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In the not-so-distant future, your wristwatch could stop you if you try to run out the door without the necessities you need for the day, like your keys, wallet or cell phone.

At work, it could prompt you for important items needed for a meeting or a business lunch. In an academic setting, it could remind students which books to take as they hurry out the door for class.

Think of it as a technological string around the finger – one that’s smart enough to take the initiative to save you from the inconvenience and embarrassment of forgotten essentials.

Such integrated, responsive systems are the next logical step in computing, according to Gaetano Borriello, a University of Washington computer scientist who has developed a working prototype of the idea. Borriello is also an expert in the field of ubiquitous, or invisible, computing, which seeks to seamlessly mesh technology into our lives in ways that are useful and natural.

Source: University of Washington