Personal display devices and wearable computers

If you have been in a coffee shop and seen people using their laptop computers, then you are aware that each computer uses a personal display device that is built into the case of the laptop.

However, as computer consoles become significantly smaller (separate from input and output devices), the input and output devices must change accordingly. At one time, Apple Computer company manufactured a monitor-console combination that essentially only required a keyboard and mouse as input devices, in order to be fully functional. Unfortunately, this monitor was a "dinosaur" CRT design that added substantial weight and was not quite portable.

The new generation of computing devices, called "wearable computers", mark the start of an effort to make computing truly a carry-around, portable experience. As the computer consoles miniaturize, the input and output devices gradually become the focus of miniaturization and portability. A laptop computer tries to solve this problem of portability by providing input devices (e.g., full-size keyboard and touchpad mouse) and output devices (e.g., monitor, about 45cm diagonal) that are built into the structure of the containing case.

In order to reduce size yet further, the large-footprint keyboard can be replaced with a one-hander, e.g., Matias or Frogpad. Unfortunately, most people don't want to learn how to use a one-hander, thereby denying themselves this convenience toward wearable computing. Also, the monitor can be replaced by two alternative visual output devices:
1) mini-projector; and,
2) head-mounted display.

The mini-projectors currently being made (e.g., Sony) are becoming so small that very soon, cell phones will be equipped with built-in image projectors. All you will need will be a wall or piece of white paper! These new projectors can fit in ones pocket, cost about $400-1000, and display up to 800x600 (SVGA) resolution.

Similarly, head-mounted displays (HMD) are limited in resolution, depending on price. VGA and SVGA models (640x480 and 800x600) cost about $400-1000 for either monocle or both eyes. Cheaper 320x240 models cost about $100-300, but this resolution may be unacceptable for computer users. HMDs having higher resolutions, such as 1024x768, XGA, cost roughly $2k-10k, and are generally used for the military, which has plenty of budget for such expensive devices (think what YOU could do with a budget approaching a trillion dollars a year!, regardliss of the number of members of the military!). So, it is just a matter of time and patience before HMD with adequate resolution for CIVILIAN use become available.

The character of portable/wearable computing appears to be changing to the benefit of ordinary people.

Francis Lorin
siberkhem.com