Ubiquitous Network & Smart devices:
New Telecom Services &
Evolution of Human Interfaces
April 6, 2005, ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop
Gilles Privat
France Telecom, R&D Division, Technologies
Smart Devices & New Human Interfaces Laboratory
Grenoble, France
Work partially done with European IST FP6 "Amigo" Project
France Telecom
Research & Development
D1 -2005/04/06
Ubiquitous Network & Smart devices:
New Telecom Services &
Evolution of Human Interfaces
Mainstream telecom applications are either user-to-user or user-to-information-servers. Beyond these, a whole new domain of user-tophysical-environment, user-to-devices or devices-to-devices communication is opening up, involving a wide spectrum of smart devices, be
they portable, wearable, movable, or fixtures of various environments. These devices get their renewed and much-vaunted "smartness"
from becoming networked and augmented with physical interaction capabilities through sensors, and (possibly) actuators, rather than just
their information processing and storage capabilities. Heralding a new era of ICT, they make up a large-scale & fine-grain distributed
"internet of things" and provide as yet unforeseen capabilities by leveraging local and remote interaction with users, peer devices and
distributed software . Two complementary directions of evolution may be envisioned for the telecom industry. The first corresponds to new
device-to-device applications, supported by research in sensor/actuator networks. The second direction corresponds to an enrichment in
human interfaces for pre-existing ICT applications supported by new smart devices in the short term, and smart devices getting integrated
into "smart spaces" in a more long term view. Legitimate concerns of users about privacy and control should be adressed upfront.
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D2
Outline
s
Introduction : smart devices & ubiquitous networking
s
Ubiquitous sensor-actuator networks Æ"M2M" telecoms
s
Ubiquitous/disappearing devices
Æ toward smart spaces and ambient communication
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D3
The BIG picture :
three waves of ICT
key concept
key device
key technology
n processing
PC
microelectronics
o access (transmission, storage)
Internet, CD-ROM
photonics
p interaction (with the environnement)
smartifact
M(O)EMS (sensors, actuators)
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D4
The BIG Picture… phrased otherwise
s
s
s
The microcosm (from ~1980 onwards)
Q Defining technology : microelectronics
Q Defining abundance : silicon-based processing power
QDefining limitation : bandwidth
Telecosm (from ~1990 onwards)
Q Defining technology : optics
Q Defining abundance : wireless & wireline bandwidth
Q Defining limitation : latency Æ "storewidth"
The ambicosm (from ~2000 onwards)
Q Defining technologies : MEMS, nanotechnologies,
micro & nanofabrication, nanorobots
Q Defining abundance : interaction capacity
between physical & digital worlds
QDefining limitation : human time & attention Æ "eyewidth"
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D5
The telecom viewpoint :
opening up a whole new service domain
„
interpersonal
„
users ÍÎ users
„
broadcast/retrieval
„
users ÍÎ stored information
„
networked devices
„
(users ÍÎ) devices ÍÎ devices
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D6
The smart connected device viewpoint
s
s
s
Smart devices are not smart because endowed with agent-like
capabilities (autonomousness, proactivity…)
They are smart because they are connected !
All devices that are so far, neither communication nor
information appliances can get connected
QBeing connected = being "recognized" by another device
– An entirely passive device can get recognized by various sensors :
– Optical, pressure, etc.
s
Opening up a new, third domain of telecommunications :
QThe future is not going to be people talking to people; it's not
going to be people accessing information. It's going to be about using
machines to talk to other machines on behalf of people. That's
where the growth is going to be. (Paul Saffo)
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D7
The physical interaction dimension
s
s
Smart devices are smart because they are physically
interacting devices
QBits and atoms…
Widening the interface bandwidth to the physical world
QNetworked sensors & actuators
QEnlarged & enriched human interaction, grounded and embodied in the
physical environement
Physical/analog
Digital
sensors
Environment
actuators
sensors
France Telecom
Research & Development
actuators
IT
systems
IT
Systems
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D8
Sensors & actuators :
vision for the future of ICT
Two parallel universes exist today -- the everyday analog universe we
inhabit, and a newer digital universe created by humans, but inhabited by
digital machines. We visit this digital world by peering through the portholes
of our computer screens, and we manipulate it with keyboard and mouse
much as a nuclear technician works with radioactive materials via glovebox
and manipulator arms. Our machines manipulate the digital world directly,
but they are rarely aware of the analog world that surrounds their cyberspace.
Now we are handing sensory organs and manipulators to the machines and
inviting them to enter analog reality. The scale of possible surprise that this
may generate over the next several decades as sensors, lasers, and
microprocessors coevolve is breathtakingly uncertain (Paul Saffo)
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D9
Large-scale system issues with ubiquitous sensoractuator networks
s Physical environment becomes augmented with networked
s
s
s
sensors & actuators
QThe "nervous system of the earth" metaphor becomes relevant...
Integrating the environment in a large-scale systemtheoretical model of networked devices
Physical environment becomes augmented with new
interactions which may be :
Qnon-linear
Qtemporally & spatially non-local
New emergent large-scale phenomena?
– criticity, long-term transients?
– non-predictability, non-reductibility of potentially emerging system effects
s
Large-scale adaptability, self-correction possible?
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D10
s
Introduction : smart devices & ubiquitous networking
s
Ubiquitous sensor-actuator networks Æ"M2M" telecoms
s
Ubiquitous/disappearing devices
Æ toward smart spaces and ambient communication
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D11
M2M
Sensor/actuator networks
Game console
Distributed interface
devices
Human Interaction
Devices
Computer-augmented
environments
E-book
Information
Appliances
MP3 Player
PDA
Phycons
Web
appliance
GPRS-enabled PDA
Communication
Appliances
WAP phone
Smart controls/actuators
Wireless Integrated
Network Sensors
TeleRobot
Physical Interaction Devices
Massively actuated and
sensed structures
Smart matter
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D12
Wireless Sensor Networks :
Market Segments
s
Global RF modules for WSN applications 2003-2010
(millions/units)
2003
500
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Industrial
450Building
AMR
400HA
350CBRN
Environ
1.20
0.95
0.43
0.52
0.04
0.16
1.93
1.40
0.61
1.94
0.09
0.19
5.84
2.84
1.20
6.77
0.25
0.28
10.00
4.80
3.09
9.73
0.77
0.44
17.80
10.70
6.00
15.40
1.79
0.87
35.20
21.46
12.80
28.65
3.53
1.90
76.20
46.10
27.10
63.60
6.15
4.70
165.00
95.44
57.70
127.57
10.67
8.80
300Total
3.30
6.16
17.18
28.83
52.56
103.54
223.85
465.18
250
150
100
50
0
2003
Industrial
Building
AMR
HA
CBRN
Environ
2004
2005
On World
200
2006
2007
2008
France Telecom
Research & Development
2009
2010
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D13
Wireless sensor networks
Industrial
Home
Environment/
Agriculture
Mobile
gateway
landline
gateway
Low-power
wireless
network
Automous
Sensor
Devices
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D14
Wirefree telemetry and M2M solutions
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D15
Environmental monitoring
GPRS Gateway
sensors
4 Km
s
200 m
Radio
relay
s
s
France Telecom
Research & Development
Experimentation of a wireless solution for
flood alerts
Application description
ƒNetwork of sensors in river bed
ƒWireless telemetry solution
ƒAlarm notification to interested parties
Technologies
ƒActive tags (100 m, 3-5 years autonomy)
ƒGPRS gateway
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D16
s
Introduction : smart devices & ubiquitous networking
s
Ubiquitous sensor-actuator networks Æ"M2M" telecoms
s
Ubiquitous/Disappearing devices
Æ toward smart spaces and ambient communication
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D17
Evolution
Of human intefaces
Distributed interface
devices
Game console
Human Interaction
Devices
Computer-augmented
environments
E-book
Information
Appliances
MP3 Player
PDA
Phycons
Web
appliance
GPRS-enabled PDA
Communication
Appliances
WAP phone
Smart controls/actuators
Wireless Integrated
Network Sensors
TeleRobot
Physical Interaction Devices
Massively actuated and
sensed structures
Smart matter
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D18
Device-centric interaction/communication
in various environments
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D19
L-commerce :
Device-centric location-based interaction
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D20
From proliferating devices…
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D21
…To disappearing devices
Before…
© Philips Research
Ambient Intelligence…
© Philips Research
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D22
Where are devices gone?
s Devices do still exist and communicate
Qmore between one another (ÆM2M)
Qmore with the physical environnement (sensors & actuators)
Qless with users!
s Devices disappear from the user's conscious attention
QUser's time and attention is the only remaining bottleneck
QDevices must spare this ressource, first and foremost
sTowards implicit interaction, using context information
obtained from :
Qother devices
Qthe environment
Qnot the user
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D23
Towards an ambient communication
space
s
s
s
s
The whole environment of the user becomes a unified
interface
Communication "terminals" are no longer :
QThe exclusive focus of the user's attention
QThe exclusive support for a particular service
Interactive space integrates all communicating devices :
QInput human interface devices (microphones, cameras, tangibles, etc.)
QSensors in various physical modalities
QOutput human interface devices (displays, speakers, etc.)
QActuators in various physical modalities
All physical context data used as input to enable implicit
interaction
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D24
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D25
Remote Ambience sharing
s
s
s
What it’s NOT :
QVideophone or videoconference
QImmersive telepresence
QRemote survaillance or monitoring
Users need not :
QInitiate a session before communicating and terminate it explicitely
Qfocus their attention on the act of communicating
QInteract explicitely with an exclusive, dedicated communication « terminal »
QCarry or wear any communication terminal or equipment
QImmerse themselves in the remote location, at the expense of their hic et nunc activity
What it is :
QCommunication enabling a modulated degree of shared presence between two remote
locales
s
QCommunication providing hints to the remote ambience
Q communication embedded in the user’s own environement, transparently for him
How it works
Qdistributed human I/O interface devices are used in both locations, transparently for
the user
QThe users locations and attitude/direction of gaze are monitored constantly to use the
best adapted interface device
QThe users’ activities and other useful contextual informations are constantly taken into
account to decide upon the best-adapted mode of communication
France Telecom
Research & Development
Distribution of this document is subject to France Telecom’s authorization
G. Privat-ITU Ubiquitous Network Societies Workshop-2005-04-06-D26
Concerns with user privacy
s
With ubiquitous smart networked devices :
QPotential threats to privacy are orders of magnitude beyond what is possible with either
– Regular networked services (web)
– Traditional surveillance systems (CCTV, satellites, etc.)
QInformation about the user may be gathered anywhere, at any time, without the user having done
anything explicitly (e.g. location tracking, hidden cameras, activity detection, etc.)
QThe user cannot always give prior agreement to a privacy policy (like P3P for web sites)
s
The optimistic (naive?) view
QTransparent society (David Brin) : we will be spied on, but will have increased possibilities to spy on
the spies in return…
s
The pessimistic (realistic?) view
QWe surrender incrementally and progressively more and more of our rights to privacy, with no
apparent gain in return
QShort-term threats mostly from invasion by marketing tricks, much beyond present-day spam
s
Possible countermeasures
QPossibility to de-activate all location-detection and identification devices
QRequire sensors to publicize their presence?