S. Balandin et al. (Eds.): NEW2AN/ruSMART 2009, LNCS 5764, pp. 66–76, 2009. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009 Empower Mobile Workspaces by Wireless Networks and Wearable Computing Michael Lawo 1 , Otthein Herzog 1 , Michael Boronowski 1 , and Peter Knackfuß 2 1 TZI - Universität Bremen, Am Fallturm 1, D28359, Bremen, Germany 2 InfoConsult Gesellschaft für Informationstechnik mbH, Anne- Conway- Straße 4; D-28359 Bremen, Germany {mlawo,herzog,mb}@tzi.de, peter.knackfuß@infoconsult.net Abstract. The concept of Wearable Computing can be used to support work processes of mobile workers e.g. in a factory environment or outdoors. The basis is a wireless network for an ubiquituous remote access to information. In the paper we explain the potential of Wearable Computing and focus on the technological challenges. During the last five years (2004 till 2009) the EC funded the worldwide largest project on Wearable Computing: wearIT@work (www.wearitatwork.com) 1 . The project did not focus on new technologies. However, with existing technologies new applications were developed. For new user groups of mobile workers a new quality of support had to be achieved. The paper reports at the end of the project on the main findings and lessons learned: An open hardware platform, an open software framework and for seven differ- ent application domains solutions were developed. Keywords: Wearable Computing; Mobile Computing; Context Detection; User Interface Design. 1 Introduction Wearable Computing is designed to abolish the distinction between information acqui- sition to support a task (e.g. repair an engine) and the work itself. This requires new technologies. The information presentation has to be redesigned e.g. using head- mounted or arm-mounted displays. Furthermore the system input has to be redesigned e.g. by using speech, a gesture wristband or glove as well as sensors detecting the user’s context automatically (as using GPS signals in a route guidance system in a car). 1 wearIT@work is an Integrated Project to investigate “Wearable Computing” as a technology dealing with computer systems worn as unobtrusively as clothing. From 16 countries the pro- ject has 42 partners, among them EADS, HP, Microsoft, SAP, Siemens, Škoda, Thales and Zeiss. The consortium consists of end-user organizations with strong impact on the respective market like automotive and aeronautics. Furthermore strong partners are in the consortium to ensure that solutions found will benefit as far as standardization is addressed. SMEs are in the consortium as consultants and application developers and system integrators as it is expected that based on solutions found new business for this kind of companies is created. The project volume isf 23.7 million € and the EC funds it by 14.6 million € under contract no. 004216.