Personal Area Networks (PAN) have been, up until now, not much more than a geek dream, a way to network all your carried gadgets together without the worrisome wiring. Now, though, NTT is actually selling the Firmo, a Human Area Network (HAN) device which transmits data across the skin. Using a weak AC field it currently transmits data at just 230kbps, but a faster 10Mbps version is promised.
Sadly, it's not quite the PAN-acea we first thought. Instead of forming a network which could, say, connect headphones to MP3 player to controller, all wirelessly, the Firmo box (which sits in a pocket) connects to a Firmo reader embedded in other devices. This makes it sound more like a contact based RFID solution that a true personal network, but hey, for a mere ¥800,000 ($7,700) you can grab and evaluation kit and try to roll your own body-stereo.
NTT, the body surface area of transmission lines [RBB Today via Pink Tentacle]
