One of the big questions for wearable computing is how to market products. This needs innovation as much as the ability to understand the market and it's real needs. Thats the reason I post this entry from the Kyono Blog. It tells us a lot about the fact that Japan became the titel "most innovative country" and even more about the cultural background.

"Okay, there are major impediments to creativity and innovation in Japan (authoritarianism, less meritocracy, homogeneity, discrimination, etc.). That said, there is no question that Wah has its advantages in terms of getting ideas that add value to market. Japan Inc. is unequivocally one of the best at commercializing innovations globally and I am not surprised they were voted #1 by the Economist Intelligence Unit."

A little idea that can be used in many different cases: part a is close to part b -> nothing happens. Part b moves away from part a -> any kind of alarm starts. This version is for people who love sailing. If you fall off the boat the alarm of part a rings that loud so other crew member can save you.

The LifeTag starter system, which retails for $685, includes two LifeTags, which have Lithium batteries with a lifetime of 2,000 hours, wrist straps, an alarm module, a base station, and a power cable. If the boat has RayMarine instruments, you'll be able to integrate the LifeTag system into the SeaTalk network and send COB data to all chartplotters and displays.

Another version of an interface for a digital diary - one of the application i think would be useful for wearable electronics and / or computing. This tiny camera or handy piece of jewelry is the result of a Kodak sponsoring for the search of the future of wearable technologies.

To capture a moment, it can be as easy as tapping the camera while in the closed position, or opening it up for a more classical photo composition with the LCD screen before shooting.

Pretty cool idea, is'nt it?

Looks like gadget holster become more and more fashionable at all. Here is a new line that is more female and comes in 10 different styles:

According to the maker, the curved design is extra comfortable on the leg. It can be worn over skin, socks or boots and the large pouch holds a pack of cigarettes. The electronics carrier holds a phone up to 4-3/4 inches tall, and the wallet holds cash and credit cards.

Fibre2fashion published a huge report about fibres in the 21st century written by Prof. T.K.Sinha, Yogita Agrawal, Rupa Mohanta and Rupali Kapoor. The whole thing is really comprehensive. Here is the summary:

As we enter 21st century, technical advances are dramatically influencing the world of fibers, fabrics and textiles. Today, technology can provide us with fabrics that imitate and actually improve upon nature's best fibers. In the next millennium, textiles will not just be an extension or simple alternatives to natural or synthetic fibers, but will provide superior functionality in broad and emerging sectors of the economy from space to super conductivity and agriculture to geotextile.

Picture: Soybean protein fiber

The Emotional Wardrobe is a London, UK, based project for research about what I call the "Social Interface". They differ between three dimensions of the topic:

The three themes we have identified are emotional connection, human connectedness and customisation and creativity.

Cause the project is simple cool I just quote some statements to make you hungry for more ;-)

In our vision of ubiquitous computing, digital systems will extend to clothing (and other everyday objects) via smart textiles and materials, meaning that fashion will become a mediator of technology.

Clothing is an emotional medium; it can serve to reflect, hide or generate mood. Currently, clothing products apart from visual and in some cases tactile stimuli are dumb and are not responsive to people and/or their moods.

Clothing is a communicative medium. The marriage of design and technology in the 21 st Century will require designers to design interactions , between people, places and information .

Clothing is an expressive medium; it facilitates individualistic expression, allowing individuals to differentiate themselves and to declare their uniqueness.

The Fashion in Motion show as part of the CTIA is always a great show but from year to year it becomes more famouse and wellknown. This year we find big names like Elle, La Perla, Zegna but of course our famous player like Elekson and Kyono too.

Some of the runway models will show products like the he Zegna iJacket, Koyono's Blackcoat Sport and the GTech Professional Messenger bag. All of them 'powered' by Eleksen's smart fabric technology.

Fashion show times are 11:30 am, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Tuesday, March 27 and Wednesday, March 28; and 11:00 am and 1:30 pm on Thursday, March 29.

What a great idea - part of the Hannover Messe is TecToYou (speak: Tec2u ;-), an initiative for teens. Many companies and universities organized special events over the whole week for young people. Because the government supports Tec2u many school classes are invited.

TectoYou. a week dedicated to young people, technology and the future. From 16 to 19 April 2007 various pavilions will create an interdisciplinary platform for presentations, displays and discussion of central future-focused themes.

One part are workshops in the "Open Lab" where Wearable Computing is one of the main topics.

Ok, on the other side it is "high time" for Germany not to increase the technological gap while in Japan UMTS is everywhere and in Korea 40% of the people have an CyWorld account.. You know what I mean.

Just a last note form the CeBIT 2007. I made a picture at the stand of MRC, the Mobile Research Center, Bremen, Germany. This was btw my first intense use of a wearable system.

The job was to answer mathematical and geometrical questions on the left side and to draw with my hand over a mandrel... On "the left side" means with a HMD (head mounted display) and a data glove on my left eye and hand. It was a combination of virtuel and real. And it was f.... hard. I was fully concentrated on the virtual part so I mostly lost control of my right hand movements... However, I was 18th of 280 on last monday...

(btw, it's not me at the picture ;-)

People to discover: Sabine Seymour. She's from Austria but teaches "Fashionable Technology" in New York. She is the one behind the Nike Running project and other brand projects with wearables.

Sabine Seymour focuses on 'the next generation wearables' and the intertwining of aesthetics and function. She is described as being an innovator, visionary, trend setting, holistic in her approach, and a lateral thinker.

One of the next chances to meet her is in May in Washington:

Sabine Seymour is invited to speak at the Smart Fabrics 2007 conference on "Fashionable Technology - The Impact of Design on Innovations" Washington, USA, May 7 - 9, 2007

The famous Fraunhofer institut looks for students to support their wearable unit in Berlin, Germany. Beside the fact that Berlin is a dynamic and fun place to live the Fraunhofer institut - well-known for the invention of the mp3-format for example has some thrilling projects to work on.

One is on the picture: a t-shirt to monitor the health status of high-risk patients.

Ad agencies love new ideas and technologies because cool new things always create huge attention for brands and products.. This way it was only a question of time till I found this:

MB2, also known as Miles Brinson Brown, will help with the national launch of the "billboard clothing," which includes interchangeable fabric panels displayed on employees' uniforms.

I would say it's perfect for all kind of trade shows or promotions in clubs and on the street.

This picture of a tactical computer is somewhat old but shows you what we talk about. The difference to the new TVC-2.0 TL is just that you have the power of a workstation within a wearable system that is even capable to visualize 3D- Data in realtime. Another toy for the hightech soldier.

The new Thermite TVC-2.0 TL is said to be the smallest tactical visual computer on the market today. Its small form factor and weight (0.75 kg), combined with its PC compatibility and unique video and graphics capabilities makes the TVC-2.0 TL well suited for man-wearable 2-D/3-D graphics and video-intensive deployed C4ISR, UAV/UGV control, mission planning, mission rehearsal, biometric - as well as 2-D/3-D-augmented reality-based maintenance deployed applications.

I'm sure you know the movie Minority Report and you'll remember the interface Tom Cruise uses to navigate in all the information he needs to build a story from the mind pictures.

The pointscreen is pretty close to that vision. You just stand in front of the glass or whatever material looks cool and move your hand. The movement is repeated on the screen. That way you move the mouse symbol
(the symbol no real mouse anymore) and the functions of the software.

The interface works with an electric field around your body that is able o capture 3D-movements and interpret them into computer actions. Cool. A bit slow but it's still new and improvements not that hard at all.

Click image to increase. Shot on monday at the future parc, CeBIT 2007.