The hands-free Mentis system includes a small computer that can attach to a person's belt and a headset through which technicians talk to the computer and view the data it provides. Mentis was designed to be a train-yourself system that uses simple menus and forward and back options to guide users through the information it contains.

"It's estimated that only 70% of civilian and military vehicles are fixed correctly the first time around," said Jim Roach, head of service technology research at GM in Detroit. "The rest are fixed with too many parts or need a return visit. Thirty percent is a big target to shoot at."

The Mentis system is made by Interactive Solutions, Inc. in Sarasota, Fla., and was introduced earlier this week. Although GM will be the first Mentis beta site, an aircraft maker, the U.S. Army National Guard and others have expressed interest in the system.

Information provided from Mentis can include full-motion video, CD-quality audio, three-dimensional animation, graphics and text. The technician dons the headset and accesses information by using voice commands, which leaves his hands free to work on the car. If the technician needs additional data, he can access local databases by using a wireless connection. Mentis soon will have a satellite uplink for use over long distances.

"The amount of information needed to fix motor vehicles is overwhelming," said Roach, who added that GM publishes 150,000 pages of repair procedures every year. "It'll be easier for technicians than lugging around huge repair manuals and spending the time needed to locate the appropriate information. A new process is needed because the old one just wasn't working."

Automakers and the military can use Mentis to keep pace with the advanced technology used in today's cars and tanks. For example, a low-end Cavalier has four microprocessors, but a loaded Corvette uses 12 to run the car's instrument panel, air bag, engine and transmission, Roach said. "You need to have very high-technology systems to repair very high-technology vehicles."

Diana Hwang, an analyst at International Data Corp. (IDC) in Framingham, Mass., said wearable computers are still an emerging market, but Mentis "is a great productivity tool for many vertical industries." Mentis appears to be the first such system to offer multimedia support, she said.

The Pentium-based Mentis is about 1 in. thick and measures 7.5 in. by 5.5 in. -- about half the size of a laptop. It can be equipped with a flat-panel display and mounting gear. System prices range from about $3,699 to $8,000.