I wonder why I have'nt noticed these shoes before.. However, Gizmag presents what they call the Cinderella Shoe that is in fact an electric weapon. The picture left shows how it works. If you want to see how great it looks just go to Gizmags picture gallery.

The shoe is a great example of how wearables may increase your self-confidence just by wearing it.

Cool Pictures

More about the artist here: Electric Cinderella Shoes with built-in stun gun - gizmag Article

Techwear is of course part of the CeBIT this year. Companies and products have their own area as part of the future parc. I even found a press release in the english section, but it was in German... Only these words:

Knowledge is the future in the Future Parc at CeBIT 2007

* eFashion trends in the smartTextile Village
* Teaching robots to speak
* Photos that organize themselves

However, the future parc is in pavilion 9 with about 250 exhibitors.

You'll find the smartTextile Village from the FIS Fashion Innovation Service GmbH in pavilion 9, stand C07und C10.

Other areas of interest within the future parc are: 'future talk' (communication forum, pavilion 9, stand A60) and 'future market' (products close to market, topic "living & working in 2020, pavilion 9, stand A66).

Btw, CeBIT 2007 is from 15 - 21 march.

Try your luck at CeBIT - Foreign Fairs 2006

Wearable was a topic at CNN and beside many known things we find a lot of new and interesting projects listed there.

Wearable computing also has a natural home in the world of gaming. Nintendo's Wii controller already has motion-sensors and it seems it won't be long before more interactive gear, including clothing, become part of a video-game player's wardrobe.
...
Intelligent clothing will remain a specialist item for the foreseeable future, but it has a number of different areas of application, including gaming, diaries and as personal assistants, Cliff Randell, Research Fellow at Bristol University told CNN.
...
Their Diabetes Management Assistant (DIMA) is a wearable computer system with wireless communication including a glucose meter, digital camera and pedometer.
...
Lynette Jones heads a team who are developing a vibrating vest that writes messages on its wearer's back.
...
"The main challenge is making security techniques lightweight, but apart from that people shouldn't be overly worried about security issues," said Randell.

All these examples show us that wearable means a new kind of relationship between you and your computer. "Augmented Personality" if you want.

Btw, the Quick Quote Question "Would you like to own a garment that acted as your own personal assistant?" was answered 62% with "yes".

Just read everything here: Future dress code: Very smart� - CNN.com

How Japanese see the future - the "now future in front of us" to be proper. Watch this video short before you leave your office today and I wish you a great start into the weekend. Beside the fact that the presentation is very serious I still wonder about the name of the unit presented: "machine understanding"...



via YouTube - Wearable Computing Systems

The really first contact with wearable computing for me was in Zurich, Switzerland when the Expert from the ETHZ presented his idea for a PHA - the Personal Health Assistant. Looks like we are a bit closer to that idea now:

In future, a smart sensor network will monitor sufferers and alert the doctor when necessary

Six Fraunhofer Institutes in Germany have spent two years working on a system that can record the main cardiovascular functions 24 hours a day over a long period of time, even away from the doctor's office, and enables communication with qualified medical staff.

The technology will be presented at the CeBIT, Fraunhofer, Hall 9, Stand B36.

Via Smart Economy: Smart Mobile health assistant

Picture Source here

CeBIT 2007 is coming closer and we see the first press releases. This one got my immediate attention; let's call it a pillow mobile. It's not the product itself, it's the following picture that grabbed me: You as a classic couch potato couching on whatever get a call. Your first idea is? Right, you're NOT keen to get up... Just stay where you are in the position you are and have your call.

And when you sleep the one on the other side of the line knows that the call is over. Thats easy ;-))

Via (German) URBAN TOOL _ supernatural wear

I found this product on german websites only - however, here is what's so special about it: The AIRTIME SENSOR for Snowboards measures the time you are "in the air". The main technology is a sensor for the acceleration that is very precise.

Presented as a European premiere here: European OutDoor

The company is here
The product here

Wearable Electronics you can shop for Mama's & Papa's - this little sweet Panda watches over your child. An idea I had some years ago with other products: if part A (your child) leaves a specific distance, part B (you) get informed. Perfect for crowded malls.

Worn by the child, the cartoon animal-shaped transmitter sends a constant signal to the receiver, which is held by the adult. The signal is adjustable - from a distance of 6 to 30 feet, so when the child goes beyond the set distance, the adult's receiver starts to beep, letting them know that the child is starting to wander off. The Child Guard is worn around the child's neck and the Panda is worn on the wrist of the child.

Via Child Leash Panda

Shop here

While thinking about the term "micro-economy" it can mean too that we repeat ancient products and ideas but are able to make it much smaller. So with this new textile. It is build like ancient warriors armament but so micro that it develops new characteristics. Because it is woven from metallic fiber we can use it for wearable computing too. A flexible, bendable and wearable network.

As a flexible MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) device, the new fabric represents a milestone in the development of smart textiles. A type of smart device, smart textiles will likely be incorporated into wearable computers-shirts that can detect vital signs, locate bullet wounds, or provide an information network for soldiers on a dispersed battleground, according to recent research (Georgia Tech).

Via Chain Mail Fabric a Perfect Fit

Such a pity to say that I found another text of great value on another fake weblog. However, the copy is worth to post it here as it describes wearable electronics in a great way. The real source should be here, but I could'nt find anything...

Picture source is here

Wearable Electronics

Wearable Electronics is a term we use to describe the basic technology for integrating electronics into clothing. Electronic assistants are supposed to be always available, without getting on the user's nerves. Clothes are part of our everyday life. For this reason they are extremely well suited for the integration of such assistants.

Talked about the crazy cool Exoskeleton from Cyberdyn a while ago now they get "big pockets" ;-)

Daiwa House Industry Co said Thursday it has contributed 1 billion yen (about 8,316,008 US dollars) in capital to Cyberdyne Inc to help the venture business launch commercial production of its wearable robot suit.

Via Hipfox

Looks like we have some results from the huge European project WearIT @Work. And it looks like the field of on-site, real-time trainings with wearable technologies is a coming market.

Giunti Labs, mobile and e-learning content management solution provider, has announced the delivery of a new wearable computer training application scenario for on-field maintenance support in the aeronautical industry.

This announcement is the preliminary result of Giunti Labs' work as part of the flagship research and development project WearIT @Work, a project launched by the European Commission to design and develop wearable computer training scenarios and solutions for on-site aeronautical maintenance, advanced decision support systems in the automotive industry, healthcare and 'blue light' emergency mobile solutions.

Original press release here
Via Learning Business

Seldom enough I write about interfaces for wearable computing because there are not so many fresh ideas yet. However, this collection of "13 Computer keyboards you've never seen before" is fun and informative too.

The classic is: "The Twiddler2 is a pocket-sized mouse pointer plus a full-function keyboard in a single unit that fits neatly in either right or left hand." But you'll find others too like the funny "Tidy Tippist" or the "AlphaGrip".

Via 13 Computer keyboards you've never seen before

I found this entry about Phase Change Materials on a "Flog", a fake Weblog. However, the copy is pretty comprehensive and the topic interesting as well.

Because the weblog's aim is to make google crazy I will not link to it. You'll find the whole text in the extended entry.

"Many garment making companies in USA are now producing many of such garments, like thermal underwear and socks for inner layer, knit shirt or coated fleece for insulating layer; and a jacket with PCM interlines for outer layer, beside helmets, other head gears and gloves. Such clothing can maintain warm and comfortable temperatures in the extreme of both weathers. There is no doubt that textile which integrate PCMs will find their way into several uses in the near future."

Picture via http://moondial.typepad.com/

PCM at Wikipedia


Addition: by any chance I stumbled on the real source: PCM in textiles