Wearable Computers: Field-Test Results and System Design Guidelines

Abstract

Since the summer of 1994, a group of partners, led by Boeing and including Carnegie Mellon University, Virtual Vision, and Honeywell have developed or provided significant design input on several generations of wearable computer systems, head-mounted displays (HMDs), and field-tested several application prototypes using these systems. Some of these applications include KC-135 skin inspections at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California, autopilot troubleshooting for the Boeing 777, and fuel system problem diagnosis and repair for the Boeing 757. This paper will address three questions: Why would someone wear a computer? What is a wearable computer? How does application and user interface design for these systems differ from that for more conventional office desktop applications?