UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING

TDA471

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Disclaimer:

Thanks to previous teachers who have established this course

It is the first time I give this course, have given many other HCI courses.

All the lab assistants have takenthe course before, or assisted.

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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

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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)

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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

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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)

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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

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Ubiquitous Computing

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

everyday objects– etc

Media cup, TecO

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* Embedded sensor networks

• Sensors:

- in everyday environments

- on people

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

to gather context

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* 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].

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* 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].

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* Context-aware computing

Gellersen et al.

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* Context-aware computing

Gellersen et al. 13

* 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

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* 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

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* 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

M. Fjeld (2004): Special Issue on Augmented Reality -- Usability and Collaborative Work. In ACM Interactions, Volume XI.6, pp. 11-15.

http://www.t2i.se/pub/papers/p11-fjeld.pdf

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* 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)

Costanza, E., Kunz, A., and Fjeld, M. 2009. Mixed Reality: A Survey. In Human Machine interaction: Research Results of the MMI Program, D. Lalanne and J. Kohlas (Eds.) LNCS 5440, pp. 47-68.

http://www.t2i.se/pub/papers/springer_5440.pdf 17

* 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)

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

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

interface (RF)

Smart sensors company

next to you

http://www.imego.com/

Arvid Hedvalls Backe 4,

Gibraltar, Chalmers20

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 networked21

Ubicomp

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

ubicomp

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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

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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

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Requirements

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

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Designing

• Genius Design• Design Methods• Tool for invention

– Brainstorming– Classification– Six thinking hats– …

• Material & experience• Knowledge of related work

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Prototyping

• Essential to understand interaction• Spatial and temporal aspects

– Paper– Video– Mock-up– Hi-fi

• Hardware• Software• Physical Realisation

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Evaluating

• What & how• Quantitative & qualitative

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

• ...

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Course Info: People

• Morten and Johan– Examiner and responsible for the course (MF)– Literature seminars (MF)– Project supervisor (MF and JS)

• Ole, Amir, Farshid, and Pooya– Course assistant– Technology supervisor

• Martin: Lab manager29

Website

• http://www.cs.chalmers.se/idc/ituniv/kurser/09/uc/

• Check regularly for updates and course information!

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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.

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Learning Outcomes (1/2)

• 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 devices using non-traditional ways of realising the interaction between man and machine

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Learning Outcomes (2/2)

• 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

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Prerequisites

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

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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/09/uc/

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Course Moments

• Lectures:– LE1: Ubiquitous Computing– LE2: Lecture about course theme – TBA

• Exercises:– Design: inspiration posters about home environments

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

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Course Moments

• Group Projects:– Five weeks of duration– Groups determined by teachers – 5 students– This year’s theme: everydays

• interactive furniture, rooms, communications• sustainable and unsustainable technologies

– Allocated time for project supervision

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Course Moments

• Group Projects:– 5 => 2 => 1 proposal per group– Final project proposal: See schedule– Public exhibition: 16th December (+ website)– Project report: 18th December– Budget: 1500 SEK

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Course Moments

• Group Projects:– Conference short paper / submission to

design contest, to be defined.

(Last year, 2008: (Aspen Design Challenge – Designing Water’s Future)

http://www.aspendesignchallenge.org)

– See projects from previous years for inspiration!

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Course Moments

• Literature seminars: – short paper/project presentations (3 groups per LS)– group discussions of literature

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

• Extra activities– Will be announced.

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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, or 5– GU: Fail, Pass, or Pass with distinction (G, VG)

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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

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Group formation

We have taken into account

• Language background

• Technical Skills

• Background, master program

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Course Evaluation

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

– ID, Chalmers– MDI/ID– ISD– GU...

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Registration and attendence

• Registration is too late, only good reasons for late registration is accepted

• Attendance is compulsory, only acceptable to be away at illness etc.

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Next Time

• Wednesday 9.00, Torg3– Chairs from studios– Lecture (LE1) 9.00-10.00– Literature seminar (LS1) 10-12

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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

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Now

• Check the group you belong to

• Sign besides your name that you are here today.

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