CSN-391

Technical Communication

Analysis Report on Digital Jewellery

Submitted by :
Mohit Bhatt
Submitted to :
16114038
Dr. P. Sateesh Kumar
Bachelor of Technology
Dr. Sudip Roy
Computer Science Engineering
III Year
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Abstract
Computing has evolved a lot over the years. What started as a big and bulky device to
carry out simple task of calculations has grown into a small device that can be carried in our
pockets and can offer a variety of functions from calling, texting, surfing the web, clicking
pictures, and much more. If we consider the next phase of computing, the parts of computer
can be spread across various smaller portions. The perfect union of micro-computing tech-
nology along with the high scale integration of millions of transistors on a small area has
helped companies to come up with the idea of wearable devices with embedded intelligence.

Fashion jewellery, which otherwise had a very little practical purpose except adorning the
body can benefit from added utility. Digital jewellery are fashion jewellery with integrated
intelligence that can be worn and can allow us to communicate via voice-mail, e-mail, etc.
Such technology can also help us to solve the common day problems of forgetting keys,
forgetting passwords, misplaced credit cards, etc.
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Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3

2. Features of Digital Jewellery ................................................................................... 5

3. Components of Digital Jewellery ............................................................................ 5

4. Technical Specificatoins ........................................................................................... 6

5. Applications of Digital Jewellery ............................................................................. 6

6. Advantages of Digital Jewellery ............................................................................... 8

7. Disadvantages of Digital Jewellery .......................................................................... 9

8. Conclusion and Perspective ..................................................................................... 10

Introduction 3

Introduction

Jewellery can be worn for a variety of reasons. Most of us would wear Jewellery for
aesthetics, to impress others, as a mark of social acceptance or as a symbol of affiliation
with a particular sect or section of the society. Practically speaking, the value addition of
a jewellery in our life is effectively zero. In this direction, researchers have been working
day and night to add value to the jewellery we wear. The jewellery we wear might soon
double up as wearable cell phone, GPS receiver or may be Personal assistant.

Digital Jewellery is the next generation concept in which the fashion jewellery we wear
would be embedded with intelligence. Such a “smart” jewellery would help us to solve
various common problems like the forgotten passwords and might replace several space
consuming items like driving license, credit cards, health cards, etc.

The ever decreasing size of the computer devices by integrating millions of transistors
on a microchip has helped to envisage the concept of digital jewellery. This technology of
miniature computing has given the liberty to the companies worldwide to produce fashion
jewellery with embedded intelligence. Dan Russell, senior manager of IBM’s Almaden Re-
search Lab states that they have created prototypes for “almost everything except tongue
rings”. The millions of transistors enable the users to store tons of data on the chip.
Introduction 4

Digital jewellery has initiated the process of disintegrating the personal computer into
various tiny parts and package it as varied items that can resemble fashion jewellery. PC
components entirely compatible with the human body structure. The history of digital
jewellery os often attributed way back to the 16th century when the pocket watch was
invented. Wrist computers invented in 1991 was another major breakthrough in the direc-
tion. IBM has been working on developing the prototype of a mobile phone that consists
of many digital jewellery that would work along the wireless technology like Bluetooth.
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1 Features of Digital Jewellery

Some of the key features of a digital jewellery are:-

• Portability
The liberty to carry from one place to another makes digital jewellery different from
the normal PCs. The user must conveniently use it while walking, moving, jogging,
etc.

• Sensors
Sensors such as earphone, microphones, cameras, etc. are integrated to the digital
jewellery.

• Always ON
Digital jewellery are always ON and accessible. Unlike the normal computers, which
are turned on when required, or normal cellphones, which are in sleep mode when in
pocket, such digital jewellery shall always be active.

• User Attention Free

The user shall not be forced to give full attention to the device. The device shall be
functional even whent the user is not paying attention.

• Communication The device must be able to communicate with the user as well as
external environment in a reasonable time limit.

2 Components of Digital Jewellery

Some of the possible components of a cell phone enabled by such a technology can be:-

• Earrings
Speakers can be embedded into the earrings to act as phone’s receiver.

• Necklace
The microphone of the phone can be embedded into the necklace.

• Ring
LED inserted into the ring can be used to indicate the incoming calls and emails.

• Bracelet
Bracelet can have a screen to diplay the caller ID and name of the caller.
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3 Technical Specifications

The dialpad and display would be integrated into the bracelet. A voice recognition soft-
ware can also be used to make the phone calls by just saying the name of the person to
be called. A miniature rechargeable battery can be used to power the device. The display
screen of a digital jewellery device may consist of a 7-16- segment, or dot matrix, LEDs,
LCDs, or surplus industrial science such as electroluminescent material (EL), etc. Some
other displays like a flashlight, sensor or some other informational aesthetics can also be
used. The display is mounted on the face of the device made up of some materials like
plastic, crystal, metal or some other material. External switches, buttons, data-port help
in accessing the internal electronic circuit. A surface mounted device on printed circuit
board with capacitors and resistors act as the micro controller.

4 Applications of Digital Jewellery

Digital Jewellery can solve several problems in our day to day life. Many companies have
come up with devices based on digital jewellery. Let us discuss a couple of them in brief:-

• JAVA Ring
Carrying numerous keys and remembering significant number of passwords is often
a hectic task. Forgetting passwords or misplacing keys is a common attribute of a
normal human being. Dallas Semiconductor is developing a solution for the problem.
The JAVA Ring would act as a key to all our locks, ranging from house doors to car
doors. The JAVA Ring would also double up as a PC unlocker, by logging in our
accounts as soon as it comes in proximity to the device. The 16mm diameter ring is
a one stop JAVA based solution to most of our common problems.
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• IBM Ring
The magic decoder ring from IBM is a mouse ring. The sensors on the ring can act
as a wireless mouse for our screens. A pearl on the ring will help in the navigation of
the the cursor. The monitor/display device can be controlled by this ring. The ring
works on the principle of IBM track ball technology. The ring can also be integrated
with LEDs that flash whenever the user receives a phone call. The LEDs can also be
assigned such that a particular colour can be used when a particular caller calls the
user.
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5 Advantages of Digital Jewellery

There are a number of advantages associated with the digital jewelleries. Some of the
important advantages are:-

• Security
Digital devices can be used to enhance the security of common physical devices like
locks/computers. For example, a JAVA Ring can be used to lock and unlock house
doors, computers, car locks etc. The use of digital devices is convenient and safer
than using physical locks and keys or using passwords, which have high possibilty of
human intervention, hacking or human mistakes like forgetting passwords or missing
keys.

• Mobility
The digital devices can be easily carried by the user. Carrying a ring on a finger is
much easier than carrying a key which needs human attention to prevent misplacing
it. The light weight small devices are also convenient to carry as compared to rela-
tively bulkier mobile phones or tablets.
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• Natural Interaction with the user

Jewelleries have become an integral part of the human body over the centuries. Hence
the natural interaction between the digital jewellery like a bracelet is much better
than the interaction between an non-associated component like a cellphone. This
natural interaction makes digital jewellery much easily acceptable by the user.

• Less energy consumption

The low signal digital devices like a speaker embedded ring consumes much less en-
ergy than a normal speaker or an earphone. Hence the device once charged can be
used for a longer period of time.

• Personalisation
Digital jewellery are highly personalised as per our needs. All the devices are cal-
liberated to satisfy the requirements of the user. This level of personalisation makes
digital jewellery likeable by the users.

6 Disadvantages of Digital Jewellery

There are a number of disadvantages associated with the digital jewelleries. Some of the
most common are:-

• High Cost
The numerous benefits of digital jewellery comes at a cost. The customer is com-
pelled to shell out more to achieve the level of personalisation and convenience.

• Charging capabilities
Although the digital jewelleries consumes less power, yet it is not so convenient to
find a suitable charging solution for such devices. The charging port in the jewellery
might even compromise on the beauty of the jewellery.

• Small display
Cutting on the screen size might not go well with all. Due to limitation of integrat-
ing the display screen on the small bracelet or ring, the display can not be increased
beyond a limit. This small screen is unlikely to be appreciated by many.
Conclusion 10

Conclusion and Perspective

Having gone through the concept of digital jewellery, along with its advantages, disadvan-
tages and limitations, it can be surely said that the next generation would be full of many
more such digital devices. The convenience of putting on an earphone embedded earring
or a display embedded bracelet instead of carrying a completely disconnected from body
cell phone or a computer.

The very concept of replacing the bulky devices with something that can be worn on
the body gives some high level of expectations. At the same time, there are several chal-
lenges associated with the technology. How we react to the challenges posed by the new
technology and our approach in open mindedly accepting the changes in the technology is
quite important.

In the end, it shall be concluded that a few years from now, the portable devices would be
replaced by wearable devices. This change would mark the beginning of the era of miniature
computing and would ultimately lead to the epitome of human machine interaction.
References

• Seminarsonly

• How Stuff Works

• Digital Jewellery by N. Rukmini Sai Priya

• Krazytech

• Catchupdates

Mohit Bhatt
Bachelor of Technology
Computer Science Engineering (III Year)
IIT Roorkee
+91-9927952040
bhattmohit11.ucs2016@iitr.ac.in