I appreciate the discussions here over the last few months on digital cameras, and palmtop/handheld computing devices.

Here's a suggestion for a "dream" machine. A platform as small as a palmtop or no bigger than a handheld class computer. Able to handle a nearly full functional spreadsheet or database or word processor. Logic circuits to include a powerful, programable calculator - say for coordinate geometry for you survey types. Reasonably field ruggedized (not my term, pretty widely used in the marketing literature). Ergonomically configured to fit in one hand (holdable either like a Palm or a Husky; or with a strap to go behind your hand). All day battery capability (either with on-board battery or a tethered auxilary source to be carried say in a belt pack). Directly linkable to a digital camera so that as each image is shot it is automatically attached, flagged or tagged as associated with a data record on the computing unit's spreadsheet or table.

What characteristics would you add?

Reply to post by Scott Cullen, on September 26, 1999 at 17:47:10:

VOX (voice activation and recognition)

Actually, it won't be too long befroe we have good voice recognition software to run on a laptop. Imagine a small box in a backpack, voice activated and controlled. Maybe a small view screen. This would leave both hands free.....

Reply to post by Russ Carlson, on September 26, 1999 at 17:47:10:

Fully hands free would be ideal. Keyboard or touch screen no matter how small requires both hands.. one to hold and one to enter. So you have to put the device down or at least stop entry, or alternatively handle the diameter tape with your teeth.

Certainly there are existing notebook class machines with more than enough computing power to handle the task and in a backpack or similar arrangement booster batteries would be no problem.

Voice Recognition Software would only be half the equation however. Good data collection requires a structured data set.... particular discreet items collected for each record and collected consistently. That's why entry forms are such a good tool. So I think you'd need a prompting mechanism. They've already developed an optical device that serves as a virtual screen which is worn like glasses. You can focus near and see the display or focus beyond and it is not apparent. Intended for pilots and for technicians working say on a jet engine or a main frame computer... hands are free but complete specs and schematics are an eye movement away. So with a device like this you could see the form and enter properly for a structured dataset: Species? Peanut Butter & Jelly Tree. Size? 32" @SH. Condition? Crummy.

One thing about voice activation is that you also need feedback to know it's working. So with or without the visual feedback you'd want a headset w/ earpiece and mic so the unit would be responding to your voice rather than ambient noise and you would hear yourself, indicating that the machine hears the same thing.

Reply to post by Russ Carlson, on September 26, 1999 at 17:47:10:

I've heard that a Star Trek like comm device(a badge that you just tap) is not far onnly 5yrs away. Waiting on the plastic battery tech to mature.

This way you could connect to you office computer and dictate your notes right into it, then have it read back if you dont trust the input. Your PDA would just be a short term storage device to up/download from your main comp.

Reply to post by Scott, on September 26, 1999 at 21:35:58:

PBS's Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser Fri, PM apparently displayed some of the new consumer electronics devices including a gizmo to be worn like glasses that projects a virtual screen in front of your eyes. I missed it, anybody else see it?

Reply to post by Scott, on September 26, 1999 at 21:35:58:

The VOX stuff is already available, being constantly and rapidly improved. It would have to be form-like, but that should be easy enough to make interactive. As you suggest, a headset with mic would allow the computer to prompt the user, and request a specific reply.

Virtual screen would be nice, but not necessary, if the computer reads back each entry.
"Species?"
"...."
"Hurry up, I haven't got all day"
"PBJ Tree"
"Peanutbutter and Jelly Tree, confirmed"

Reply to post by Russ Carlson, on September 27, 1999 at 07:00:53:

Ok simce they are "learning" you can set the readback at a certain error % rate in spelling/syntax whatever.

It quereies "shall I read that back to you Russ?" (in the husky contralto of a torch singer of corse)

Reply to post by JPS, on October 05, 1999 at 00:11:24:

Actually I think Russ would build the machine with a selectable voice.

Had a friend in the tree business who had a real thing going with the Japanese girl living under the dashboard of his Z... "you're lunning out of gas." I guess the first chips were programmed synthesized Japanese voices speaking English.

On a serious level voice selection can be more than amusing. The SAC bombers had female voices programmed into warning circuits ("engine 4 overheating" or something like that) so the voice would be distinguished from other cockpit chatter.

Reply to post by Russ Carlson, on September 27, 1999 at 07:00:53:

I would think the feedback loop would be easier both to program and to use if it was visual rather than aural. Your eye can scan a data entry form - go to a particular field, go back to a particular field, review fields, review records - much faster than the data can be "spoken" to you. For me the real VOX advantage is accepting and interpreting your hands free input, then simply confirming your entry (so you know you were heard, you said what you intended and what you said was interpreted correctly)... though this duplicates the visual feedback. Giving the voice AI to do navigation for you and and skip randomly through fields or records at your VOX command might be tougher to implement.

While we're at it let's give this machine a little chip coder to embed all the data in a tree tag/chip. It goes along with the tag reader that you're using to learn about previously tagged trees that may not be in your on-board database. Seems to me somebody already posted about these, they are available.

Reply to post by Scott, on October 05, 1999 at 00:11:24:

Given the status of AI, it could be taught to know where to put data, given clues.

"35 inches diameter" is obvious.
"75 feet tall"
"Species Abies concolor"

Simple clues and regimen will work, so you don't even have to separately define the field, or remember which one comes next. Prompts could remind of unfilled blanks, or provide the sequence desired.

All just wishful thinking for now, though. This stuff is still too expensive for my budget (just got a Resistograph last week, though )

Reply to post by Scott, on October 05, 1999 at 20:04:04:

"George", my Macintosh, is set to "Victoria". Verrry sweet!