Pervasive Human Centric Computing Larry Rudolph Laboratory for Computer Science

What do the words mean? Computers are already pervasive –They infest every city, town, village Computers are already human-centric –Are they for the birds? Computing –Nobody computes anymore, well hardly anyone

So what do we mean? Pervasive –But they are not where we need them; we still “go to” them, or set them up (laptops) –Should be like telephones, batteries, outlets Human Centric –We adapt to them (but it should be opposite) –Computation enters the human world Computing –Computer-mediated functions –Computation becomes oxygen-like utility

A Vision To bring an abundance of computation & communication within easy reach of humans through natural perceptual interfaces of speech and vision so computation blends into peoples’ lives enabling them to easily do tasks they want to do: collaborate, access knowledge, automate routine tasks

A Vision

A different “Vision” Hi Honey, I’m home. Come see what I just bought!

The PC is where it’s at

The PC is passe? Exploding the PC and flinging its parts throughout the galaxy Build your computer out of components in the environment: “Just-in-time” assembly How to use, name, control, configure, program, etc. What applications?

A Scenario I walk into Steve’s office and he asks me to join him on a trip to DC I slip on the anonymous fingerworn lying on his desk It recognizes my face and begins to personalize itself to me I say “Call Home” The fingerworn locates and fetches the cell-phone code, customizes itself into a cell phone, finds the number, and dials it I talk to my wife and verify she can take our son to his swim meet I then say “Arrange a trip to DC on the 24 th, returning three days later” I take the fingerworn off, which promptly forgets everything I return to my office

Birthday present: A Wallet finding application –Camera’s, speech input, various output Configuration & installation –Extra option for two wallets Snoring imitates dialog TV selected as output device – turn off TV Radio 2 nd selection – turn off radio –Telephone, then cell phone Smash PC –Application migrates to off-site server Application bug: Car alarm goes off –Lose sleep, lose job, no need for wallet Another scenario

The post-PC world will be dangerous. The question is for whom?

Them not us Transition from EDU  COM –Because of stable, fixed platform The bottom is about to drop out –No platform (of platforms) in sight Transition back from COM  EDU

A lack of control

many devices require compatible software

wasted power

The name game

Using each others cutting edge technology Speechbuilder is a great example calculator 10 x 10

Overview of projects Virtual Fishing –Room is the sea –When a user joins, a boat is dropped into the ocean –As the user moves, so does the boat –User sees fish underneath the boat. –Message in a bottle

Overview (cont) Boggle –16 letters in 4 by 4 grid –Physically move to square corresponding to letter –Shake iPaq to capture the letter Capture the flag –Doom interface Assassin –Shoot target when near-by –Tilting cricket listener confuses location – for offense & defense

Multispace symphony There are four different spaces Each user has one instrument – and iPaq The iPaq simulates a different instrument in each space –E.g., 4 people, 4 spaces  16 instruments Global Score – tells everyone where they should be and when they should play their note Keyboard With Cricket Keyboard ScorePerformance

Living in both worlds Dangerous to bullies and nurds