US-based Xybernaut Corporation and Beijing CyberNet Institute (CyberNet) yesterday announced completion of an agreement to combine Xybernaut mobile/wearable computing solutions with CyberNet applications for the media, entertainment and government sectors. In addition, the two companies are to go ahead with plans for a research and development institute that will concentrate on wearable computing solutions.

Research efforts will focus on strategies, methodologies and intellectual property related to using wearable computing in the workplace in order to achieve benefits such as increased productivity/efficiency, quality improvements for data gathering and dissemination, field force automation and knowledge management. Xybernaut intellectual property will also play a significant role in allowing the companies to develop and implement computing solutions that best fit Chinese markets.

"Our relationship with Xybernaut further strengthens CyberNet's commitment to finding the best ways to increase efficiencies for employees who spend the majority of their working time away from a desktop PC," according to David Datong Nie, CyberNet president. "The highly mobile computing products offered by Xybernaut are a perfect complement to the applications we offer, which are designed to streamline communication and data-flow from remote staff in the field and decision-makers at HQ — particularly in the media, entertainment and government sectors."

Xybernaut wearable computers offer custom viewing screens that are touch screen activated and all-light readable, making them effective both indoors and out. With specialized software for media, entertainment and government scenarios, especially voice recognition applications and touch-activated capabilities, the joint CyberNet-Xybernaut system becomes a highly effective tool for targeted markets in China.