Index of Frequently Asked Questions
Why are we concentrating so much on User Centred Design – UCD?
Can the PDA in a trouser pocket become a wearable computer to the
wearer?
What is the difference between wearable computing and mobile
computing?
Why do we need sensors for wearable computing?
What is a work context?
Why do we investigate the social implications of wearIT@work?
Why are we concentrating so much on User Centred Design –
UCD?
There are several reasons for this:
- A successful industrial application realized through research may lack user friendliness and user acceptance. Application of the UCD approach (based on ISO 13 407) is an approved and a proven method in eliminating these deficiencies;
- Existing promising research results with respect to unobtrusiveness and persistent computing are lack of investigations in ergonomics;
- Wearable computing is a new paradigm, and it is necessary to be certain about the introduction of appliances and applications which are acceptable and useful for the end users.
Can the PDA in a trouser pocket become a wearable computer
to the wearer?
This depends on the application running on your PDA. We define a wearable
computer by its capability to perform computing while maintaining
unobtrusiveness, persistence and to some degree, mobility. In this sense, a PDA
can become a wearable computer.
What is the difference between wearable computing and mobile
computing?
Mobile computing allows a computer user to work at different locations paying
attention to the computing task, which is the primary task.
Wearable computing, on the other hand provides persistent, unobtrusive support
through information technology during all daily (work) primary tasks, which are
performed not using a computer but other tools..
Why do we need sensors for wearable computing?
When performing persistent, unobtrusive computing, the user-computer
interactions should be minimised. This requires a capability in the computer
system to identify (sense) the activities of the user and support in an
appropriate manner. Sensors can be used for this purpose.
Example: A bar-code or an RFI-device at a patient’s bed could be used to detect
the patient’s data such as the name and other already available information by a
medical worker approaching the patient. Blood-pressure sensors, EKG measurements
and other sensors could be used to detect the state of health of a patient
without direct interaction. Thus, the required interaction by the medical worker
becomes minimal.
What is a work context?
A work context is the necessary information (including interaction with the
worker) to unambiguously provide the required user support in the actual working
situation.
Why do we investigate the social implications of wearIT@work?
Wearable computing provides users with incessant appliances and applications. To
guarantee the social acceptance, the following questions have to be answered:
- Will the new technology bring about a social gap between users and non users?
- Which implications to privacy and social behaviour in the professional environment are expected?
- How do co-operating individuals communicate?
- Will and if so, what confrontations will arise between non-users and users?
- Which conventions are used in the different situations?
- How can trust in the new technology be achieved?
