EMTEL2 European Media Technology and Everyday Life Ubiquitous Computing IPTS Marc Bogdanowicz - 15 June 2000

EMTEL2: IPTS aims “IPTS project focuses on the increasingly prevailing ubiquity of information and communication technologies. Research will be centred on the monitoring and analysis of technological developments and their market penetration. Seville will provide EMTEL with comparative supply side data, and will draw on the sociological work from other teams to enhance its own interpretative analysis.”

Ubiquitous computing (1) Technological innovation: Miniaturisation Portability Interoperable communication protocols Seamless connections

Ubiquitous computing (2) From Convergence: IT Telecom AV To UbiC: IT Telecom CE Product innovation: More than Home Entertainment ? On-line services, home networking of devices, “thinking” and communicating domestic appliances, etc.

Mapping: a “functional” starting point Proposed categories for technological and industrial mapping: Source: Tang, Venables (SPRU), ConCom project ( to be published) Information (I): creates / provides info in a basically unalterable form, e.g.CD player, radio, early PDA, analogue decoder, video and camcorders, etc. Command & Control (C,C): additionally deliver instructions or control applications, e.g. basicgame Stations C, C and Communication (C,C,C): offer additionally communication capability, e.g. basic telephony devices C,C,C and Information (C,C,C, I): e.g. PCs, digital decoders, advanced game stations Mobile CCCI (MCCCI):remotely operated mobile applications and services, e.g. later PDAs, WAP phones, Web pads, Bluetooth headsets, e-books, etc.

Issue: the dynamics of domestication The dominant discourse on the development of these technologies is that, in one way or another, they will be important if not essential for the quality of everyday life. However…they interfere with established patterns of social life, and are also influenced by these.

Some draft baselines for scenario building

Collaborative Tasks IPTS proposes to centre its research on: monitoring technological developments in the areas of Mobile communications and Smart homes and living monitoring market penetration of these technologies By doing so IPTS could function as a platform for the other partners with regard to technological developments IPTS expects, with regard to its ambitions to analyse the sensemaking around ICTs, input from the fields the other partners of EMTEL are investigating.