‘On You' Wearable Computing Exhibit draws over 30,000 attendees, closes with alumni receptions
Sept. 23, 2015
From the ancient abacus to supercomputers, the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Calif., offers an array of rare artifacts and milestones from 2,000 years of “computing” history. This summer at a special exhibition, a new breed of computer drew more than 30,000 visitors and showed how computing has become synonymous with daily life.
Georgia Tech's “On You: A Story of Wearable Computing” exhibit curated more than 60 gadgets chronicling the history of making on-body technology a reality. The exhibit showed devices that have been envisioned for consumers and professionals and by “makers.” It showed four major challenges to a consumer wearable computer - power and heat, networking, mobile input, and displays - and the product categories that have resulted.
More than 100 alumni, family members and students gathered for the exhibit's closing reception on Sept. 19, many from the College of Computing, including OMSCS students in the Bay Area.
“Georgia Tech has been a leader in wearable computing research for more than two decades,” said the John P. Imlay Jr. Dean of Computing Zvi Galil when addressing the audience. “We are looking forward to the future of wearable interfaces at the College of Computing and Georgia Tech. We have many students and faculty working on what will come next and how people will use this technology to change lives.”
Galil joked that Thad Starner, professor of interactive computing and co-curator of the exhibit, had been wearing a computer on his face longer than many GT Computing students have been alive. Starner, who directs the Contextual Computing Group at Georgia Tech, has been an instrumental part of the new Wearable Computing Center, which opened at Georgia Tech in 2014 and focuses on bringing together the private sector, academic researchers and government agencies.
Starner gave demos of some of the wearable tech during the afternoon reception, and alumni caught up with each other and made new connections. A special reception for College of Computing alumni and donors took place that evening.
“It was great bringing GVU to the West Coast," said Keith Edwards, director the GVU Center and professor of interactive computing. "We have amazing alumni in companies all over Silicon Valley, and so having the opportunity to reconnect them with GVU research has been a great experience.”
The GVU Center co-sponsored the event with the College of Computing, which is celebrating its 25th birthday as well as 50 years of computing instruction at Georgia Tech.
More information on wearable computing research at Georgia Tech can be found at the Wearable Computing Center website. The WCC Forum, an annual gathering of industry, academic and government experts, will take place Oct. 21 and provide an opportunity to learn more about Georgia's Tech initiatives in wearables.
Writing, Photography, Video:
Joshua Preston, jpreston@cc.gatech.edu
More than 100 alumni and friends (and OMSCS students) attended the "On You: A Story of Wearable Computing" exhibit during the closing weekend, Sept. 19, 2015. The exhibit made its major U.S. debut at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Calif., June 30 - Sept. 20, and had more than 30,000 visitors.
The exhibit has more than 60 pieces and charts the decades of pioneering efforts in wearable computing. A virtual version of the exhibit is available here.
John P. Imlay Jr. Dean of Computing Zvi Galil and and Professor of Interactive Computing Thad Starner talk with alumni. California is home to 982 College of Computing alumni of record, many in the Bay Area. Check out how far the alumni community reaches in the Alumni Interactive Map.
