How Much Technology Is In Your Jacket?
from the too-much dept
Despite them being around for a while, I saw a SCOTTe-VEST jacket for the first time last night, as the owner proudly showed off the 50,000 (give or take…) or so different pockets and conduits for electronics equipment stashed away in the jacket. Suddenly, my coat, with its wimpy two pockets (but deep ones for holding lots of gadgets!), seemed sort of weak. USA Today is running an article about all of these high tech jackets, many of which are designed for winter sports. What seems most interesting, however, is wondering if the rise of such “smart clothing” will help extend the usefulness of certain gadgets. People complain that screens on PDAs are too small, but if you could build a larger screen into your sleeve and have it communicate with your PDA/phone, would that get it more use? Or, are people not really that interested in such device “extenders” when they can only be used when the weather cooperates?
Comments on “How Much Technology Is In Your Jacket?”
nearly one year later!
wired had an article in January 2004, but they have good excuse they are trendsetters!
wired Gadget Jacket Charged by the Sun
Great minds and all that
http://www.buzzhit.com/2004/11/thoughts-on-beatties-mobile-web.html
“…3) Input/Output (I/O) functions will be separated (physically) from storage/computation/connectivity/locality functions…”
Physical activity is a great driver of a componetized approach, as different form factors, locations (i.e., embedded in a sleeve) and degrees of “ruggedization” are all necessary considerations.