[Hand sets]
Does anyone know if this is the type of hand set Spectrum's DSPs will enable?
<<<NTT Testing Latest Wireless Technology At Nagano Olympics
Newsbytes - February 06, 1998 04:46
NAGANO, JAPAN, 1998 FEB 6 (NB) -- By Martyn Williams, Newsbytes. The athletes aren't the only ones attracting the attention of visitors at the Nagano Olympics. Games officials speaking into their wristwatches are also causing spectators to stare, but they haven't gone crazy - they are using the latest in mobile communications technology.
The wristwatches are actually telephones, the smallest yet developed, and are for use on Japan's PHS (personal handyphone system) network. PHS is a lower powered version of conventional cellular telephony and has just over six million users throughout Japan.
PHS handsets are usually smaller than cellular telephones, the lower power allows designers to use smaller parts, but the wristwatch size telephone is a first. It was developed by researchers at Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) [TOKYO:9432] who are researching "wearable" communications devices.
The new telephone boasts a volume of just 35cc and a weight of 45 grams. The battery will power the telephone for 100 hours in standby, or provide 60 minutes of talk-time.
Putting a telephone into a package only slightly larger than a wristwatch presents some problems, such as what to do with all of the keys. To get around this problem, NTT designed a voice recognition system for the phone. Users can either speak the digits of a telephone number or say a pre-entered phrase to dial a number in memory.
A speaker and microphone on the front of the telephone complete the device, enabling the user, and anyone nearby, to hear the conversation. For times when more privacy is required, a socket allows for connection of a headset and microphone. In this area too, NTT is also testing a new innovation.
It's new MiMie is an earphone type headphone and microphone all in one. It has a built in speaker to deliver sound to the ear just like any other headphone, but two small microphones make the unit special. One picks up the users voice via the air and the other via facial bones. Using these two signals, a filter is able to cancel out much of the background noise, making it suitable for use in noisy places.
Both microphones are mounted alongside the ear piece, so nothing has to be placed in front of the user's face. NTT says the MiMie earpiece is just 7cc and the control and mixing device occupies 30cc. The latter device is placed further down the cable and is intended to be clipped onto the user's jacket or coat.
Forty units each of both the wristwatch PHS and MiMie are being tested at the Olympics by members of the Nagano Olympic Organizing Committee (NAOC). Feedback from the trials will be used in NTT's trials for developing a commercial product.
Reported By Newsbytes News Network: newsbytes.com
(19980206/Press contact: NTT, +81-3-5353-5035/NAGANONTT1/PHOTO) >>> |
