Ubiquitous Computing:
Issues and Challenges
Cynthia Chan
Karina Hernandez
Mahesh Kasinadhuni
DPS Team 2 Spring 2003
Outline
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Overview – Goals, Issues and Challenges
(MAHESH)
Nomadicity, Wireless, Internet (MAHESH)
SW Infrastructure in Ubiquitous Computing
(KARINA)
Application Design Challenges (KARINA)
Future of Business Services (CYNTHIA)
Social Issues in Ubiquitous Computing
(CYNTHIA)
Overview- Issues and Challenges
Ubiquitous Computing
• Ubicomp
– What it Isn’t ?
• Ubicomp is the opposite of Virtual Reality, VR !
• Where VR puts people inside a computer-generated
world, Ubicomp forces the computer to live in the world
out there peopled
• VR is primarily a horse power problem
• Goal
– Integrating Anthropology, Computer Sc. and Social
Science
– Fundamental Measure of Progress in Computing
• Involves rendering it as an inseparable part of our
everyday experience while simultaneously making it
disappear
Major Trends in Computing
Overview—Third Paradigm Computing
Phase II
Phase I
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One person many computers
Advances in
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OS and UI
Networks
Wireless
Microprocessor Cost/Perf. >>
Displays
Activated the World
Results
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100s of wireless computing
devices per person per office
Displays (1” to wall sized)
Compact devices to mediate
support & organize all
activities
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Computer – A Dramatic M/C
Path I - Invisible Path
Growth in Technology
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Results
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Tabs
Pads
Boards
Prototypes failed to be invisible !
Ubicomp in Post-Modernism
Path II (2000—2020) Focus
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New Directions
Level of Embeddedness
Dangling String Display !
Nomadicity
Level of Embeddedness
High
Ubiquitous
Computing
Pervasive
Computing
Low
High
Level of Mobility
Mobile
Computing
Traditional
Business
Computing
Low
Issues & Challenges
• Issues Today
– As Technology becomes more embedded & integrated with mobility, the
barriers between social and technical aspects become blurred
– New Devices must integrate w/existing PCs
– Nomadicity
– Security and Fraud
– Dangling String Display !
• Challenges
– Developing & Integrating Ubicomp services w/
• Robust & Innovative mass-scale applications
• Integrating w/ Advances from Mobile & Pervasive Computing
• Internet provides the raw glue tying together PCs and Nomadics
Implications of Nomadicity
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Each person uses many devices
• Total Nomadic devices >> Number of People
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Large Number of Fixed Devices
• Many Computers embedded in the environment
• Nomadic devices must interact with fixed infrastructure
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Many Nomadic devices are essentially “PC Peripherals”
Wireless is Best for Nomadics
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Wireless avoids plug and unplug problems
Moving hundreds of nomadic devices
around is wire overload
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Wireless permits easy use of installed local
infrastructure
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Nomadic Infrastructure
SW Infrastructure
SW Infrastructure
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Three key characteristics:
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Task Dynamism
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Device Heterogeneity and Resource
Constraints
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Available everywhere/any time
Adapt to changing technological
capabilities/hardware capabilities
Computing in a Social Environment
SW Infrastructure Challenges
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Semantic Modeling
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Developing a modeling language
Developing and validating ontologies
Agreeing on shared ontology parts
Building the Software Infrastructure
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Determine which user tasks are most relevant
Finding and composing the appropriate
components and services
Must be scalable
SW Infrastructure
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Developing and Configuring Applications
 Composition of services, user interface,
data flow among components
 Reusable services
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Validating the user experience
 Development of effective methods for
testing and evaluating the user scenarios
Business Services
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Ubiquitous Computing will lead to Ubiquitous
Commerce (right message, to the right person,
at the right time!)
Impact on Business Strategy – awareness,
accessibility, responsiveness
Point of Presence! Context!
Change in nature of service providers (bursty,
point-of-presence value, service level
commitments)
New services (businesses) will arise…
User Experience
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Balance user perception of complexity versus
efficiency, effectiveness… interaction-based
Environmental issues
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Achieving network effects
Role of Context
User Experience (management)
New challenges:
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Internet access (multiple devices)
Available memory (truly personal devices)
Seamless access cross-networks
Online, offline interchangeability
Social Issues
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Potential detrimental management behavior: log
tracing, non-guidance.
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Work can occur anytime, anywhere becomes allthe-time, everywhere.
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Must study behavior and adaptation to
ubiquitous computing at the Individual, (Virtual)
Team, and (Virtual) organization level
Summary
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Unlimited access computing with
anytime/anyplace capabilities introduces
powerful new technology into organizations.
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The cost of Nomadicity will plummet
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Ubicomp predicts the $5 Nomadic PC peripheral
Infra Structure crucial
Short range wireless Technology required needs development
Public Wireless accepts points a key Infra structure
IR, Infra Red use will grow rapidly
Summary
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The biggest challenges merging ubiquitous and
wearable computing deal with fitting the computer
to the human in terms of:
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Interface.
Cognitive model.
Contextual awareness.
Adaptation to tasks being performed.
Wearable computers are an attractive way to
deliver a ubiquitous computing system’s interface
to a user, especially in non-office-building
environment.
Summary
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Ubiquitous computing is about interconnected
hardware and software that are so ubiquitous that
no one notices their presence.
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Ubiquitous will enable people to focus on their
tasks and on interacting with other people.
Summary
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Ubiquitous computing enables businesses to
redefine the key aspects of their customer
relationships.
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Businesses can become continuously aware of
their customers needs and provide more natural
and powerful means of access to their services.
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Ubiquitous computing enables innovative forms of
social action, novel organizational forms, and new
business models.
Main References
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Daniel P. Siewiorek, “New Frontier of Application Design”, Communications of
ACM, December 2002
Guruduth Banavar, Abrahan Bernstein. “Software Infrastructure and Design
Challenges for Ubiquitous Computing Applications”, Communications of ACM,
December 2002
Andrew Fano, Anatole Gershman. “The Future of Business Services in the Age of
Ubiquitous Computing”, Communications of ACM, December 2002
Leonard M. Jessup, Daniel Robey. “The Relevance of Social Issues in Ubiquitous
Computing Environments”, Communications of ACM, December 2002
Kalle Lyytinen and Youngjin Yoo , “Issues and Challenges in Ubiquitous
Computing”, Communications of ACM, December 2002.
Gordon B. Davis, “Anytim/Anyplace Computing and the Future of Knowledge Work,
Communications of ACM December 2002.
Nayeem Islam and Mohamed Fayad, “Toward Ubiquitous Acceptance of Ubiquitous
Computing”, Communications of the ACM, February 2003
W. Keith Edwards, Mark W. Newman, Jana Z. Sedivy, “Building the Ubiquitous
Computing User Experience” by, CHI 2001, March 31
Steve Talbott, “The Trouble with Ubiquitous Technology Pushers”
Mark Weiser , “Some Computer Science Issues in Ubiquitous Computing”, March
23, 93 http://www.ubiq.com/hypertext/weiser/UbiCACM.html