UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING

TDA471

Today: Introduction

• A few words about Ubiquitous Computing and Interaction Design (more on Wednesday’s LE1 and LS1)

• Course information

• Groups and student volunteers

• Readings for LS1

• Lab and exhibition space visit

Ubiquitous Computing

Mark Weiser’s vision (1991)– disappearing computer– everyday world literally used as interface away

from desktop settings, available at hand in the real world: where needed, “where the action is”

“The most profound technologies are those that disappear. They weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it.” (Weiser)

Ubiquitous Computing

Implementing the vision– Many interconnected computers per person– Mobile devices combined with computers embedded

in the environment (e.g. post-hoc augmentation of everyday objects with sensors and networked communication)

– With awareness of physical & social context + each other

>> Mapping the digital world onto the physical one>> User interface: tangible and embedded in the

real world

Ubiquitous Computing

Implementing the ubicomp vision:– Distributed interface: networking mobile

devices and embedded computers (sensors, processors, etc) -> flexible and seamless integrated whole -> e.g. any display or input device can become one’s own (user mobility)

– Interaction in context and in real time (f.ex. tracking things and people -> relevant information and interaction opportunity to the right person at the right time)

Ubiquitous Computing

Technologies– context awareness– mobile computing– tangible interfaces – social navigation– embedded sensor networks – global positioning– wearable computing– augmented & mixed-reality– ad hoc and p2p user networks– etc

Ubiquitous Computing

Examples– “walk-up-pop-up”– wearables– ambient displays– intelligent work environments– augmented, interconnected

everyday objects– etc

Media cup, TecO

* Embedded sensor networks

• Sensors:

- in everyday environments

- on people

- on artefacts• Sensor fusion: combining different data and placements

to gather context

* 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].

* Context-aware computing

• Enables computing to run into the background and adapt to changes of context in order to present appropriate behaviour to specific situations. – “presentation of information and services to a user”– “automatic execution of a service” depending on

context appropriateness– or “tagging of context to information for later retrieval”

[Dey].

* Context-aware computing

Gellersen et al.

* Context-aware computing

Gellersen et al.

* 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

* 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

* 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

* Augmented reality

• 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)

* 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)

* Platforms:– Smart-Its– Smart Dust– Pin & Play– Tiny OS– etc

• Smart-Its:– sensors: sound, light, acceleration (2d), pressure– core board: context-recognition, communication

interface (RF)

Ubicomp around us

• We are surrounded by computing– Computing and processing is embedded into

everyday devices– There are many computers/processors per

person– Information access and communication is

possible virtually everywhere– Dedicated computing devices – information

appliances – are all around us

• Devices can be connected and networked

Ubicomp

• More on Wednesday!– historical background– videos– projects– literature seminar about foundations of

ubicomp

Interaction Design and UC

Design opportunities & challenges of the everyday physical world as interface:

• not designed for the purpose of these new activities

• offers a rich and heterogeneous variety of engaging interaction

• situates them in cultural and social context, with existing web of meaning

• more than a setting, a resource for computer-mediated interaction

• Everyday activities as basis for interaction

Interaction Design and UC

• Since we are approaching Ubiquitous Computing from an Interaction Design perspective, following standard Interaction Design Practice is recommended

• Iterative Design– Establish needs and requirements– Loop

• Develop alternative designs• Build interactive prototypes for communication and

assessment• Evaluate the design based on the prototypes

– End loop

Requirements

• User Centred Design– Field studies– Focus groups– Cultural Probes– …

Designing

• Genius Design• Design Methods• Tool for invention

– Brainstorming– Classification– Six thinking hats– …

• Material & experience• Knowledge of related work

Prototyping

• Essential to understand interaction• Spatial and temporal aspects

– Paper– Video– Mock-up– Hi-fi

• Hardware• Software• Physical Realisation

Evaluating

• What & how• Quantitative & qualitative

user studies– Questionnaire– Observation– Expert evaluation– Interview– Measurement

• ...

Course Info: People

• Lalya Gaye– Responsible for the course– Literature seminars– Project supervisor

• Ole Ravnsborg – Course assistant– Technology supervisor

• Annika Lindstedt: Lab manager

• Olof Torgersson: Examiner

Website

• http://www.cs.chalmers.se/idc/ituniv/kurser/08/uc/

• Check regularly for updates and course information!

Course Aim

• The concept of ubiquitous computing deals with a world where computational technology and services permeate almost everything around us, yet fulfils human needs far better than most technology does today. This course aims to give insights in the theory and philosophy of ubiquitous computing as well as practical design skills in developing such systems.

Learning Outcomes

• After completion of this course, the student should be able to:– Understand and reflect on the theory and philosophy of ubiquitous computing– Reflect upon the effects of a society where computational technology permeates every aspect of our lives– Discuss and criticize designs in the area of ubiquitous computing– Design computational things using non-traditional ways of realising the interaction between man and machine

Learning Outcomes

• After completion of this course, the student should be able to:– Understand how computational technology can be understood and used as a material for design of interactive systems– Apply knowledge of hardware, software and other design materials into the design of artefacts with embedded information technology– Carry out the development of a prototype of a ubiquitous computing system from concept development to working prototype– Present and document your work through both oral and written presentations

Prerequisites

• Required– A course in Human-Computer Interaction– Physical Computing course (or equivalent) – Graphical Interfaces (or equivalent)

Course Moments

• Lectures• Exercises• Groups projects and exhibition• Short paper and/or design contest • Literature seminars• Home exam• Extra activities

• All moments are mandatory to pass the course!• Check course website for details:

http://www.cs.chalmers.se/idc/ituniv/kurser/08/uc/

Course Moments

• Lectures:– LE1: Ubiquitous Computing– LE2: Guest lecture about course theme (homes) –

TBA

• Exercises:– Design: inspiration posters about home environments

(real ones, IKEA...)– Related work: sample ubicomp projects– Paper writing– etc

Course Moments

• Group Projects:– 5 weeks projects– Groups determined by teachers – 3 to 5

students– Theme: homes – ubiquitous domestic

environments• interactive furniture• sustainable living, etc

– Allocated time for project supervision

Course Moments

• Group Projects:– 5 to 3 to one proposal per group– Final project proposal: 14th November– Public exhibition: 17th December (+ website)– Project report: 19th December– Budget: 1500 SEK

Course Moments

• Group Projects:– Conference short paper / submission to

design contest (Aspen Design Challenge – Designing Water’s Future)

http://www.aspendesignchallenge.org

– See projects from previous years for inspiration!

Course Moments

• Literature seminars: – short paper/project presentations (2 groups per LS)– group discussions of literature

• Home exam:– concepts and design issues of ubicomp– individual– deadline january 2009 (TBA)

• Extra activities– #1: Open house HDK Thursday 17.00 + more (field

visits, etc)– mandatory unless otherwise specified!

Examination

• To pass the course you should– Actively participate in all parts of the course– Do the project– Write: 1) project report, 2) short paper / design contest submission, 3) project website (all approved by us)– Write an individual home assignment

• Grading– Chalmers: Fail, 3, 4, 5– GU: Pass and Pass with distinction (G, VG)

Work Hours

• 15 Higher Education Credits (HEC) corresponds to 10 weeks fulltime work when 1 week is 40 hours.

• At Chalmers we study 15 HEC in 7 weeks• Therefore the working week for students at

Chalmers is roughly 57 hours• Accordingly, this course requires 28.5 hours of

work per week• Working days:

– Mondays & Wednesdays are allocated for the course + Fridays

– Extra days for extra activities

Groups

• Name

• Email

• Gender

• Languages spoken

• Technical Skills

• General interests in design

Course Evaluation

• 3 meetings• Same as in other courses• Volunteers?

– ID, Chalmers– MDI/ID– ISD– GU...

Register

• Don’t forget to register to the course!– Paper form– On-line

Next Time

• Wednesday 9.00– Lecture 9.00-10.00– Literature seminar 10-12– Design exercise 13-16: inspiration posters,

home environments

Readings for LS1

• The Computer of the 21st Century - Mark Weiser • The Computer Reaches Out: The Historical Continuity of

Interface Design - Jonathan Grudin • Tangible Bits: Towards Seamless Interfaces between

People, Bits and Atoms - Hiroshi Ishii & Brygg Ulmer • The Coming of Age of Calm Technology - Mark Weiser &

John Seely Brown • Some Computer Science Issues in Ubiquitous

Computing - Mark Weiser

• See course website for PDFs

Now

• Student profiles for grouping

• Visits:– Lab– Exhibition space visit