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In this article we provide insight into the BodyMedia FIT armband system — a wearable multi-sensor technology that continuously monitors physiological events related to energy expenditure for weight management using machine learning and data modeling methods. Since becoming commercially available in 2001, more than half a million users have used the system to track their physiological parameters and to achieve their individual health goals including weight-loss. We describe several challenges that arise in applying machine learning techniques to the health care domain and present various solutions utilized in the armband system. We demonstrate how machine learning and multi-sensor data fusion techniques are critical to the system’s success.

The design process used to produce an innovative computer system is presented. The computer system that resulted from the process uses a circular motif both for the user interface and the input device. The input device is a dial and the user interface is visually organized around the concept of a circle. The design process itself proceeded in the presence of a great many constraints and we discuss these constraints and how an innovative design was achieved in spite of the constraints.

Abstract*The paper describes the evolution of an Interdisciplinary Concurrent Design Methodology (ICDM) and the metrics used to compare four generations of wearable computer artifacts produced by the methodology at each stage of ICDM's growth. The product cycle is defined, its phases, and the design information representation for each phase. Six generic axes of design activity are defined, and the concept of benchmarking a complete design methodology using these axes is introduced. In addition an approach for measuring design complexity is proposed. When applied to the four generations ot the CMU wearable computers, the ICDM has demonstrated two orders ot magnitude increase in design and efficiency.

This paper describes the concurrent design of a wearable computer, called the Navigator, developed and built at Carnegie Mellon University in a multidesigner, multidomain environment. The design effort for the Navigator involved nineteen designers, representing the electronics, mechanical, industrial, software and human-computer interaction disciplines. The evolution of the multidisciplinary design is described, with particular emphasis placed upon the role of the thermal design group in the overall design process. Furthermore, the particular challenges associated with the concurrent thermal management of wearable computer systems are outlined. I. IntroductionConsumer desire for increased computational functionality has resulted in the development of portable computers. Portable computers, as exemplified by today's notebook machines, required technical innovations in both hardware and software to overcome the challenges presented by the associated size, weight, and power consumption constraints. Additional constraints, which are market imposed, result from the highly competitive nature of the computer industry, necessitating shorter time-tomarket, higher levels of quality, and lower cost. The satisfaction of these competition-driven constraints requires the achievement of domain specific objectives, such as clock speed, without the violation of any seemingly unrelated global constraints, such as reliability. Additional design iterations, required to correct any unresolved constraints or unanticipated flaws, lengthens the development cycle. Competition has reduced the acceptable development cycle to less then twelve months which, eliminates the time needed for additional design iterations. Therefore, the participation of the entire design team is required to insure that a discipline-specific modification does not adversely affect other performance objectives.The recognition of the multidiscipline nature of design has fostered interest in concurrent design, through which the concerns of a design team are accounted for in a collaborative effort. This cooperative approach improves communication between designers, with the intent that resultant products are error