Cyberpunk decks?

dec · Meat Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Well, I felt the need for a piece of kit that I really couldn't find (and didn't exactly know where to look for it either), and as I found it quite possible by todays tech to have those things produced, I was wondering if anybody could point me in the right direction, as I'm quite sure these things must exist in some place.

What I want could be called a cyberdeck. To the rest of the world, it could be described as a system that allows you to use a laptop computer while on the move, including a display integrated into glasses, plus full controls for the computer that don't get in your way if you don't need them. Basically the idea is to be able to wear those things, have the computer in your backpack, walk around in the sprawl, catch some open wifi as you walk along, read your mail, play Quake, write a poem or a new kernel routine while you stand in the supermarket to get your groceries or stand around in a club. I have no idea why the corporate world hasn't picked on it yet (best guess is they are a bunch of retards and/or scared of allowing people to actually use real computers instead of selling them cute little designer mobile phones).

Now I know that there are glasses-integrated displays that you can watch movies on, some of them are DVD resolution. I want glasses that can clearly display a website in front of your eyes, while at least allowing you to move around without falling over every obstacle in your way and running into the people that look at you like you came from another planet. the optimum would be to have transparent glasses with sort of a projected image on them; now of course to find those is another story. I guess it shouldn't be too hard to modify those commercially available glasses to allow some sort of orientation by getting rid of some parts of the frame; now I'm not fully aware of the way those tiny LCD displays look like; if those are similar to the big displays in their design, it might be even possible to have those semi-transparent glasses that would really allow one to see where one is going. I guess the main problem here is being able to maintain reasonable contrast rates while allowing orientation.

Then there are the controls. I thought of a split keyboard setup with an integrated mouse knob, as seen on IBM Thinkpads. Those would have to be fixed to your forearms with some sort of straps, and include a rail mechanism to allow movement. As soon as you pull them out, they should stay in the position for your fingers to type on them and use the mouse, as soon as you don't need them anymore, they should disappear into your sleeves. All this is of course possible; it's just a question of getting it right in terms of ergonomics and build quality. If you want to use those things the entire day, they better feel like real controls instead of some flimsy DIY-project.

Another thing that would be neat or even a necessity in this context: Long range battery packs. Imagine being able to use that laptop around the clock, strapped onto your backpack, sticking the recharger into wall plugs you find on your way, hopping from wifi to wifi (and probably getting into trouble with any cop who comes closer than a mile)... Now that's what I consider mobile computing.

Chris

iKonograd · Netrunner Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 971 Location: Norway

I've seen stuff online and on the tv about people building their own rigs to stay plugged in at all time. But it is very bulky and not so useful for the average person.

It's been done, and someone has probably tried to sell that. But like VR goggle, just because it's cutting edge technology, it doesn't mean it's useful.

You should stick to the Blackberry if you want to do some work on the move.
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Ghostface · Microserf Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 570

You need to wait for OLED's; flexible screens

vialick

A few resources, I don't have time to dig up some of the specific ones I'd recomend reading:

http://www.se.rit.edu/~jrv/research/ar/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality
http://www.eyetap.org/
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/3229
http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/131798.html

As for pre-made systems, there's a university in Australia (I think it's the university of south australia) that makes them and can customise them to your specifications. You should be able to find by digging around these, wearcomp, which has instructions on how to make the various wearcomp systems.

Ak!mbo

I know there are cellp hones with proper keyboards on them that can be hooked up to your lappy using a USB cable, but I guess you'll need some home brew to actually be able to use it to control your computer.
My phone has some computer remote control features, but the included software is limited to powerpoint and some other stuff..
There was a thread with links to all sorts of HUDs, including ones that you could clip onto your regular glasses with mini-projectors in them, Vialick probably linked to one of the sites now (I didn't bother to check linkage, I'm a lazy sod). Keeping your laptop operational in your backpack would probably make it heat up pretty bad, though...
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dec · Meat Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Hey guys, thanks for all the helpful replies! I have been doing some research on my own and came across this list of head mounted displays. One that caught my attention was the "i-glasses svga" - dual 800x600 displays aimed at retail, selling on ebay for a few hundred bucks, possibly less if you find a damaged one (as you can still use the glasses in a monocular fashion then). So I consider that problem fixed actually - 800x600 is a fair enough resolution for on-the-move computing I recon.

Next more important problem is the controls. the links you guys gave me on wearable computer projects gave me some new ideas, but to be honest I think most of them are aiming way too high - I don't need anything integrated into fashion items or stupid little "it's so simple " minimalist button sets, it's a deck for christ's sake - I want proper shell typing ability, and a mouse for surfing the web (I haven't mastered lynx yet, and I probably don't want to try either, as I'm not too much of a masochistically inclined person).

So does anybody have an idea about where to source open (as in "people who are a bit clumsy with soldering irons can still manage to get something done on them") keyboard controllers? For mouse I guess it can't be too hard to integrate the sensoring switches of that Thinkpad touchstick to any old mouse flying around in the basement, right?

Chris]

Ak!mbo

There is software that lets you use the num pad as a mouse, but I doubt you'd want to get into that.
I'd say go for one of those old school mice, with the ball mounted on top, but they're heavy, probably expencive and you'd end up losing the ball:P
Get hold of a wireless, infrared mouse.
Break open the casing and get out all the circuits and machinery.
Circuitry will have to go with batteris on top of a glove, infra red sensor in the palm, buttons on the middle and index fingers.
If you've got more buttons, work them into other fingers (mouse 3 etc.).
Hook the wireless into your USB port.
????
Profit!

You'll need:
1. A glove.
2. A mouse, IR, wireless
3. Some guts.
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dec · Meat Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Hmm... interesting idea about the trackball, but I have no clue what you propose to do with the infrared mouse - what surface will the sensor in the glove be relating itself to when you are walking around? It would definitely look cool having the red light shine out from directly underneath your palms, but I guess this would mean you needed to rub them on your chest and probably look quite stupid to move the mouse cursor, if I got the idea...?

Chris

Ynk

You could get a large box-like thing and put your hand in it. Even better, get a turret or something and mount it on your arm, while still being able to move your mouse-hand around inside the turret.
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Ak!mbo

I didn't assume you'd be using it while actually walking, I thought this was more an "on the go"-rig which you could use on a cafe table or something..
Flat surface on your left arm could work, though..
Mousepad on your left arm and mouse in the right hand, you'd look kinda weird, rubbing your arm, but Hell, you're going to look wierd with HUD glasses and computer circuitry covering your body anyways!
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vialick

there are simple box displays that will attach to any pair of glasses (including sunglasses) mainly aimed at surgeons (so you can have a monitor of the patients vitals etc) which could probably be adapted. There are also military systems which have a HUD style display on goggles (for viewing mission critical data, I don't think the're yet advanced enough to help target people, or the like) which could quite easilly be adapted for other use.

If you want a full augmented reality setup (with both input and output) so you can have it do things such as filter out ads, colour correction, etc, then you'll need to either make or buy the really expensive glasses with both displays and cameras attached. With the price of webcams being so low, this may not be too bad an option, but it will require a lot of fucking around

Input systems you could use: frogger pad http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/6c82/ or maybe optimus mini three keyboard http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/88ee/

those would make for easy one hand operation (you could even attach them to a bracelet and type on your wrist)

Ak!mbo

I've been drooling over this particualr piece of hardware for some time now..
It's just so plain bloody awesome!
It's like.. retro sci fi that never really happened, but now it's here, like that one short in Burning Chrome!
I wonder what it would cost to have it shipped to Norway...
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dec · Meat Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Well, some really great ideas so far... the thinkgeek store never really ceases to amaze, does it? Wink

Well, that frogpad is definitely interesting, and that laser virtual keyboard is just plain cool... I'm wondering, the laser keyboard probably wouldn't work if you turned it around (as in fixing it at the near side of your body instead of holding it at a position beyond your hands)... I guess the hand would get in the way making it impossible for the unit to detect what keys your fingers hit, not to talk about the keyboard layout being reversed (which could probably be solved by fiddling around with the internals of the projection/keypress detection unit). Well, other than those problems it's a nice idea, I could still imaging sort of a projection surface (flat board) attached to your arms so you have it ready when you want to type, and the projector being attached to that board.

However, I still think the optimum configuration would be something like a sliding split keyboard - think of the small gun in Taxi Driver that DeNiro attaches to his arm on a rail.
I guess there's no getting around a home solution, I already see myself opening up old calculators or laptop keyboards to extract suitably sized buttons (if they aren't just all of that dreadful foil type button which you can't exactly extract) and soldering them to a keyboard controller...

I just found another suitable solution (one handed wrist-attached keyboard), but I guess their prices are a bit over my projected range (it's just a damn keyboard, I won't be paying $200 for this!!!): Link

Well, the idea however is fine...

Chris

Ak!mbo

DeNiro had two of those guns! Made from broken drawers and win.
I actually think the frogpad is a better sollution than a small qwerty keyboard. You're used to typing on the qewrty using both hands, the frogpad is developed for one hand use, and since it has less keys, each key is larger and more practical like.
Just my two cents.
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dec · Meat Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 8

Yes, that's what I'm thinking too - split keyboards, say you got qwert on your left hand and yuiop on the other... plus one of those mouse knobs plus buttons on one or both sides. Need one of your hands for something else? just slide the keyboard down your sleeves and use your hand, slide it back up and use the computer... depending on your clothing and the goggles to be used, people might not even notice you're any different from the average backpack-wearing person with sunglasses...

Chris