Ubiquitous Computing By: Patrick Yienger

What is Ubiquitous Computing? A concept in software engineering and computer science where computing is made to appear anytime and everywhere. Can exist in many different forms and even be found in everyday objects such as a refrigerator or a pair of glasses. Goal is to enhance computer use by making many computers available throughout the physical environment, but also making them effectively invisible to the user.

Brief History The phrase ubiquitous computing was coined by Mark Weiser around 1988. Weiser was the Chief Technologist at Xerox PARC. Weiser has written numerous research papers on the subject and given talks at conferences such as the Nomadic ‘96 conference. His ideas have since been expanded upon as new technology has emerged.

Core Concepts All models of ubiquitous computing share a vision of small, inexpensive, robust network of processing devices, distributed at all scales throughout everyday life. Mark Weiser proposed three basic forms for ubiquitous system devices: tabs, pads and boards. Additional proposed forms include: dust, skin and clay.

Tabs Pads and Boards These three forms proposed by Weiser are characterized by being macro-sized, having a planar form and on incorporating visual output displays. Tabs: wearable centimetre sized devices. Ex: Smartphones Pads: hand-held decimetre-sized devices. Ex: Tablet Computers Boards: metre sized interactive display devices. Ex: Wall Displays and concepts like the Microsoft Table.

Dust Skin and Clay Dust: miniaturized devices, ranging from nanometres through micrometers to millimetres. Ex: Smart dust. Skin: fabrics based upon light emitting and conductive polymers, organic computer devices, can be formed into more flexible non-planar display surfaces and products such as clothes and curtains. Ex: OLED display. Clay: ensembles of dust that can be formed into arbitrary three dimensional shapes resembling many different kinds of physical objects. Ex: Tangible User Interface.

Basic Layers of UbiComp Task management: (How to do stuff) Monitors user task, context and index. Map user's task to need for the services in the environment. Environment management (How that stuff works in its environment) Monitor a resource and its capabilities. Maps service need to the user level states of specific capabilities. Environment (Space where the device exists in) Manage reliability of the resources.

Computing Trends Mainframe Model - Many people share one computer. PC Model - One person with one computer. Ubiquitous Model - Many computers serve each person.

Internet of Things Internet of things is network of physical devices connected to each other that exchange data and information through sensors and actuators. In simple terms, IoT means letting devices connect to the internet to make our life much easier. The ‘things’ here refer to internet of things devices like chips, cameras, sensors or such other physical things. Most Internet of Things (IOT) devices are based on Ubiquitous Computing and the IOT is the physical manifestation of Ubiquitous Computing.

Common Examples Apple Watch Amazon Echo Speaker Amazon Echo Dot Fitbit Electronic Toll Systems Smart Traffic Lights Self Driving Cars Home Automation Smart Locks NEST NEXT is a learning thermostat that learns your schedule and uses wifi to connect to your phone

Vision of Ubiquitous Computing It considers the nuances of the real world to be wonderful, and aims only to augment them. Endeavors to integrate information displays into the everyday physical world. Envisions a world of fully connected devices, with cheap wireless networks everywhere. Computation is primarily in the background where it may not even be noticed.

What Ubiquitous Computing Isn’t Ubiquitous computing is not virtual reality and it is not a personal computer. Unlike virtual reality, ubiquitous computing endeavors to integrate information displays into the everyday physical world. Unlike PC’s, where the computer does your bidding, the ubiquitous computer leaves you feeling as though you did it yourself.

Issues In the Ubiquitous computing model, the desktop (personal) computer gets superseded by Tabs, Pads, and Boards. There's no need to have lots of expensive CPU power on your desk when the network can do it for you. However, in practice the personal computer has not gone away. Consumer privacy and overall security. Many of these devices are seriously lacking in their ability to adequately provide security for their access and the information they may contain.

Sources (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2018, from http://www.ubiq.com/hypertext/weiser/UbiHome.html Pervasive and Mobile Computing. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2018, from https://www.journals.elsevier.com/pervasive-and-mobile-computing/ Techsparks. (2017, October 10). Thesis ideas in Internet of Things- Advantages and Applications. Retrieved April 16, 2018, from http://www.techsparks.co.in/thesis-topics-in-internet-of-things/ Ubiquitous computing. (2018, January 23). Retrieved April 16, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubiquitous_computing#Core_concepts Ubiquitous Computing: Tabs, Pads, Books, and Clouds. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2018, from http://lowendmac.com/ed/rosen/10ar/ubiquitous-computing.html Weiser, M. (1993). Hot topics-ubiquitous computing. Computer, 26(10), 71-72. doi:10.1109/2.237456