WWW: Beyond the Basics

24. Ubiquitous Internet Computing

by Ingrid Burbey

ABSTRACT

The goal of ubiquitous computing is the production of devices that are so commonplace and natural to use that they become almost invisible. The devices being ubiquitous means there will be hundreds of tiny computers in an office or home, each doing it's own specialized task.

This chapter discusses the concepts of ubiquitous computing, the current state of ubiquitous computing , where it may lead and the current areas of development. It discusses the concept of ubiquitous computing, as defined by Mark Weiser of XEROX PARC. Some non-Web examples are shown, such as the Active Badge created by Olivetti Cambridge Labs and the PARC TAB from XEROX PARC. Other examples of computation-enhanced objects are mentioned.

The second portion of this chapter explores other devices accessing the Internet. We tend to think of Internet access by typical desktop computers or workstations, but that may not always be the case. In this section, Internet phone, video and other uses of the Web are discussed, along with some of the technical and social challenges that lie ahead for widespread use of these devices.

CHAPTER CONTENT

  1. Introduction
  2. What is ubiquitous computing?
  3. The Visionary: Mark Weiser
  4. The Vision: Calm Technology
  5. We Know Where You Are: the Active Badge
  6. The World in the Palm of Your Hand: the PARC TAB
  7. Augmented Reality and Telepresence
  8. Internet Phone and Video
  9. Smart Homes
  10. GettingThere
  11. Conclusion
  12. Further Reading
References
Glossary

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Copyright © 1996 Ingrid E. Burbey, All Rights Reserved

Ingrid Burbey <74001.1443@compuserve.com>
Last modified: Wed Dec 11 1996