Face Computer
If you happened to visit the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January of 2002, you may have spotted a “consumer wearable” device made by a company called Xybernaut that included a pocket computer, tethered hand switch, and a head-mounted display. Dubbed the Poma, the device retailed for $1,499, but never found its way into mainstream success.
Users could access “pocket” versions of Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and even a version of Microsoft Word—though we imagine navigating any of it was incredibly difficult with that tethered remote.
What happened to Xybernaut? The founders, Edward and Steven Newman, were investigated by the SEC in 2005 for a ton of illegal shit, including keeping the company’s board in the dark about large sums of money and trying to interfere with audits. The two were forced to resign shortly after that and were indicted for money laundering and securities fraud in 2007.
