WEARABLE COMPUTER

Supervised By: Dr.Howida Youssry

Prepared By: Narden Ayad

INTRODUCTION: -
A wearable computer, often called a body-borne computer or a wearable computer, is a computing device that
is worn on the body. The term "wearable computer" can be defined in a variety of ways, including smartphones
and even regular wristwatches.

It goes computation away from the desktop and toward the user's body. It is a device that is always connected to
its user and is worn in a pleasant manner.

Wearable computers are smart devices that are ready to use and can be worn like clothing. Rings, shirts, watches,
glasses, shoes, socks, and other items associated with our daily lives could be among those devices. They can
incorporate VR, GPS, wireless connection, multimedia, and other technologies. In this work, we depict wearable
computers with sensor features that can be employed in a variety of applications. Since the advent of the first
analogue watch, the concept of wearable technology has existed in some form.

Wearable technologies are made up of two parts: the wearable and the body sensors. Any device that monitors
variables and transmits that data to storage is referred to as a wearable, and a body sensor is any device that
monitors variables and transmits that data to storage [2].

The Wearable Computing Concept: -

Wearables may be intended for widespread usage; in which case they are merely a minor example of mobile
computing. They could also be for specialized uses, such as fitness trackers. Special sensors, such as
accelerometers, heart rate monitors, and, on the more modern side, electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood oxygen
saturation (SpO2) monitors, may be included. We include unique user interfaces like Google Glass, an optical head-
mounted display controlled by gestures, in our concept of wearable computers. As with the convergence of PDAs
and mobile phones into smartphones, it's possible that specialized wearables will grow into generic all-in-one
devices.

Wearables are often worn on the wrist (e.g., fitness trackers), around the neck (like a necklace), on the arm or leg
(smartphones when exercising), or on the head (as glasses or a helmet), though some have been found elsewhere
(e.g., on a finger or in a shoe). Smartphones, and before them, pocket calculators and PDAs, may or may not be
considered 'worn' devices when carried in a pocket or purse.

Batteries, heat dissipation, software architectures, wireless and personal area networks, and data management
are all difficulties that wearable computers face in common with other mobile computing devices. Many wearable
computers are constantly working, for example, analyzing or recording data.

WHY USING WEARABLE COMPUTERS: -

• Making human-to-human communication easier:

Telesign, for example, is a device that recognizes sign language by using a hat-mounted downward-
facing camera. The goal of the design is to show a working prototype of a cellular phone for Deaf people.
When a deaf person needs to communicate with a hearing person who does not sign, this could be used
as part of an interpreting system [3].
 • Facilitate personal and discreet- hu man-machine communication:
AlterEgo, for example, is a wearable silent speech interface that allows for discrete and bi-directional
communication in natural language with a computing system without the use of detectable gestures or
voice input. Neuromuscular signals in internal speech articulators characterize internal speech and the
user's intention to speak, allowing the AlterEgo system to reconstruct this speech [4].

History: -
The first wearable computer could be as early as the first abacus on a necklace, a 16th-century abacus ring, a
wristwatch and 'finger-watch' owned by Queen Elizabeth I of England, or Thorp and Shannon's covert timing
devices hidden in shoes to cheat at roulette in the 1960s and 1970s, depending on how the terms are defined.
A general-purpose computer, on the other hand, is not just a clock or a calculator; it is a user-programmable device
capable of performing arbitrary complicated algorithms, interfacing, and data management. Steve Mann invented
the wearable computer in the late 1970s, according to this definition:

Moderator Woodward Yang of Harvard University dubbed Steve Mann, a professor at the University of Toronto,
the "Father of the Wearable Computer" and the ISSCC's first virtual panelist (Cambridge Mass.).

Wearable electronics have progressed through numerous stages of miniaturization, from discrete electronics to
hybrid designs to fully integrated systems, which consist of only one CPU chip, a battery, and some interface
conditioning components.

1960s:
To help them win a game of roulette, mathematicians Edward O. Thorp and Claude Shannon created some
automated timing devices in 1961. One timer was hidden in a shoe, while the other was hidden in a pack of
cigarettes. In the 1960s and 1970s, various variations of this equipment were created [7].

1970s:
Beginning in Japan in 1970, pocket calculators became mass-market gadgets. Hewlett-Packard released the HP-
01 algebraic calculator watches in 1977 [7].

1980s:
In 1981, Steve Mann designed and built a 6502-based wearable multimedia computer that could handle text,
graphics, and multimedia, as well as video. Mann went on to become a pioneer and active researcher in the
wearables industry, best recognized for inventing the Wearable Wireless Webcam in 1994.

In 1984, Seiko Epson released the RC-20 Wrist Computer. It was an early smartwatch, using a microprocessor on
a chip as its brain [7].

1990s:
Personal digital assistants (PDAs) became popular in the 1990s, and in Japan, the first mass-market smartphone
was released in 1999 when they were paired with mobile phones.

2000s:
Irena Warwick wore a necklace that was electronically linked to Kevin Warwick's nervous system via an
implanted electrode array in 2002 as part of Kevin Warwick's Project Cyborg. Depending on the signals in
Warwick's nervous system, the necklace's hue shifted from red to blue [7].
2010s:
Rehabilitation engineering, ambulatory intervention treatment, lifeguard systems, and military wearable
systems have all benefited from the advancement of wearable computers.

Sony released the Sony Smartwatch wristwatch, which requires pairing with an Android phone. It becomes an
additional remote display and notification tool once paired.

Fitbit has developed a number of wearable fitness trackers, as well as the Fitbit Surge, a full smartwatch that works
with both Android and iOS [7].

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS: -

• Sport and Fitness
People use them to track physical markers (heart rate, calories burned) and to manage
training programs in this way (GPS tracking, user activity). Simultaneously, one may argue
that manufacturers have overcome the most significant issue with such devices, namely
accuracy [8].

Such as an activity tracker band, smart training shoes, heated clothing, and smart sunglasses.

• Healthcare
Sensors are used in medical wearable electronic devices to monitor, evaluate, store, and
transport data. Blood sugar levels, oxygen saturation, heart rate, blood pressure, body
temperature, sleep quality, and a variety of other vitals can all be monitored using such
devices.

Example in [1]: -

Wearable systems can be broadly defined as mobile electronic devices that can be
unobtrusively embedded in the user’s outfit as part of the clothing or an accessory. This
model can recognize user activity, state, and the surrounding situation

The architecture of this wearable system:

The model is divided into four layers, each of which focuses on a particular purpose,
implementation technology, and level of integration with the user's clothing. These
layers are as follows: -

▪ Functional Textiles
This architecture model takes this concept a step further by including signal and power
lines, as well as simple sensors, into the garment itself, using functional textiles and new
electronic/textile connector technology.

▪ Embedded Microsystems
The components of this layer are permanently connected to the functional textiles layer.
They use the communication and power generation infrastructure as an alternative or
addition to their own ultra-low power wireless communication and power generation
capabilities.

▪ Attached Peripherals
This layer entails embedding IO devices and other peripherals in various portions of the
user's outfit and allowing different appliances to share them via layer 1's textile
communication infrastructure.

This means that they are usually connected with a specific piece of clothing or accessory
(for example, sunglasses) and are firmly bonded to it at a specific spot.

▪ Carry-On Appliances
Most products, such as mobile computers, cellphones, and MP3 players, are
multipurpose in the sense that they may be utilized in a variety of contexts. As a result, it
makes little sense to associate them with a particular piece of clothing

Instead, they can be readily carried in a purse or as part of a carry-on accessory like a key
chain or a belt buckle after being stripped of cumbersome IO interfaces and hefty
batteries.

A wireless body area network (BAN) or inductive coupling directly to the textile layer can
be used to link to the lower layers.
 • Travel
Smartwatches and AR glasses can be used to navigate in cities and explore local landmarks [8].

• Education
Wearable devices can help teachers and students learn, exchange knowledge, and solve everyday
problems. In this regard, VR/AR glasses pose a specific interest, as they allow increasing student
involvement, improve learning content perception, and accelerate new knowledge and skills acquisition
[8].

• Life Style Computing

Such as a Gesture control band, GPS shoes, smart watch, and VR gaming headset [2].

• Security
Such as a trackball wallet, personal locator beacon, identity bracelet, and situational awareness [8].

SENSORS USED IN WEARABLE DEVICES: -

• Biosensors
Biosensors have evolved in response to the growing demand for health monitoring. These
sensors keep people informed about their health at all times. They are also used by healthcare
professionals in the early diagnosis and prevention of disease.
 Body temperature sensors, heart rate sensors, electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalography
(EEG), electromyography (EMG), blood pressure sensors, and glucose level sensors are all
examples [6].

• Environmental sensors
Environmental sensors are devices that measure, monitor, and record environmental
conditions such as pressure, humidity, luminosity, temperature, and water level [6].

• Position and location-Tracking Sensors

GPS, altimeter, magnetometer, compasses, and accelerometers are the most common types of
sensors found on wearable devices such as smartwatches, activity trackers, and medical
wearables used to monitor patients' health [6].

FEATURES OF WEARABLE COMPUTER: -

• Unrestricted
Wearable technologies allow people to multitask whenever and wherever they want, and they don't
limit a person's focus to a single job.

• Enhancement
Wearable computing assumes that the user will be doing something else in addition to computing, so
the wearable computer should serve to enhance the intellect or the senses [5].

• Convenient
Wearable technology is most convenient for the user because the person can use it at the right time and
in the right place, providing great comfort and contributing to its overall utility [5].

• Privacy
Wearable computing provides a new level of privacy since it becomes more personal as it is worn, and
it aids in the development of human-computer communication.

CONCLUSION
The wearable computer is a device that stays with the user at all times, allowing them to enter commands and
execute instructions while walking or doing other tasks. The wearable computer is always on and takes part in
real-world tasks. We examined the various wearable sensors and applications in this article. We also go through
the history and characteristics of wearable computing.
REFERENCES
[1] Lukowicz, Paul, Tnde Kirstein, and Gerhard Tröster. "Wearable systems for health care applications." Methods of
information in medicine 43.03 (2004): 232-238.

[2] Maria R. lee, irena Bojanova, Tom Suder (2015) The new Wearable Computing Frontier, published by the IEEE
Computer Society, pp 16-19.

[3] A. Smailagic, D. Siewiorek, R. Martin, and D. Reilly. Cmu wearable computers for real time speech translation.
In IEEE Intl. Symp. on Wearable Computers, San Francisco, CA.

[4] Arnav Kapur, Shreyas Kapur, Pattie Maes. AlterEgo: Apersonalized wearable silent speech interface. IUI (2018)
Tokyo,Japan, PP 43 – 53.

[5] Smita Jhajharia, Dr.S.K.Pal, Dr.seema Verma (2014), Wearable Computing and its applications, In International
Journal of computer science and information technologies. Pp. 57-5704.

[6] Mokhinabonu Mardonova and Yosoon Choi, Review of Wearable Device Technology and Its Applications to the
Mining Industry, energies (2018), 11,547.

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wearable_computer“Last Seen” June 2022

[8] https://lvivity.com/wearable-technologies “Last Seen” June 2022