mobile ubiquity

Filed in archive Technology on November 6, 2003

NTT Docomo has some interesting ideas, how the future of mobile phones could look like.

The wrist-worn terminal"This revolutionary "wristwatch" style innovation actually makes the human hand become part of the phone. A microphone located near the wrist captures the users voice, while incoming audio is converted into vibrations which are conveyed through the bones of the hand to the tip of the index finger, which is inserted into the ear canal to allow clear reception even in noisy conditions.

The wearable keyboardThis keyboard can be comfortably worn 24 hours a day. It makes use of ring-shaped accelerometers attached to each finger to track the movements of the fingers and detect intended key depressions on any surface, such as a desktop, or even your knee. The system also makes use of simultaneous and sequential typing methods in order to support speedy typing at rates of up to 200 characters per minute.

Imparting a realistic experienceAnother area in which we are working is related to imparting a realistic experience to the user through the advanced use of voice, sound, and images. For example, we are developing a system that will allow distant objects to feel like extensions of the human body. To achieve this, we are making advances in the use of biological data relating to the senses, intelligence, and kinetics."