Fashion shows are occasions for watching hot models parade across stages in one-of-a-kind items that most of us would not be caught dead wearing. At the annual International Symposium on Wearable Computers was no exception.

The gear ranged from the practical... a sleek hooded windbreaker from Germany's Infineon Technologies AG with an implanted MP3 player... to the senseless... a Batman-styled belt with a rod holding a PDA at arm's length from the models' torsos.

Since at least the 1970s, wearable computers have made their way down fashion runways. Still, with all the innovative approaches to staying connected while going out in the world, what would be the practical use of a wearable computer?

Note-taking and scheduling reminders are high on the list of possible uses for wearable computers. A wearable computer can be there and available without having to think about it or interrupt your other activities, it's possible to have interactions with your computer that you don't initiate.

Predictions are that a single pocket-sized device will take the place of the laptop and notebook... and even desktop computers, just as mainframes gave way to PCs.

Another item that is making it way to the fashion world is wearable computer screens. Scientists have created an ultra-thin screen that can be bent, twisted and even rolled up and still display crisp text.

The material, only as thick as three human hairs, displays black text on a whitish-gray background with a resolution similar to that of a typical laptop computer screen.

There are several companies working to develop electronic "paper" for e-newspapers and e-books, and other possible applications... Such as lightweight, thin screens that can be used to display the available balance or recent purchases from your credit card. Another possible use is a jacket with a screen sewn into its sleeve to allow its wearer to read e-mail while on the run, check stock prices or access maps in an unfamiliar city.

It seems like this is just the start of a new fashion revolution.