Wearable Computing, Wireless Communication 8z Knowledge 
Discovery for Mobile Data Acquisition &; Analysis 
Klaus Brinkkötter-Runde 1 and Ubbo Visser 2 
1 Institute for Geoinformatics, 
University of Münster, 
Robert-Koch-Str. 26-28, 
D-48149 Münster, Germany, 
ninde®uni-muenster.de 
2 TZI - Centre for Computing Technologies, 
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, 
University of Bremen, 
Universitätsallee 21-23, 
D-28359 Bremen, Germany, 
visserffltzi.de 
Keywords: Wearable Computer, Mobile Data Acquisition, Knowledge Discovery, Data Mining, Wireless Commu 
nication, Augmented Reality, GIS, Maintenance. 
Abstract Data acquisition with wearable field computers is increasingly applied in various disciplines. 
Such systems represent more sophisticated, time and cost effective tools than traditional field forms 
in the crucial phase of data acquisition. This article will focus on two different applications for new 
approaches in mobile mapping and data acquisition: (a) ’’traditional” field mapping using a GIS 
frontend software and (b) process monitoring and planning for maintenance of technical production 
plants. We show that this new computer technology will lead us to new approaches and therefore will 
initiate software developers to build new programs. 
Kurzfassung Wearable Computer (am Körper zu tragende Computer) spielen bei der Datenakqui 
sition im Gelände eine zunehmende Rolle und werden in verschiedenen Disziplinen eingesetzt. Mit 
derartigen Systemen stehen hochentwickelte, zeit- und kosteneffektive Werkzeuge für die wichtige 
Phase der Akquisition von Daten zur Verfügung. Dieser Beitrag fokussiert auf zwei verschiedenen 
Anwendungen von Wearable Computern bei der Gewinnung und intelligenten Verarbeitung von 
Daten: (a) ’’Traditionelles Erheben von Felddaten mit einem mobilen GIS sowie (b) der Einsatz 
von Wearable Computern für die Überwachung und Planung von Instandhaltungsprozessen für 
großtechnische Anlagen. Technologien zu neuen Möglichkeiten bei der Gewinnung und Verarbeitung 
von Felddaten werden hier aufgezeigt. 
1 Introduction 
A new level of technology came up over the last cou 
ple of years in the area of wearable computing. Wear 
able computers are a new hardware technology, where 
the user works on a high-performance PC, but has his 
hands, legs, and eyes free. There are a few questions 
with this technology such as 
- is it possible to transfer the existing software onto 
this computer without loosing performance ? 
- are there deficits with to date software solutions 
which can be overcome with the new technology ? 
- are there new applications only possible with this 
technology ? 
We follow these questions in this article with two 
approaches. The first approach deals with the process 
of data acquisition in the field using a combination of a 
mobile GIS and GPS while the second approach offers 
new ideas to use the technology within a maintenance 
process of large technical plants. 
2 Mobile mapping - a discipline with 
high development capacities 
Since the last five years field-based GIS play an impor 
tant role in research and software development at the 
Institute for Geoinformatics (IFGI) . The efforts of the 
Working Group for Mobile Geocomputing (WGMG) 
were mainly focused on tools for field based and DGPS 
supported GIS which enable the user to define and up 
date spatial objects. The following will give emphasis 
to some issues that are especially related to new basic 
approaches in using Augmented Reality and wearable 
networking issues in field-based GIS. 
Recent years have seen an enormous progress in the 
development of innovative wearable computing devices.