Editing Thad Starner

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'''Thad Eugene Starner''' is a founder and director of the Contextual Computing Group at [[Georgia Institute of Technology|Georgia Tech]]'s [[Georgia Institute of Technology College of Computing|College of Computing]], where he is a full professor.  He is a pioneer of [[wearable computer|wearable computing]] as well as [[human-computer interaction]], [[augmented reality|augmented environments]], and [[pattern recognition]].<ref name="profile">{{cite web |url=http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~thad/01_cv.htm |title=Thad Starner Home CV |accessdate=2009-01-26}}</ref><ref name="tech35">{{cite web |url=http://www.technologyreview.com/tr35/Profile.aspx?TRID=577 |title=TR35: Thad Starner |publisher=MIT Technology Review: TR35 |accessdate=2009-01-26}}</ref> Starner is a strong advocate of continuous-access, everyday-use systems, and has worn his own customized wearable [[computer]] continuously since 1993. His work has touched on handwriting and sign-language analysis, intelligent agents and augmented realities. He also helped found Charmed Technology.

==Biography==
===Education===
Starner graduated from Dallastown Area High School in York PA in 1987 with honors. He won a talent show in technological science for one of the first AI puzzle-solving PC computer simulations in 1986 before high school graduation gaining him early recognition. Starner graduated from the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] with a [[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]] in Brain and Cognitive Science (1991), a B.S. in [[Computer Science]] (1991), a [[Master of Science|M.S.]] in Media Arts and Science, and finally a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] in Media Arts and Sciences (1999) from the [[MIT Media Lab]]oratory. His doctoral work was entitled "Wearable Computing and Contextual Awareness," dealing with pattern recognition and how wearable computing can be utilized for purposes such as recognizing hand motions used in [[American Sign Language]].<ref name="mit profile">{{cite web|url=http://web.media.mit.edu/~testarne/ |title=Thad Starner's old MIT profile |accessdate=2009-01-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320083858/http://web.media.mit.edu/~testarne/ |archivedate=March 20, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/safarchive/3_ask/archive/bio/71_tstarner_bio.html |title=Thad Starner Bio |publisher=PBS Ask the Scientists |accessdate=2009-01-26}}</ref><ref name="njit">{{cite press release |url=http://www.njit.edu/publicinfo/press_releases/release_479.php |title=Lecturer at NJIT Asks is Time Right Yet for Wearable Computers? |publisher=New Jersey Institute of Technology |date=2004-04-07 |accessdate=2009-01-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060918063426/https://www.njit.edu/publicinfo/press_releases/release_479.php |archivedate=2006-09-18 }}</ref>

===Wearable computing===
Starner is probably most well known for being a strong advocate for [[wearable computer|wearable computing]]. During his time at the MIT Media Lab, Starner, already responsible for helping create one of the earliest high-accuracy online cursive handwriting recognition systems in 1993<ref name="profile" /><ref name="njit" /> as an associate scientist with [[BBN Technologies|BBN]]'s Speech Systems Group, became one of the world's leading experts on the subject. Starner is also a co-founder of the [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers|IEEE]] International Symposium on Wearable Computers (ISWC) and co-founder and first member of the MIT Wearable Computing Project, where he was one of the first 6 [[cyborg]]s involved.<ref name="profile" /> Since 1993, Starner has been wearing his own customized wearable computer system full-time, arguably one of the longest, if not the longest, such instances. He designed the hardware for his system, dubbed "The Lizzy", based on designs of the wearable "hip PC" designed by Doug Platt, who built Starner's original wearable. The original system consisted of custom parts from a kit made by Park Enterprises, a Private Eye display, and a [[Twiddler]] [[chorded keyboard]].<ref name="steve">{{cite web |url=http://hi.eecg.toronto.edu/wearhow-split0/index.html |title="wearhow.html" How to build a version of 'WearComp6' |last=Mann |first=Steve |accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref><ref name="history">{{cite web |url=http://www.media.mit.edu/wearables/lizzy/timeline.html#1993d |title=A brief history of wearable computing |last=Rhodes |first=Bradley |accessdate=2009-01-30 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.media.mit.edu/wearables/mithril/history/point3.1.html |title=The Lizzy |accessdate=2009-01-28}}</ref> As of January 29, 2008, Starner's setup has evolved to include a heads-up display showing 640x480 screen resolution, a Twiddler, and an [[OQO]] Model 1 [[Ultra-Mobile PC]] (though the specifications listed suggest an [[Oqo#OQO Model 01.2B|OQO Model 01+]]) with a [[hertz|GHz]] processor, 512 MB of [[Random-access memory|RAM]], 30GB hard disk, [[Universal Serial Bus|USB2]], [[IEEE 1394 interface|Firewire]], and [[Wi-Fi]] built in, as well as a mobile phone with cellular Internet access as well.<ref name="gartner">{{cite web |url=http://www.gartner.com/research/fellows/asset_196289_1176.jsp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081115231417/http://www.gartner.com/research/fellows/asset_196289_1176.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 15, 2008 |title=Gartner's Interview with Thad Starner |publisher=Gartner |accessdate=2009-01-30 |date=2008-01-29}}</ref>

Some of the benefits he receives from wearing a [[computer]] include being able to type and access the [[Internet]] while walking around or talking to others, allowing him to take notes on a [[conversation]] in [[real-time computing|real-time]], opening up notes on a certain subject and e-mailing them at any time or even having two conversations at once, one online and one face to face, and if he comes across something he doesn't know or recognize, he can instantly find out.<ref name="gartner" /> In addition to augmenting the outside world, having a computer on at all times improves Starner's nerves while giving talks; Starner has a [[speech disorder|speech impediment]] but is able to speak more clearly when prompted by a computer.<ref name="wired">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/6.04/wearables.html?pg=6 |title=Dress Code |last=Bass |first=Thomas A. |magazine=Wired |date=1998-04-01 |accessdate=2009-01-27}}</ref>

Starner is a Technical Lead/Manager on [[Google]]'s [[Project Glass]] wearable computing project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~thad/index.htm|title = Thad Starner Home}}</ref>

===Other research===
One of his prominent research focuses is the involvement of wearable computing with [[American Sign Language]] (ASL). His work intends to create a bridge between the deaf and hearing communities that will facilitate communication between the two using an ASL-to-English one-way [[translation|translator]]. Starner is also researching dual-purpose speech, where a wearable computer will be able to interpret certain speech patterns and bring up appropriate programs, such as a calendar for scheduling appointments.<ref name="njit" /><ref name="gartner" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/reshor/rh-f03/gvu-face.html |title=Face-to-Face Meetings |publisher=Research Horizons |date=2003-12-11 |accessdate=2009-01-28}}</ref> In addition, Starner has been involved in the Aware Home project, which uses technology to create an interactive and personalizable environment within the home that would benefit individuals who wouldn't normally be able to live independently.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aware Home Research Initiative |url=https://sites.gatech.edu/awarehome/ |website=gatech.edu}}</ref>

Starner's work has featured on [[CBS]]'s 60 Minutes, [[CNN]], [[BBC]], and [[The Wall Street Journal]] and has been demonstrated to a number of [[Fortune 500]] companies including [[Merrill Lynch]], [[IBM]], and [[Motorola]].<ref name="profile" />

==Recognition==
Starner was listed among [[Technology Review]]'s [[TR35|TR100]] top 100 remarkable innovators (now renamed TR35 and limited to thirty-five winners) in 1999.<ref name="tech35" /> He was named as an [[ACM Fellow]], in the 2024 class of fellows, "for contributions to and leadership in the wearable computing research community".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.acm.org/media-center/2025/january/fellows-2024|title= 2024 ACM Fellows Honored for Contributions to Computing That Are Transforming Science and Society|publisher=Association for Computing Machinery|date=January 22, 2025|access-date=2025-01-22}}</ref>

==References==
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==External links==
* [http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~thad/ Starner's Georgia Tech homepage]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090223143834/http://videos.howstuffworks.com/georgia-tech/2546-how-wearable-computers-work-video.htm Thad Starner demonstrates how wearable computers work]
* "[https://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/385792677/our-computers-ourselves Our Computers, Ourselves]", 13 February 2015. Thad Starner interview and profile for the NPR podcast [[Invisibilia]].
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090213192632/http://www.oqo.com/ OQO's website]

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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Georgia Tech faculty]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Ubiquitous computing researchers]]
[[Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Science alumni]]
[[Category:2024 fellows of the Association for Computing Machinery]]