Accessing Context in Wearable Computers

We present an easy interaction technique for accessing location-based contextual data shown on a head-worn wearable computer display. Our technique, called Context Compass, is based on a regular compass metaphor. Each object belonging to the user’s current context is visualised on a linear compass shown on the screen. The object directly in front of the user is shown in the middle of the compass and can be activated. Whenever the user turns his or her head, the objects on the screen move accordingly. Therefore, an object can be selected by simply turning one’s head towards it. Context Compass consumes a minimal amount of screen space, making it ideal for usage with see-through head-worn displays. An initial pilot study, applying a newly developed usability method customised especially for Context Compass, revealed that Context Compass can be learned virtually immediately. Further, the method itself proved to be successful in evaluating techniques such as Context Compass.     

The Well Mannered Wearable Computer

In this paper we describe continuing work being carried out as part of the Bristol Wearable Computing Initiative. We are interested in the use of context sensors to improve the usefulness of wearable computers. A CyberJacket incorporating a Tourist Guide application has been built, and we have experimented with location and movement sensing devices to improve its performance. In particular, we have researched processing techniques for data from accelerometers which enable the wearable computer to determine the user’s activity. We have experimented with, and review, techniques already employed by others; and then propose new methods for analysing the data delivered by these devices. We try to minimise the number of devices needed, and use a single X-Y accelerometer device. Using our techniques we have adapted our CyberJacket and Tourist Guide to include a multimedia presentation which gives the user information using different media depending on the user’s activity as well as location.     

微机电系统(MEMS)的应用

简要介绍微机电系统在各个领域的应用.     

Realization of an active inductance for a low power high bandwidth DC power line communication network transceiver

An active inductor based on an improved gyrator circuit is proposed. The active inductor is developed to be implemented in a high impedance transceiver for a wearable DC power line communication network where requirements such as low power consumption, high bandwidth and numerous nodes support are prioritized. A load isolation step is introduced to ensure the stability of the active inductance's size on different load currents. The proposed gyrator circuit is analyzed and optimized by means of theoretical calculations. The theoretical results are then verified by simulations and experiments in the frequency range up to 10 MHz.     

穿戴式助力机器人研究现状及发展趋势

穿戴式助力机器人可用于负重携行、山地作战、高原巡逻等军事领域,具有携行助力、延缓疲劳、提高战斗力等功能,是当前各国研究的热点。对穿戴式助力机器人的研究现状进行较为详细的综述,然后进行对比分析,并对穿戴式助力机器人的常用驱动方式做了分析说明。指出穿戴式助力机器人存在的问题,提出需要发展刚柔耦合穿戴式助力机器人的设想,需要重点解决仿生轻量化、高效驱动以及同步控制等关键技术,对有效提升单兵综合效能具有重要的研究价值和现实意义。     

User Interfaces for Applications on a Wrist Watch

Advances in technology have made it possible to package a reasonably powerful processor and memory subsystem coupled with an ultra high-resolution display and wireless communication into a wrist watch. This introduces a set of challenges in the nature of input devices, navigation, applications, and other areas. This paper describes a wearable computing platform in a wrist watch form-factor we have developed. We built two versions: one with a low resolution liquid crystal display; and another with a ultra high resolution organic light emitting diode display. In this paper we discuss the selection of the input devices and the design of applications and user interfaces for these two prototypes, and the compare the two versions.     

Effect of geometry on void formation in commercial electroplating of thin strips to copper

Three plating trials comprised of six samples were performed to evaluate the ability to attach thin strips of varying cross section to a copper substrate via commercial nickel electroplating in a nickel sulfamate bath. Nickel plated to the top, bottom, and sides of the nickel strips, as well as to the substrate. A significant void formed beneath rectangular nickel strips for all geometries studied, including strip widths of 500 µm to 5000 µm and gap thicknesses from 100 µm to 1500 µm. This is due to the starvation of ions when two regions of growing grains impinge and entrap a volume of electrolyte, surrounding it completely by deposited nickel. Impingement often occurs just past the edge of the strip which causes the void width to be greater than the strip width and form seams at the edge of the void. The rate of plating is greatest in areas where sharp corners exist, due to higher current density. More plating reaches under the strip as the width decreases and/or gap thickness increases. Thus, the void size decreases with decreasing aspect ratio, defined as the strip width over gap thickness. The use of a cylindrical strip produces sound plating with no voids. This is because the lack of corners allows impingement to occur first beneath the center of the circular cross section, so liquid is never surrounded. The results of this study demonstrate how to minimize or avoid void formation in commercial electroplating of suspended strips which is of great importance in the installation of sensor strips in the coating layer of continuous casting molds.     

The design of the SensVest

The SensVest is an item of wearable technology that measures, records and transmits aspects of human physical performance such as heart rate, temperature and movement. The SensVest has been designed for use by science teachers and students to meet their requirements. This paper reports the stages undertaken to design the SensVest, from determining appropriate methods of assessing human performance, to considerations of mounting the technology on the body. Trials have shown that concessions need to be made with ease of use and cost to ensure that the data collected is reliable and usable, with an awareness of the sensors limitations. By designing the SensVest with the wearer in mind a system has been developed that is comfortable, does not inhibit normal performance and is wearable. User trials have shown that meaningful, reliable and useful data can be collected using the SensVest.

热电薄膜型微传感器的优化设计

详细分析了一维热电薄膜型微传感器的优化设计模型 ,探讨了热阻、灵敏度和探测率与传感器几何尺寸之间的关系。分析的时候考虑到热电堆的热端与敏感面的距离 m对传感器性能的影响。经过分析得出 :当 m(热电堆到热敏感面距离 )为定值时 ,灵敏度 S随梁长 l增大而增大 ,探测率 D*随着 l的增大先增大后减小 ;当 l为定值时 ,S和 D* 均随 m增大而减小。用曲线形式所表示的分析结果为此类传感器的优化设计提供了依据。     

APPLICATION OF WEARABLE CAMERAS IN STUDYING INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORS IN BUILT ENVIRONMENTS

With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, people have begun to explore the potential for new technologies and new devices in studying the relationship between human behavior and urban design. The emergence of wearable cameras offers more possibilities for monitoring individual behavior in built environments as a kind of “lifelog.” This article explores the applications of wearable cameras in studying the relationship between individual behavior and built environments. Using manual image identification, image recognition with Computer Vision Application Programming Interface (API), and color calculation in Matlab, this study analyzed 8,598 photos recording the volunteer’s behaviors and activities during a week. Based on high-accuracy manual image identification results, the research analyzed the volunteer’s behavior, time use, movement path, and experiencing scenes. The study showed that the big data base of images collected by the wearable cameras contained rich individual activities and spatiotemporal information that could be used to effectively describe the individual behavior in space and further contribute to the study of the relationship between individual behaviors and built environments.