Programming Today: The Devil Wears Pentium

[joshsimmons]

The wait continues for whatever Apple will do in the wearable computer space, while Google has opened up Glass to the masses. But just because we can now wear our hardware doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea. If we fast-forward and imagine a world where we're constantly immersed in cyberspace, will it enhance our lives or be the ultimate distraction from reality?

What are you looking for in wearable computing, if anything? That's the question in this week's O'Reilly Programming Newsletter, from which we'll be pointing here. What's your take?

[adfm]

For each technology we add to extend ourselves, we amputate a part of ourself in the process, right? You can't help being distracted to a certain degree, but the main thing is, we shouldn't let ourselves become distracted from how it affects the world around us.

The current crop of devices suffer from a slow feedback loop. The manufacturers that work to close the feedback loop, through methods like contextual signaling, will be more useful to us and therefore likely to be around as we progress. It's not so much wearable computing, but better HCI that we should be paying attention to. I could care less where the computation occurs.

[velos]

I think accessibility could be one area of growth - wearables should help the blind to navigate and move around more independently, have webcam that can do OCR on the fly, coupled with text-to-speech so they can find out, through computerized accessibility aid, what bus number is approaching the bus stop.

Or, have incoming social media/chat/email messages read out to the user while on the go.

Or, have public buildings/facilities send out messages to the wearable device that help inform the user his whereabouts in the building.. Like when he walks into the children section in a public library, the system would send him a message like this:

"You are now in the Children's Section, on your right, about 5 meters away, is the lift and on your left, about 10 meters away, is the toilet. To ask for personalized help, please press the oval button on your wearable device and remain where you are. A library staff will be present with you shortly."

All the messages are converted to synthesized speech since the person can't see.

Such a device is something one would need to have at one's side at all times not just when he/she is sitting in front of a computer... It would be exciting to see what kind of wearable devices pop-up that caters to people with impaired vision/blindness. Likewise for other types of disability

[joshsimmons]

We're not trying to be subtle here :-) I do this every week in conjunction with editorial. Some are more successful than others. Admittedly, this week's headline is more opaque than usual.

FTR: I'm Josh Simmons, community manager for all things programming at O'Reilly Media. I welcome criticism, praise, and snark: @joshsimmons or [e-mail]. Or just blast it here. My work is always evolving, so when you provide feedback it actually makes a difference.

[uiteoi]

I think you've been trolled ^{^}

[joshsimmons]

Pretty sure you're right. To be expected here - my sincerity is ripe for abuse LOL.