UIST2009: Disappearing Mobile Devices

Summary:
     This paper discusses making mobile devices small enough to be unseen or integrated into the human skin.  The author starts out by noting that mobile devices still need to be large enough for user interaction. To minimize the size of a mobile device it is possible a small projector for visual display could be inserted into the skin.  Another option would be to insert the mobile device into a watch.
    Any sort of miniature mobile device must contain a few things.  For one it has to output to the user either in the form of an LED, projector, or audio.  It also needs to accept input which can come from touch, pressure, motion, or sound.  The author then talks about using several types of motions to get user input from a sort of watch device. He also talked about errors that occurred when testing the watch.


Discussion:
     I would like to start out by saying people probably won't have devices implanted into their skin until they are extremely small.  Not only would it be awkward but we don't know if this would be safe.  Personally I would never have an electronic implanted into my body unless absolutely necessary.  I think the idea of a watch as a mobile device sounds much more practical although I haven't seen any projection technology that would satisfy me as a permanent user interface for my phone.  However, I don't think I will be replacing my LCD touchscreen mobile device any time soon.