Mobile Intelligence

22.2 UBIQUITOUS FASHIONABLE COMPUTER

A new physical form of a portable computer has emerged in the form of a wearable computing system [10]. The wearable computing system can be broadly defined as mobile electronic devices that can be unobtrusively embedded as part of garment or accessory [2]. Unlike conventional mobile devices, it is always active and running without user's attention and gives services to a user with the support of ubiquitous environment. In the ubiquitous environment, using the wearable computer, we get necessary information in anytime and anywhere with a minimal constraint.

22.2.1 UFC Design Philosophy

The new paradigm of wearable computer design has concentrated on the problems that arises when user has to put up with considerable inconvenience carrying around devices. The wearable computer platform should be lightweight, easy to carry, easy to use, and should have aesthetic appearance and social acceptance. We chose to design and implement a wearable platform from the scratch and make use of it as a main user device. Deliberating on the aforementioned requirement, we present the design philosophy of our wearable computing system as follows.

• Wearability and usability: Our wearable platform, in contrast to either laptop PC or handheld device, allows a user to carry the computing device in a comfortable and natural manner, because clothes have been already a essential component of our daily lives. Large surface area of clothes can be utilized for various purposes ...