The Evolution of Mann Steve Mann and his “WearComp” invention Evan Welbourne CSE510 – Winter

The Birth of WearComp – late 70s to early 80s The driving application was photography Peripherals were “light paintbrushes” Worn on back, waist, and chest Lumped components, heavy, cumbersome Display: head-mounted NTSC Processor: 6502 OS: Hand-assembled software Communication: radio to base station Power: lead-acid batteries Uptime: minutes Input: pushbutton switches

Continued Evolution – mid to late 80s Display: 80x24 (head) to 640x480 (chest) Processor: 8085 to OS: Intel supportstation Communication: two-way amateur radio Power: NiCad batteries Uptime: hours Input: simple keyer Became a tool for “personal documentary” Now included video and sound recording Major innovation was to distribute the components from head to feet (shoes) Wires eventually sewn into clothing

Current Form – early 90s to present Became “personal imaging” thesis at MIT media lab Now for general purpose computing and mediated reality Waistbag with special always-worn conductive clothing Display: 640x480 (head) to RS170 (head) Processor: VLSI and/or 80*86 OS: DOS to Linux Communication: wireless Internet Power: Li-Ion batteries Uptime: days (depending on use) Input: septambic keyer

Research Areas and Themes  Focus: develop new WearComp functionality and applications “Humanistic Intelligence” - personal empowerment through augmentation, “smart people” Intelligent image processing and AR Wearable-related gadgetry  Characteristic themes: Privacy ‘Personal empowerment’ Collaboration Creativity “Cyborgian”

Humanistic Intelligence / Personal Empowerment Wearable extensions to augment the user with a “sixth sense” BlindVision: - wearable radar system + “vibra-suit” - suit can apply pressure to a part of wearer’s body - user can “feel” a person, wall, bus, etc. approaching MEDIwear: - monitors wearer’s life signs - notifies “safety net” if there is a medical emergency

Image Processing and Augmented Reality Contributions are both in applications and theory VideoOrbits - camera-based head-tracking for AR - uses chirplet transform and coparametric equations Billboard filtering (mediated reality) - with James Fung - AR app recognizes and reclaims polluted visual space

Gadgetry Video-conferencing wrist-watch: - 24-bit true color, 7 fps - wireless to Internet via a concealed wearable component Telepoint: - A laser pointer for telecollaboration - End unit wearable or for conferences

Art Work A large number of photo and video documentaries: - “Shooting Back” - Live, web-broadcast, two-year AR documentary while at MIT - “Cyberman” with David Suzuki’s ‘The Nature of Things’ Work has been featured in Ars Electronica, NY Times, Scientific American, WiReD, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, NBC, ABC, CNN, BBC,… Museum pieces are usually a commentary on the organization-individual power struggle