Integrating the Physical World with the Web to Enable Context-Enhanced Mobile Services

This work has its roots in the HP Labs Cooltown project, whose core principle is that the integration of our physical world with the Web offers unique opportunities to enable ubiquitous computing applications. This paper describes our latest results in building a model and a software architecture called the Web presence manager (WPM) to support this physical-virtual integration. This software layer implements and specifies the services and information provided by Web representations of physical entities such as people, places, or things. We detail an extensive context-enhanced media-oriented application built on top of our platform. Our application enables mobile and context-aware access to personal contents and rendering on local appliances in a variety of ubiquitous computing environments.     

基于情境感知的人体经络个性化信息服务研究

由于人体经络系统较为复杂,包含经络、穴位、疾病、脏腑及针灸等方面的大量知识信息,同时用户往往由于兴趣、目的及环境的不同而有不同的信息需求,用户不能有针对性地获取所需的信息。为了增强人体经络系统信息服务的个性化,提高用户的学习效率和使用兴趣,将普适计算中的情境感知计算引入到人体经络系统的个性化信息服务中,应用普适计算、图形图像等先进技术,建立起能够感知用户行为的人体经络系统,为经络的学习和研究提供一种直观便捷的有力工具,同时也为电子商务、信息检索、文献分类和多媒体推荐等领域中的个性化信息服务的研究及应用提供了新的思路。     

基于客户满意度模型的情景感知旅程规划系统研究

With the development of communication and ubiquitous computing technologies, context-aware services, which acquire contextual information of users and environ-ment, have become critical applications providing customization in mobile commerce. Meanwhile, tourism has attracted increasing attention as a high value-added service and a hot academic topic. However, the research on how to provide tour services based on con-text-aware services is in fact still at an early stage, limited to concept elaboration, service framework discussion, prototype system de-velopment etc. In this paper, we summarized the previous researches on context-aware ser-vices to establish the research foundation, put forward a way of analyzing a tour planning problem with a modified model of Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), and we applied an innovated Resource Constrain Project Scheduling Prob-lem (RCPSP) mathematical model to solve the tour planning problem based on context information. The simulation under branch and bound algorithm evaluated the validity of our solution.     

Ubiquitous Information Services with JAIN Platform

To provide responsive information services in a ubiquitous computing environment, service software and system development are indispensable. A component-based ubiquitous information system with a JAIN (Java APIs for Integrated Networks) platform to achieve seamless transmissions and reach-everywhere communications was designed in our research. In this development, numerous ubiquitous service modules were identified: location management, roaming, mobile IP and WAP networking. These component-based network modules were constructed using a component composition language with component specification and interface definition, running on top of a distributed service architecture using a JAIN platform to distribute the ubiquitous information services to mobile users. Two applications, Wireless-Application-Protocol (WAP) Mail and Video-on-Demand (VoD) services, show that the JAIN-like platform with the developed networking components effectively fills the gap for application developers between mobile appliances and various kinds of ubiquitous information services.     

Evaluating Bluetooth Performance as the Support for Context-Aware Applications

We present an experiment relative to the use of the Bluetooth wireless technology to provide network support for context-aware applications. We describe an approach to provide network interconnection using a combination of wireless and wired network technologies. We also describe the steps taken to create a Bluetooth based context-aware application. We, finally, evaluate, using a small test-bed and simulation the overall performance of this technology when adopted in the area of context-aware and ubiquitous computing.     

Assessing Level of Ubiquitous Computing Services for Ubiquitous Business Design

We are entering into a new era of enterprise computing that is characterized by an emphasis on broadband convergence, knowledge sharing, and calm services. Some people refer to this as the "ubiquitous network" business model because its focus is on a high degree of connectivity between a company and its customers, suppliers, and channel partners. Moreover, immediate access to ideas, goods, and services will be of greater value than the traditional model of permanent and ponderous possession. This paper illustrates how ubiquitous computing technology can be combined with legacy computer-based information systems, along with thoughts on relevant issues of ubiquitous commerce. We also propose a model for how to assess levels of ubiquitous computing services.     

Mobile agent based framework for mobile ubiquitous application development

Ubiquitous computing which enabled by the availability of mobile, heterogeneous devices that supply context information, is currently not matured by the lack of programming support for the design and development of context-aware applications. Especially, ubiquitous computing environment is not static which can be compensable dynamically according to need of environment. Mobile agent is a very efficient framework applications can cooperative in heterogeneous environment. Therefore, we have developed a mobile agent based framework that significantly eases the development of mobile, context-aware applications. The framework allows developers to fuse data from disparate sensors, represent application context, and reason efficiently about context, without the need to write complex code. An event based communication paradigm designed specifically for ad-hoc wireless environments is incorporated, which supports loose coupling between sensors, actuators and application components.     

Service Domains for Ambient Services: Concept and Experimentation

We investigate ambient services, which we define as services that are related to the surrounding physical environment of the user, are locally useful and can be considered a form of location-based services. We introduce the notion of service domain which refers to the geographical area of relevance and utility for ambient services. We also consider a stereotypical case where a user might be within multiple service domains at the same time (when the service domains containing the user overlap) and so, can utilize a collection of services comprising services selected from each of the service domains containing the user. A language of operators is given for defining such a collection of services in terms of constituent services from the overlapping service-domains. Moreover, we describe and evaluate a prototype system that shows how to compute the services for a user in multiple service domains. The result is a framework for reasoning about ambient services for filtering or proactively suggesting mobile services based on geographical boundaries. Seng Wai Loke is a Faculty of Information Technology Research Fellow at Monash University. He is author and co-author of more than 90 research papers published in journals, books, conferences, and workshops. His research interests are intelligent and mobile agents, service-oriented computing, and pervasive computing including device ecologies, context-aware systems, mobile services, and ubiquitous e-commerce. He has been on the program committee of more than ten conferences and workshops in the area of mobile computing and agents. Shonali Krishnaswamy received a PhD in Computer Science from Monash University (Australia) in 2003. She currently holds the position of a Research Fellow in the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Monash University. Her research interests include Service Oriented Systems, Software Agents and Distributed/Ubiquitous Data Mining. She is a member of ACM and IEEE Computer Societies. Thin Thin Naing has completed her Masters by Information Technology (MIT by Minor Thesis) from the School of Computer Science and Software Engineering at Monash University, Australia. Her research interests include Mobile Services, Location-based Services and Ambient services.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Context-aware platform for mobile data management

Interaction design is a major issue for mobile information systems in terms of not only the choice of input/output channels and presentation of information, but also the application of context-awareness. To support experimentation with these factors, we have developed platforms to support the rapid prototyping of multi-channel, multi-modal, context-aware applications. The Java-based platform presented here is based on an integration of a cross-media link server and an object-oriented framework for advanced content publishing, along with a Client Controller and Context Engine. We also describe how this platform was used to develop a mobile tourist information system for an international arts festival where interaction was based on a combination of interactive paper and speech output. Moira C. Norrie is a Professor at ETH Zurich where she is head of the Institute for Information Systems and leads the Global Information Systems research group. Her research interests include object-oriented models and systems for data management, web engineering, mobile and personal information systems and interactive paper as a medium for integrating printed and digital information. Beat Signer is a Post-Doctoral researcher in the Global Information Systems research group at ETH Zurich. He received a Ph.D. from ETH Zurich in 2005 for his work investigating fundamental concepts for interactive paper and cross-media information management. His research interests include interactive paper, cross-media information management, object-oriented technologies and software engineering. Michael Grossniklaus is a research assistant in the Global Information Systems research group at ETH Zurich. He received a Diploma (M.Sc.) in Computer Science from ETH Zurich in 2001 and is currently completing his Ph.D. His main research interest is empowering information systems for context-aware data management and delivery in the domain of web engineering and mobile computing. Rudi Belotti was a research assistant in the Global Information Systems research group at ETH Zurich from 2004–2006. He received a Diploma (M.Sc.) in Computer Science from ETH Zurich in 2004. In his research, he developed a general model and engine for the management of context information in mobile information systems. He is currently working for an e-business services company in Ticino, Switzerland. Corsin Decurtins is a research assistant in the Global Information Systems research group at ETH Zurich. He received a Diploma (M.Sc.) in Computer Science from ETH Zurich in 2002. His research focusses on model-based approaches and infrastructure for ubiquitous and mobile information environments. In addition to his Ph.D. Corsin also works part-time as a senior software engineer at the software company Netcetera. Nadir Weibel is a research assistant in the Global Information Systems research group at ETH Zurich. He received a Diploma (M.Sc.) in Computer Science from ETH Zurich in 2003 and is currently working on his Ph.D. His research is in the area of interactive paper, particularly on the authoring and publishing infrastructure for interactive documents as well as issues of human computer interaction and mobile environments.     

The Internet of Things and Ubiquitous Intelligence （3）

The traditional Internet is oriented towards person-to-person connection,whereas the Internet of things(IoT) is oriented towards connections between inanimate objects.IoT covers a larger range of connections and involves more semantics than traditional Internet.Traditional Internet and telecom networks focus on information transfer,but IoT focuses on information services.By combining sensor networks,Internet,telecom networks,and cloud computing platform,IoT can sense,recognize,affect,and control the physical world.The physical world can be unified with the virtual world and human perception.In this part,we discuss ubiquitous network convergence and cooperation technologies in terms of their application scenarios,technical advantages and research directions.We also briefly introduce IoT services.     

Reference model of future ubiquitous convergent network and context-aware telecommunication service platform

1 Introduction Future ubiquitous convergent network is a user-centric harmony communication network. It integrates various heterogeneous networks (i.e. mobile/fixed network, Internet, and some emerging networks) and new technologies [1]. The object of ubi…     

基于智能感知网的上下文感知应用研究

针对普适计算环境下人们获取智能化信息服务的需求,提出一种基于传感器网络和智能代理技术的上下文感知应用模型,实现了相应的媒体播放原型系统。系统由控制终端、媒体播放终端及超声波传感器组成,支持有线／无线传输方式。采用超声波测距方法和代理技术,媒体播放管理以Eclipse为开发平台,实现目标监测、定位及自适应媒体播放。该系统性能可靠,具有较高应用价值。     

Brokering Positioning Data From Heterogeneous Infrastructures

Over the last years, cellular operators, service and content providers, have been trying to identify the needs of a fully connected user, facilitating pervasiveness communications and ubiquitous computing concepts. One of the most promising directions is the so-called context-aware environment. Positioning is an essential component for the deployment of the evolving context-aware concepts. This article introduces a unified positioning component (POS), which establishes a generic, open, modular, and efficient quality of service (QoS) enabled framework, offering independence from the underlying heterogeneous network infrastructures and positioning techniques. The design objectives of POS are presented, as well as its functionality, the technical specifications and the prototype implementation of the POS component, elaborating on the features and services that it offers to the PoLoS platform and middleware location brokering applications.     

Understanding the user experience of location-based services: five principles of perceptual organisation applied

Within recent years, the development of location-based services have received increasing attention from the software industry as well as from researchers within a wide range of computing disciplines as a particular interesting class of context-aware mobile systems. However, while a lot of research has been done into sensing, adapting to, and philosophising over the complex concept of ‘context’, little theoretically based knowledge exists about why, from a user experience perspective, some system designs work well and why others do not. Contributing to this discussion, this article suggests the perspective of ‘Gestalt theory’ as a theoretical framework for understanding the use of this class of computer systems. Based on findings from an empirical study, we argue that the user experience of location-based services can be understood through Gestalt theory's five principles of perceptual organisation: proximity, closure, symmetry, continuity and similarity. Specifically, we argue, that these principles assist us in explaining the interplay between context and technology in the user experience of location-based services, and how people make sense of small and fragmented pieces of information on mobile devices in context.     

Context-aware systems — a primer for user-centred services

Convergence in the telecommunications industry provides an excellent platform and opportunity for new context-aware services. Context awareness, i.e. being able to harvest environmental information and use it to meet or anticipate user needs, is a key enabler for personalised applications and services that will be attractive to users in the future. This paper explores relevant research studies that have been undertaken, and proposes a new architecture for realisation of a context-aware system.     

Ubiquitous computing: An overview of technology impacts

Ubiquitous computing is considered as a promising technological path of innovation. Intensive R&D activities and political strategies are addressing the objective to foster marketable technologies and applications. This article explores the state-of-the-art on the way towards the “Internet of things”. Which application fields have already proved their potential for realising the vision and promises related to the new technology? What are the technical, legal and social challenges that have to be addressed – and how can policy-makers contribute? We deal with these questions in the light of recent developments in research and business, illustrating the findings by examples in retail, logistics and health care. The article concludes that further efforts by all stakeholders from businesses, society and politics are necessary to make ubiquitous computing applications economically sustainable and socially compatible in order to tap its full potential.     

Software Architecture Patterns for a Context-Processing Middleware Framework

Ubiquitous applications are characterized by variations in their execution context. Their correct operation requires some continual adaptations based on the observation of this context. The design and implementation of these observation policies is thus the cornerstone of any ubiquitous application. COSMOS is a component-based framework for managing context information in ubiquitous context-aware applications. COSMOS decomposes context observation policies into fine-grained units called context nodes, which it implements as software components. These units perform basic context-related operations, such as gathering data from a system or network probe and computing threshold or average values. The framework assembles these units with a set of well-identified architectural design patterns. A mobile computing scenario illustrates the framework's benefits.     

Designing viable business models for context-aware mobile services

Technologies of 3G and beyond open up new opportunities to develop and commercialize context-aware services that utilize information like user location and social context. Although initial expectations were high, the adoption and diffusion of context-aware services have thus far been limited. Existing literature points to failing business models to explain part of the disappointing uptake. However, most authors focus on the factors that explain failing business models rather than providing practical design issues to improve business model viability. This paper fills this gap by specifying generic mobile business model design issues for the domain of context-aware services. As such, we provide a well-grounded, holistic overview of design issues that are the most critical in developing viable business models for context-aware services, based on interviews with eighteen esteemed practitioners and academics in the mobile services domain, at CEO and Professor level. Our findings indicate key challenges in the service domain (i.e. defining value adding elements, specifying target groups and generating trust of consumers in the service), the technology domain (i.e. integrating emerging technology platforms and safeguarding privacy and security), the organizational domain (i.e. division of existing and new roles in complex value networks, openness of the value network towards new service providers and governing the activities in the value network) and the financial domain (i.e. pricing; dividing costs and revenues and combining multiple revenue models). Our research has scientific implications, because it applies generic mobile business model theory to the context-aware services domain. In addition, we provide practical clues to practitioners with regard to the design issues on which they should focus while developing more viable context-aware business models.     

“互联网+”时代幼教信息化平台的设计与实现

近年来,随着信息化技术的飞速发展,国家在教育领域的信息化改革也正逐渐深入推进.作为终身教育的第一环,幼教信息化的发展成为国家教育信息化建设的重要内容.而目前市面上涌现的该类产品,在功能及技术等层面都无法完全满足幼教信息化建设的要求.基于上述背景,本文阐述了和宝贝幼教信息化平台产品,该平台基于宽带技术、通信技术、信息安全技术、云计算处理技术,为学前用户群体提供了用户体验良好、性能稳定、安全性强的信息化服务,本文对平台性能进行了全面评估.