Although context-aware computing is a very new field of research, there are several other projects that are relevant to our research here at UKC. The main ones are listed here in two sections, one for primarily theoretical ideas and the other for practical applications.

Theoretical Work

Context-Aware Computing

B. Schilit, N. Adams & R. Want, Context-Aware Computing, Workshop on Mobile Computing Systems and Applications, 1995, pp 85-90.

Schilit et al coined the term 'context-aware' in a paper in which he defined context-aware systems as those that react to an individuals changing context. The user's environment was broken down into three important categories:

• Where you are
• Who you are with
• Whats resources are nearby

Proximate Selection

a user interface technique that helps the user in making selections by providing the proximity of the choices as a supplemental criteria for aiding the decision making process. For example, in a selection from which the user can choose a networked printer, the printers nearest the location of the user may appear emboldened on the display.

Automatic Contextual Reconfiguration

the system configuration of the computer can automatically adapt to its new environment. As an example, the idea of a meeting room was proposed, where a virtual white-board would be created on the user's computer having entered the room.

Contextual Information

various items of information can be left in certain locations. this would be equivalent to leaving a Post-It note attached to a particular object so that another person in proximity of that object would have the opportunity to read it (this is the basis of the stick-e note metaphor).

Context-Triggered Actions

provide rule-based invocations of actions base upon the user's context. A simple practical example is that of a reminder that is invoked when certain contextual conditions are met such as "the next time I see Peter" or "next time I am in the library".

Situated Information Spaces

Fitzmaurice, Situated Information Spaces and Spatially Aware Palmtop Computers, Communications of the ACM, 1993, Vol.36 No.7, pp 197-218.

The aim of this research is to reduce the information overload of the user by associating electronic information to the user's physical environment. Physical objects act as anchors for data, giving the user a three dimensional workspace in which information can be organised. The physical world can then act as a retrieval cue for recalling information at a later date, e.g. "I remember I stuck it to the telephone". The user carries around a personal display which is aware of its location so that it may display information that is electronically attached to that location.

Central to the idea of situated information spaces is the idea of enhancing everyday tasks by embedding computer infrastructure without sacrificing the benefits of the existing technology. As such, it shares a great deal in common with ubiquitous computing. NB. Ubiquitous computing is explained in a separate section as rather than a project researching context-awareness, context-awareness is just one of the themes that the ubiquitous computing philosophy over-arches.

Applications

This section concentrates on the software-applications aspect of the practical uses of context-awareness. For information on the particular devices that provide mobile computing, location services, etc. see the hardware section.

ParcTAB Ubiquitous Computing Experiment

Context-Aware Web Pages

Memory Problems

Teleporting

Responsive Office Environment

Stick-e Notes

The stick-e note metaphor is one we are working on here at UKC. There is a whole section on this Web site dedicated to the stick-e note architecture.

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