Over the past few years, a new technology has been rapidly taking shape. It is the technology of wearable computer systems -- battery-operated computer systems worn on the user's body on a belt, backpack or vest, designed for mobile and predominantly hands-free operation, often incorporating head-mounted displays and speech input. Such systems are now being prototyped and investigated in the context of a wide variety of military, educational, and industrial applications, including maintenance, training, and manufacturing.
On August 19-21, Boeing will host an informal workshop on wearable computer technology, at the Boeing Customer Services Training Center in Renton, WA, a few miles east of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Our intent is to bring together vendors and potential vendors of these systems, researchers studying this technolgy, and key application customers for an open discussion of the future of wearable computer systems technology. The workshop's technical focus will be on the platforms, peripherals, software systems, and applications associated with wearable computers. The format of the meeting will be as follows:
A more detailed list of possible breakout discussion topics is included on the workshop registration form. Registrants are requested to select which topics they believe would be most worthwhile to address at the meeting.
Because of space limitations and the informal nature of this workshop, attendance will be limited to 150. Persons or groups wishing to attend should submit either a booth request or a research or application position paper, as described below. Academic, government, industrial or vendor researchers and government, industrial or vendor application developers are invited to submit position papers. As time permits, attendees will be asked to give brief talks about their research or development activities, based on their position papers. There may not be time for all attendees to speak to the group. In that case, the organizing committee will try to select a representative mix of research and application talks from among the position papers.
Position papers and booth requests may be submitted by mail to
Ms. Diane Rush Research and Technology Boeing Information and Support Services P.O. Box 3707, Mail Stop 7L-40 Seattle, WA 98124-2207
or by fax to 206-865-2965,
or by Internet mail to diane.rush@iss-rt.boeing.com
For related questions, Diane can be reached by phone at 206-865-3211.
Booth space requests and workshop position papers are due by June 19. The committee's selections will be announced by July 12.
People engaged in research projects on wearable computer systems are invited to submit a two-page position paper, describing
People conducting or commencing applications of wearable computers to military, industrial, medical, or other domains are invited to submit two-page position papers describing their project, including
Booth space in and near the workshop auditorium is limited. Displays should be designed to fit within an 8' by 6' area. Each display will have access to electrical outlets and will be provided, if they desire, with a 5' by 2' table. Booth requests will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.