Assessing the Wearability of Wearable Computers
Abstract
In terms of mounting a computer on the body, the computer's weight, size, shape, placement and method of attachment can elicit a number of effects. Inappropriate design may mean that the wearer is unable to perform specific tasks or achieve goals. Excessive stress on the body may result in perceptions of discomfort, which may in turn affect task performance, but ultimately raises issues of health and safety. This paper proposes a methodology for assessing the affects of wearing a computer in terms of physiological energy expenditure, the biomechanical effects due to changes in movement patterns, posture and perceptions of localised pain and discomfort due to musculoskeletal loading, and perceptions of well- being through comfort assessment. From ratings of these effects the paper proposes 5 levels to determine the wearability of a computer.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The wearability evaluation of a Body Area Network is mostly based on the work of Knight and Baber.
“The wearability evaluation of BAN is mostly based on the work of Knight and Baber [18].”
From Wearability Assessment of a Wearable System for Parkinson’s Disease Remote Monitoring Based on a Body Area Network of Sensors (2014) · cites this paper as [18]
Assessing the wearability of a wearable system involves an evaluation of physiological, biomechanical, and comfort effects.
“Assessing the wearability of a given wearable systems could thus involve an evaluation of the physiological, biomechanical and comfort effects.”
From Wearability Assessment of a Wearable System for Parkinson’s Disease Remote Monitoring Based on a Body Area Network of Sensors (2014) · cites this paper as [18]
Wearability directly impacts the usability of a wearable computer system; if the wearer is uncomfortable or placed under too much stress, the usability of the system will be reduced.
“Wearability directly impacts the usability of a wearable computer system. If the wearer is uncomfortable or placed under too much stress then the usability of the system will be reduced.”
From Wearability Assessment of a Wearable System for Parkinson’s Disease Remote Monitoring Based on a Body Area Network of Sensors (2014) · cites this paper as [18]
The Borg CR-10 scale is used to measure perceived exertion and is usually employed to measure perceived exertion while exercising.
“The method selected is the BORG CR-10 scales for perceived exertion [18] usually employed to measure the perceived exertion while exercising [21].”
From Wearability Assessment of a Wearable System for Parkinson’s Disease Remote Monitoring Based on a Body Area Network of Sensors (2014) · cites this paper as [18]
Five Wearability Levels proposed by Knight and Baber allow homogeneous interpretation of different metrics and scales to provide a final wearability score.
“From the levels of effect, five Wearability Levels (WL) have been proposed by Knight and Baber, as shown in Table 2 [18]. They allow the homogenous interpretation of the different metrics and scales in an easy and direct way providing a final score rating the wearability of the system.”
From Wearability Assessment of a Wearable System for Parkinson’s Disease Remote Monitoring Based on a Body Area Network of Sensors (2014) · cites this paper as [18]
Cites
Carayannis, E. G. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3858-8_100431 · Cited by 4,818 · see citing works
Textbook of Work Physiology: Physiological Bases of Exercise
(2004) · Physiotherapy Theory and Practice · doi:10.1080/09593980490425012 · Cited by 1,864 · see citing works
Li, G., & Buckle, P. (1999) · Ergonomics · doi:10.1080/001401399185388 · Cited by 558 · see citing works
Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) : a reference book for prevention
Kuorinka, I., & Forcier, L. (1995) · Taylor & Francis eBooks · Cited by 518 · see citing works
Virtual Reality-Induced Symptoms and Effects (VRISE)
Cobb, S. V. G., Nichols, S., Ramsey, A., & Wilson, J. R. (1999) · PRESENCE Virtual and Augmented Reality · doi:10.1162/105474699566152 · Cited by 512 · see citing works
Gemperle, F., Kasabach, C., Stivoric, J., Bauer, M., & Martin, R. (2002) · International Symposium on Wearable Computers · doi:10.1109/iswc.1998.729537 · Cited by 452 · see citing works
Load carriage using packs: A review of physiological, biomechanical and medical aspects
Knapik, J. J., Harman, E. A., & REYNOLDS, K. L. (1996) · Applied Ergonomics · doi:10.1016/0003-6870(96)00013-0 · Cited by 426 · see citing works
Influence of carrying book bags on gait cycle and posture of youths
Pascoe, D. D., Pascoe, D. E., Wang, Y. T., et al. (1997) · Ergonomics · doi:10.1080/001401397187928 · Cited by 359 · see citing works
A tool to assess the comfort of wearable computers
Knight, J. F., & Baber, C. (2005) · Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society · doi:10.1518/0018720053653875 · Cited by 164 · see citing works
Self-citationKinanthropometry and Exercise Physiology Laboratory Manual: Tests, Procedures and Data
Eston, R. G. (2014) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203474259 · Cited by 155 · see citing works
Peli, E. (1998) · Vision Research · doi:10.1016/s0042-6989(97)00397-0 · Cited by 148 · see citing works
Validation of a heart rate monitor with children in laboratory and field settings.
Treiber, F. A., Musante, L., Hartdagan, S., Davis, H., Levy, M., & Strong, W. B. (1989) · PubMed · Cited by 116 · see citing works
The comfort assessment of wearable computers
Knight, J. F., Baber, C., Schwirtz, A., & Bristow, H. W. (2003) · International Symposium on Wearable Computers · doi:10.1109/iswc.2002.1167220 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
Self-citationEffects of functionality on perceived comfort of wearables
Bodine, K., & Gemperle, F. (2004) · Proceedings · doi:10.1109/iswc.2003.1241394 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Mann, S. (2002) · International Symposium on Wearable Computers · doi:10.1109/iswc.1997.629921 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
Validation of a heart rate monitor with children in laboratory and field settings
Treiber, F. A., Musante, L., Hartdagan, S., Davis, H., LEVY, M., & Strong, W. B. (1989) · Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise · doi:10.1249/00005768-198906000-00019 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Neck muscle activity and perceived pain and discomfort due to variations of head load and posture.
Knight, J. F., & Baber, C. (2004) · PubMed · Cited by 55 · see citing works
Self-citationBiomechanics of the Musculo-Skeletal System
Major, R. (1994) · Physiotherapy · doi:10.1016/s0031-9406(10)60945-5 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Beaudouin-Lafon, M. (2006) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/3-540-34874-3_10 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Simple rating for estimation of perceived exertion
Borg, G. (1975) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Subjective perceptual methods for comparing backpacks in the field
Legg, S., Barr, A. B., & HEDDERLEY, D. I. (2003) · Ergonomics · doi:10.1080/0014013031000107577 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Assessing the physical loading of wearable computers
Knight, J. F., & Baber, C. (2006) · Applied Ergonomics · doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2005.12.008 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Self-citationKinanthropometry and Exercise Physiology Laboratory Manual. Tests, procedures and data
Sharp, C. (1996) · British Journal of Sports Medicine · doi:10.1136/bjsm.30.2.186 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Cancela, J., Pastorino, M., Tzallas, A., Tsipouras, M., Rigas, G., Arredondo, M., & Fotiadis, D. (2014) · Sensors · doi:10.3390/s140917235 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
- Authors
- Knight, J., Deen-Williams, D., Arvanitis, T., Baber, C., Sotiriou, S., Anastopoulou, S., & Gargalakos, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Birmingham (GB)
- Ellinogermaniki Agogi (GR)
- Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (GR)
- Venue
- 2006 10th IEEE International Symposium on Wearable Computers
- Publisher
- IEEE
- Published
- 2006-10
- Pages
- 75-82
- ISSN
- 1550-4816 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2120679634
- Cited by
- 67
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 3.86
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Proceedings (publishedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Context-Aware Activity Recognition Systems
- Keywords
- wearable computers, biomechanical effects, movement patterns, posture, musculoskeletal load, comfort evaluation, well-being, health and safety, wearable device design
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
