A Ubiquitous Fashionable Computer with an i-Throw Device on a Location-Based Service Environment

The ubiquitous fashionable computer (UFC), introduced in this paper, is a wearable computer that allows people to exploit ubiquitous computing environment in a user-friendly manner. We present the design approach and philosophy of the UFC that is wearable, aesthetic, and intuitive. The UFC supports the interoperability of various communication interfaces among WLAN, Bluetooth and ZigBee devices. We developed a wireless gesture recognition device, called i -Throw, which is small enough to be worn on one's finger like a ring. The UFC, with the help of i -Throw, can control ubiquitous environment using an intuitive hand motion. To explain the practical use of the UFC platform and the user-friendly interaction with ubiquitous environment, we implemented a ubiquitous testbed where multiple UFC users interact with various ubiquitous devices or other UFC users. In addition, we implemented a practical application which makes it possible to exchange the various objects and control ubiquitous devices very easily.