1. Ubiquitous Computing: LE1

2. Ubiquitous Computing
"Ubiquitous Computing is fundamentally characterized by the connection of things in the world with computation“ (Mark Weiser)

3. Terminology Ubiquitous Swedish: “allestädes närvarande”
existing or being everywhere at the same time : constantly encountered : widespread
omnipresent, allover, universal, constantly available
pervasive to the point of subconscious

4. Ubiquitous Computing
Coined by Mark Weiser and researchers at Xerox Palo Alto in the late 80s.
Computers as we know them will be replaced by a multitude of networked computing devices embedded in our environments, and these devices will be invisible in the sense of not being perceived as computers.
Ubiquitous computing pushes the user interface away from the desktop and into our everyday environments.

5. Ubiquitous Computing Mark Weiser’s vision (1991)
“The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it.” (Weiser)

6. Ubiquitous Computing
In short about what happens when we become surrounded by IT-artefacts in our daily and working lives
Distributed interactive computing permeating the world
Perspectives
Computer Science
Sociological Science
Interaction Design

7. History of Interaction
Era 1: Mainframes (past)
Central, “powerful” and expensive computer
Many users access a single computer from “dumb” terminals
Used for enterprise data processing
Cobol, data bases, etc..
Computer not easily accessible

8. History of Interaction
Era II: Personal computers (present)
“Powerful” and relatively inexpensive computers
At least one machine per user
Used for word processing, personal productivity applications, video, audio etc
Powerpoint, MS Word, Web browser etc..
Computer still not that accessible

9. History of Interaction
Era III: Post-PC (future)
Explosion in number and variety of computing devices
A number of devices/machines share one user
Devices (inexpensive) vary in complexity and function
Used to make “our lives better”
Computers become “invisible”

10. Three, or Four, Waves Mainframe computing (60’s-70’s)
massive computers to execute big data processing applications
very few computers in the world
Desktop computing (80’s-90’s)
one computer at every desk to help in business-related activities
computers connected in intranets to a massive global network (internet), all wired
Ubiquitous computing (00’s-?)
tens/hundreds of computing devices in every room/person, becoming “invisible” and part of the environment
WANs, LANs, PANs – networking in small spaces
Cloud computing as a fourth wave, see Google Tech Talk.

11. Presence of IT-artefacts

12. Visions of the Future The Office of the Professional
before the mouse
Office OfTheProfessional.wmv
Weiser’s vision:
UbiCompIntro.mov
UbiCompClose.mov
Playful Interaction in recent visions
playful_interaction.avi

13. Software Agents
Public Interactions
Mobile-Nomadic Computing
Invisible/Silent/Calm Interfaces
Mechatronics
Ubiquitous Computing
Tangible interfaces
Embedded computers
Context sensitivity
Wearable Computing
Augmented Reality
Adaptive services
Ad hoc Networks

14. UbiComp enabling technologies
Processing
cheaper, faster, smaller, more energy efficient
Storage
big and fast
Networking
global, local, ad- hoc, low- power, high bandwidth, low latencies
Displays
projection, flexible materials, power consumption

15. * Embedded sensor networks
Sensors:
- in everyday environments
- on people
- on artefacts
Sensor fusion: combining different data and placements to gather context

16. Embedded Computers
Computers are becoming smaller and cheaper ->Everyday things will to a higher extent be “computerized”.
Analogy: Electric motors used to be large, powering several appliances. They are nowadays embedded in the devices and invisible, so that the user sees a task-specific tool and not the technology of motors. Computers as well as motors are enablers and infrastructure. (Donald Norman)

17. Smart-Its:
sensors: sound, light, acceleration (2d), pressure
core board: context-recognition, communication interface (RF)

18. Defining Context
Information used to characterize the situation of an entity
Entity - person, place or object relevant to the interaction between a human and some computational service

19. Context and location Awareness
What if your device knew from the time you approached or picked it up:
WHO you are (user aware).
WHERE you are (location aware).
WHAT is going on around you (environment aware).

20. * Context-aware computing
“computer-based devices [that] reach out into the real world through sensors” [Gellerson].
“A system is context-aware if it uses context to provide relevant information and/or services to the user, where relevancy depends on the user’s task.” [Dey & Abowd, 1999].

21. Computers that know where you are Examples
Location-Aware Systems
Computers that know where you are
Examples
Help guide blind person through an area
Put location tracking on buses so you will know when next one is coming
Attach reminders to places, like "Next time I am near grocery store remind me to…“

22. Sample Context-Aware Apps ParcTabs and Active Badges
Xerox PARC
Want, Schilit, et al
Active Badge
Olivetti / AT&T
Hopper, Harter, et al

23. Tangible interfaces Most HC interaction is done through
a big glass tube
pressing keys and moving a mouse
Human-human interaction uses many more channels

24. * Tangible computing
Input, data, output and networking contained and accessed within the same tangible artefact
Paper, cups, pens, umbrellas or specially designed artefacts
Tangible objects as active entities that respond to the environment, to user manipulation and people’s activities in general
Building on the users’ cognitive abilities

25. Allow users to “grasp and manipulate” bits by coupling the bits with everyday things
Bridge cyberspace and physical space
Bridge foreground and background of human activities
Turn the physical world into the interface

26. Tangible Computing Bishop’s Marble Answering Machine
physical interaction with digital information

27. * Social computing
Incorporating understandings of the social world into interactive systems
Social traces left by people on objects or places
Mobile social networks between co-located acquaintances
enhancing user awareness by providing them information about others and their activity

28. * Augmented reality
Superimposing a digital world upon the real one
User experiences both as co-existing parts of the same reality
User is able to interact with their combination in real time
Interfaces:
3D computer graphics seen through transparent head-mounted displays or augmented glasses
Spatialised audio cues heard through headphones

29. “Virtual reality” cuts you off from real world
* Augmented reality
“Virtual reality” cuts you off from real world
Augmented reality adds interaction on top of real world
Examples:
superimposing street names on windshield while driving a car
Mixed-reality: digital world not directly overlaid on the physical one but still presented as part of the same reality, f.ex.
with both realities displayed on the screen of hand-held device)

30. MagicBook, U. of Washington

31. Augmented Reality

32. * Wearable computing
Computing incorporated into clothing
Make use of body-related information or interaction forms to control processes : - body movements - biometrics
Embedded displays (e.g. glasses)

33. Calm Technology Encalms and Informs
The users remain serene and in control
Engages our peripheral attention
Allows us to attune to more things
The user is largely unaware of interacting with a computing or communication device.
Moves easily from center to periphery and back
Recenter to take control
Ex: Car engine; when not OK we notice it

34. Dangling String By Natalie Jeremijenko, Xerox PARC
bridging physical and virtual
displays activity level on computer network
Vision, sound and touch

35. UC Issues
How can we enhance [everyday] activities by connecting them to a computational infrastructure?
How can we design IT-artefacts and IT-environments using computational technology as a material?
What computational infrastructure do we need?

36. UC Issues HCI Security & Privacy
how to address many computers (without going insane)
Security & Privacy
Wireless data, overcoming surveillance
Communications & Networking
Home Networks, Personal Area Networks, Ad-hoc Networks
Operating Systems
Must fit in small memories, energy aware
Hardware Design
Small size, low weight, low power, harsh environments
Software Design
Cope with large variation in hardware, partition the code to be easily customized in different environments

37. Open Research Challenges People Issues
Avoiding embarrassing situations
Active Badges + bathrooms
Inconvenient phone forwarding
Avoiding dangerous situations
Need to take into consideration cost of mistake
Smoke alarms when cooking
Lights that turn off when you're still there
Woman locked in "smart toilet stall"
Will adding more context really help here?

38. Recap
Ubiquitous Computing concerns how computational technology becomes a natural part of our lives
Involves both technology and interaction design
Moves away from traditional desktop interaction
Computation becomes embedded in the environment

39. Design Perspective Toward a hybrid design
Combine unique capabilities of computer technology with properties of physical environments
Focus on foreground activity: how people interact with their designed environment – preserve familiarity and accustomed use
Interaction with Physical Artefacts / Environments
Physical/Tangible Interaction
Physical affordances: suggesting and guiding action
Distributed interaction: actions across artefacts / space
Spatial/ambient interaction
Spatial organisation of action/communication
Ambient interaction: “spatial attention model”

40. Technical Perspective
Computers in the Background
Computers as secondary artefacts (embedded/situated)
Embedded: (only a) part of some other artefact
Situated: meaningfully placed, designed for specific context (“context-made” rather than “context-aware”)
The Environment is the Interface
Build upon affordances of the primary artefact or environments
Don’t break with accustomed uses and familiar concepts
Physical I/O (sensors/actuators) to tie computers to entities in the physical environment
Networking to enable coherent interaction
Spatial interaction, proximate networking, etc
Allow for new interactions/relationships across parts of the environment