Apple Hires Expert On “Wearable Technologies”

Say what? Apple better not be working out how to strap a laptop to someone’s back, because that’s already been done – 10 years ago. But their recent hiring of someone well-versed in wearable computing does spell something interesting.

Richard DeVaul, who was previously the founder and president of AWare Technologies, has been headhunted by Apple to join a secret team working under Jonathan Ive as a Senior Prototype Engineer. Supposedly only seven people besides Ive and Steve Jobs knows what he’s working on – and while Seth Weintraub at Computerworld is not one of them, he’s certainly taken a stab.

What could Apple be wanting with hiring DeVaul? I doubt it’ll be anything like a wearable computer, but when stories about scientists turning fabric into electricity-conducting items are becoming more common, you can guess our clothes will play a larger role than just clothing us in the future.

It could also mean they’re looking at Bluetooth-syncing devices with the iPhone, such as a watch, or even something as simple as virtual reality glasses, like Vuzix has been cooking up.

The clue is in DeVaul’s new job title however – “prototype” might just mean he’s kept busy dreaming up strange concepts that will never make it to a chrome-and-glass Apple store, but will stop other rivals from selling similar products if Apple’s won the patent already. [Computerworld]