09-29-2008

The Latest in Computer Wear

If you’re looking for the latest computing gadgets out there, you won’t want to miss the “gadget show” from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30 at the Sheraton Hotel in Station Square. The show is part of the IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers (ISWC), hosted by Carnegie Mellon. The conference runs through Oct. 1.

Wearable computers are very much a reality today, says Asim Smailagic, a research scientist at Carnegie Mellon’s Institute for Complex Engineered Systems. He says wearable computing devices, cell phones, on-body wireless media devices, electronic textiles, and medical implants are just a few examples of wearable platforms.

The symposium also includes a tour and demos at Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center, where you can take the opportunity to interactively chat with Ben Franklin; verbally joust with Quasi, an animatronic silver robot; explore various  stations on the bridge of a star ship; explore the History of Technology wall; and visit the inductees into the Robot Hall of Fame.

Anne Watzman