Xybernaut Bows Speech-Driven Wearable Device

Wearable computing vendor Xybernaut
said Wednesday it is releasing a
version of its Mobile Assistant wearable computer
that incorporates speech technology from vendor
Conversay in what the companies claim is the first
speech-driven wearable computer.

Wearable computers are already in use, typically
in industrial situations in which the user must
move around, such as warehouses and factory
floors.

The new wearable computer will weigh less than
two pounds and will use Conversay’s CASSI
speech engine for input. Because wearable
computers are often used in industrial settings,
the Conversay technology provides noise filtration
and cancellation capabilities.

Wearable computers consist of a body-worn CPU and head-mounted
color display with a microphone. The companies say that a primary
application for the voice technology will for use with a browser that will
enable users to read industrial manuals written in HTML and posted on
the Web.