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www.technology.org 2015 0000195.txt

#Fujitsu develops ring-type wearable device capable of text input by fingertip Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development of a compact and lightweight wearable ring-type device that offers handwriting-input functionality and a reader for near-field communications (NFC) tags. Wearable devices have been making inroads into the workplace in recent years notably with head-mounted displays (HMDS) in line with putting ICT to use so as to not stop what they are doing. But HMDS do not make it easy to select displayed information such as yes or no to input figures make notes on workplace conditions or perform other necessary actions. The ring-type wearable device that Fujitsu Laboratories developed identifies the fingertip movements users make as they write in the air and recognizes that tracing as a letterform. By writing in the air with ones fingertip operators can select menu options or make memos on photos that they take in the field. By applying proprietary technology that corrects the letterform tracings Fujitsu Laboratories has been able to improve character recognition accuracy enabling recognition of everything from numbers to Chinese characters. Furthermore with a built-in NFC tag reader operators can specify an object to be worked on with a touch on its NFC tag and display an operations details. As data from the object to be worked on can be selected easily in a hands-free manner the performance of maintenance and other tasks is expected to be more efficient. With modern advances in the miniaturization of smart devices communications technology and cloud environments there is interest in using HMDS and other wearable devices for maintenance and other tasks in factories and buildings where ICT can be put to use to free up hands for operations. Because operators do need not to hold devices in their hands to receive information in the field there are especially high expectations for the use of such wearable devices in fieldwork for which operators need use of their hands at all times. With display devices such as HMDS it is possible to browse information without taking out a separate smart device. Users can therefore receive information without occupying their hands. The problem however is that it is difficult to manipulate the information received. Entering numbers or taking notes has required either a separate device or a notepad forcing the operator to interrupt the task at hand. Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a lightweight and compact device wearable as a ring that makes it easy to draw letterforms in the air as a way to select displayed content and take notes. Despite being ring-sized the device includes motion sensors for text input an NFC tag reader and wireless communication functionality. Key features of the technology are as follows. The ring-type wearable device can be used to enter numbers and take notes using handwriting in the air. In addition an NFC tag reader enables the operator to tap on a tagged object to display the appropriate information on a relevant operations details or instructions. This technology allows operators to manipulate data without stopping what they are doing and with a minimum of movement even while holding other tools. Fujitsu Laboratories is testing the real-world usability of the device in the field with a goal of practical implementation during fiscal 2015. In addition by applying the underlying technologies to a variety of usage scenarios Fujitsu seeks to leverage the power of ICT to hasten the emergence of a Human Centric Intelligent Society that generates creative innovations s

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