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Ubiquitous computing

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

Ubiquitous computing, also called ubicomp, is an idea in software engineering, hardware engineering, and computer science. It means that computers can be used easily in many places and in many ways. Instead of just using a computer at a desk, you can use any device, like a laptop computer, tablet, smart phone, or even special terminals in everyday things such as a refrigerator or a pair of glasses.

To make this happen, we need many technologies such as the Internet, special middleware, kernels, operating systems, sensors, microprocessors, new kinds of I/Os and user interfaces, computer networks, and more.

Ubiquitous computing is also known as pervasive computing, ambient intelligence, or "everyware." Each of these names focuses on different parts of the idea. There are many themes in ubiquitous computing, including distributed computing, mobile computing, using location information, sensor networks, human–computer interaction, smart home technologies that know what you need, and artificial intelligence.

Core concepts

Ubiquitous computing is the idea of using small, internet-connected computers to help with everyday tasks automatically.

Mark Weiser suggested three basic types of devices for this: small wearable devices about the size of a centimeter, handheld devices about the size of a decimeter, and larger interactive displays about a meter in size. These ideas were tested at Xerox PARC with early versions of handheld and tablet-style devices and large interactive screens. There are many other types of devices that could fit into this concept too.

Mark Weiser proposed three basic forms for ubiquitous computing devices:

  • Tabs: a wearable device that is approximately a centimeter in size
  • Pads: a hand-held device that is approximately a decimeter in size
  • Boards: an interactive larger display device that is approximately a meter in size

History

Mark Weiser first used the term "ubiquitous computing" around 1988. He worked at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) as Chief Technologist. With the PARC Director and Chief Scientist John Seely Brown, Weiser wrote important papers that helped explain the idea of ubiquitous computing.

Recognizing the effects of extending processing power

Mark Weiser studied how adding computer power to everyday life would affect people. He looked at ideas from areas like philosophy, psychology, and sociology of science. He was inspired by books such as the novel Ubik by Philip K. Dick.

Researchers like Andy Hopper showed how applications could follow users as they move. Roy Want created systems to track where people are, similar to modern smartphones. Ken Sakamura in Japan works on making everyday devices share information. Many universities and research groups, including MIT, University of Washington, and Microsoft Research, have contributed to this field.

Examples

One of the first examples of ubiquitous computing was an art piece called "Live Wire," or "Dangling String," created by artist Natalie Jeremijenko. It was placed at Xerox PARC and used a piece of string connected to a machine. When there was activity on the network, the string would move, showing people that something was happening without them needing to look closely.

Today, we see ubiquitous computing in many places, like mobile phones. These phones can do many things, such as sending data quickly and showing videos. In some projects, like Japan's Yaoyorozu Project, mobile devices work with special tags to show information all around us.

Companies have made fun devices that show weather or other information, like decorative balls or dashboards that get data from wireless networks. There are also smart lamps, like one made by Mark Pesce, that use Wi‑Fi to show different colors and information.

Research in ubiquitous computing aims to make computers helpful without us needing to focus on them all the time. For example, MIT's Project Oxygen wants to make computers easy to use, like air that we breathe. These computers would be everywhere, and we could talk to them naturally instead of using buttons or screens.

Network robots also help connect computers and machines, which can solve problems like helping older people live better. Features like Apple's "Continuity" in its operating system are examples of ubiquitous computing in action.

Issues

One big concern about ubiquitous computing is privacy. Many people worry that having computers everywhere might threaten their personal privacy. This could be a challenge for the future of ubiquitous computing.

Research centres

Here is a list of important places that study ubiquitous computing, grouped by country:

Related articles

Computer science
Internet
Operating system
Sensor
Microprocessor
Computer network

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Ubiquitous computing, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.