Mobility of computers is the focus of much current research. In the next decade, MIT expects their students to have portable, book-sized computers with wireless Internet access (MIT:1996d). The network needs to be in place to support mobile applications and devices.
Currently, the Internet Protocol (IP) assumes that the location and connection of a computer remains fixed. One aspect of current research in mobile computing is that of Mobile-IP where IP is enhanced to allow a computer to roam and keep the same IP address (Lancki,Dixit:1996). The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) (IETF:1996a) maintains a Mobile-IP Web page (IETF:1996b) to develop the standard. Basically, Mobile-IP works by assigning a Home agent on the permanent network for a computer. When the mobile computer (or the 'mobile host') moves from one network to another, it notifies its home agent of its new location. The home agent then intercepts and forwards packets destined for the mobile host.
Research is also being done in the hardware necessary to create low-cost devices which can connect to the Internet. The trend will be toward small, disposable computers. The MIT Media Laboratory is proposing a design of an network interface chip that would be small and inexpensive. It's called the 'Filament Chip' (MIT:1996e). Dr. Weiser envisions buying a six-pack of computers (Weiser:1996e).
These devices are meant to be practically invisible, and casually used. That means the user interfaces must be simple, apparent, and obvious. An awkward user interface could negate the whole purpose of the device.
Copyright © 1996 Ingrid E. Burbey, All Rights Reserved
Ingrid Burbey
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Last modified: Wed Dec 11 1996