abstract
The Bristol Wearable Computing Initiative was established in 1997 as a collaboration between the University of Bristol and Hewlett-Packard Research Laboratories, Europe. Part of its purpose was to provide platforms on which mobile computing architectures and applications could be explored in association with prototype information appliances. The wearable computer provides a solution with which we have been able to experiment and learn lessons that may be applied to more ambitious future projects. This paper describes the development of three wearable systems-the CyberJacket, BlazerJet and the eSleeve. While wearable computers have already been developed to support many specialised activities in professional fields as diverse as aircraft maintenance, virtual conferencing and the medical field, we are researching the application of wearable computers in normal everyday life. We are interested in uses that have the potential to enhance the activities of the user by using contextual information to assist the interaction between the user, the wearable computer and the Internet. By its nature, wearable computing requires the application of many different disciplines and specialities. A successful wearable will require robust and energy efficient hardware, an optimised software architecture, applications which are user sensitive and life enhancing, and it must be fashion conscious. Our platforms have explored suitable hardware and software architectures, and we have successfully developed applications that have user appeal. (4 pages)

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