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Home > ::: Martin Frey. interaction and interface designer ::: > JITWatch - the »Just in Time Watch«
Podcast: ::: Martin Frey. interaction and interface designer :::
Episode:

JITWatch - the »Just in Time Watch«
Category: Arts and Design
Duration: 00:07:00
Publish Date: 2006-01-29 17:00:00
Description:

http://www.freymartin.de/en/projects/jitwatch

[A conventional watch]

Looking at a conventional watch very often a "mental dialogue" happens:
  • What time is it right now?
  • When is my next appointment?
  • Where does the appointment take place and how long does it take to get there from here?
  • Thus, when should I leave?
  • How much time is left till then? Should I leave now? Am I already too late?
These "on-the-fly" considerations and calculations are not only cumbersome but often very unprecise as well: E.g. the necessary amount of time to cover the distance is estimated too optimistically or depends on irregular, external factors like timetable or traffic situation.

[The thinking watch]

JIT Watch offers the solution to that problem. JIT Watch is a thinking watch... It is integrated into the user's Personal Area Network and has the capability to connect via Bluetooth with e.g. cell phones. This provides the watch with the following services: The watch knows the wearer's actual position coordinates via GPS, GSM-tracking or other techniques. In addition to that the cell phone enables a data connection with the www. Appointments with site coordinates can thus be synchronized. They were entered in advance e.g. into the cell phone or into the computer with a calendar tool like iCal. Furthermore the watch can access web-based navigation-, timetable- and traffic information services.

[Function]

The integration of this information enables the watch to process the above described "mental dialogue" itself. Therefore the watch primary shows the time relatively depending on the following appointment and the users's position, as well as the remaining distance and remaining time. The user's actual position is compared with the position the user should be at that point of time to arrive at the final destination at the desired time. Depending on whether he is located close to the should-be position, or lags behind or is already ahead the watch shows that you are good in time, or that you have to hurry up or that you can slow down. This essential information is communicated with intuitively understandable color codes and pulsation if required. If necessary the watch can call the user's attention through vibration.
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