EU Project Wears Technology on Its Sleeve

"If you have a desktop application, then there is always a screen, a keyboard and a computer unit, but if you have a wearable computing solution, then it can be completely different," explains Dr Michael Lawo, the coordinator of the WearIT@work project from the University of Bremen, Germany. "You can have speech control in one instance, gesture control in another, though the application should always be the same," he adds.

Along with partners from some of the world's most famous IT companies, Dr Lawo has developed the Open Wearable Computing Framework, which comprises a central, easily wearable and hardware-independent computing unit which gives access to an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) environment. Some of the basic components include wireless communication, positioning systems, speech recognition, interface devices, and low-level software platforms or toolboxes allowing these features to seamlessly work together.

The pattern of this EU-funded project is woven as much out of applications as it is technology. It uses a number of commercial, off-the-shelf components and brings them together to create a new tool with the potential to revolutionise the way we work.

"Wearable computing is a completely new working paradigm," says Dr Lawo. "It is a technology which can support you in a particular environment. Instead of working at the computer, you are directly supported by the technology, a bit like when you are driving a car and you get information from the navigation system supporting you in your primary tasks."

WearIT@work, the largest civilian wearable computing project in the world, is currently being tested across four different fields. These include aircraft maintenance, emergency response, car production and healthcare. Pilot projects in the areas of bush-fire prevention, e-inclusion and cultural heritage have also been launched recently.

In most test cases, the technology is being applied to people who are not accustomed to using computers in their workplace, such as blue-collar workers for example. "The basic idea was to make the technology available to the workers and directly improve productivity," explains Dr Lawo.

"We address fields where there are no similar applications today. Take the example of an aircraft technician. There is a person doing paperwork who has to find the relevant documentation on a computer. He has to find the aircraft maintenance manual and the parts manual, and produce a printout. These documents are handed over to the technician who then goes to the aircraft to do his work. He then has to write a report on a sheet of paper. And that is the way things work today. What we are doing is giving the worker support and direct access to the ICT system from the workplace. We get rid of the paper," he adds.

With a considerable number of potential applications, perhaps the most challenging test case for the project is the one involving emergency response teams, in collaboration with the Paris Fire Brigade. The technology helps support the communication, collaboration and information processes of these rescue forces.

The efficiency and safety of firemen can be considerably improved by a number of light, easy-to-use and resistant devices, such as biosensors monitoring their physiological condition and improved localisation of hazards, personnel and retreat paths.

According to Dr Lawo, the technology has largely been well received by workers. "They recognise that this is a new technology where you can monitor working activities, but they do not hesitate to use it, and they see the advantage of it," he says.

WearIT@work already has some 42 partners, including IT giants Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Siemens, but Lawo says the project is always on the lookout for new ventures.

"Research will continue for components or for positioning systems. There is a lot of further research that can be carried out, but you can basically already do quite a lot with the application and with the technology that already exists," he confirms.

Testing is due to continue until mid-2008 and will be followed by an initial 12-month period where the focus will shift to technology transfer and exploitation. "What we really want to do is introduce the system into everyday working methods," Dr Lawo concludes.

The ambitious project is funded under the 'Information society technologies' priority of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) to the tune of €23 million.

For further information, please visit:
http://www.wearitatwork.com