Latest in Fashion: Wearable Computers.

Wearable personal computers improve efficiency and productivity, according to the results of a recent market trial by Bell Canada and Xybernaut Corporation.

Participants in the trial saved almost one hour per day, using the Xybernaut Mobile Assistant IV, a fully wireless computer, which can connect a user to the Internet and provide a wireless voice connection, said Edward G. Newman, chairman of Xybernaut, headquartered in Fairfax, Va.

The MA IV can be worn as a vest or belt. It can be equipped with a head-mounted or flat-panel display screen for viewing images, Newman explained. Equipped with one-touch or hands-free voice activation, it provides all the functionality and connectivity of a fully-functioned networked desktop PC that works where even laptops or palmtops cannot, he said.

Workers can access data, file reports, send e-mails and connect with the Internet virtually anywhere Newman said.

During the trial, managed by Bell Canada's Mobile Communications Centre, 19 Bell Canada technicians were outfitted with the MA IV, and the PCs were tested in all weather and work conditions typically encountered by field technicians.

The wearable PCs "performed extremely well in a number of environments, saving us time on repair calls and resulting in better customer service," said Brad Chitty, general manager of Bell Canada's mobile communications services.

As a result of the trial, Bell Canada--which is based in Montreal--is purchasing 300 MA Vs, the latest version of Xybernaut's wearable computers. Eventually, company officials said, the devices will replace the existing IBM ThinkPad laptops that are used in the field by 10,000 Bell Canada technicians.