Metronaut: A Wearable Computer with Sensing and Global Communication Capabilities

Metronaut is a novel wearable computer which captures information, senses position, provides wide range communications, consumes less than one watt of power, and weighs less than one pound. Metronaut employes a bar code reader for information input and position location, a two-way pager for communications, and an ARM processor for computation. Metronaut's application is schedule negotiation and guidance instructions for a visitor to the CMU campus. The visitor's position is determined from reading bar codes at information signs around campus. Modifications to the schedule are negotiated using the two-way pager for communications with the campus computing infrastructure. Metronaut is alternatively powered by a mechanical flywheel converting kinetic energy to electrical energy.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 1997
• Where: ISWC
• Authors: Asim Smailagic, Richard Martin
• Keywords: Bar Codes, Human Computer Interaction, ISWC 1997, Two-way Pager, Wide Range Communications