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Blog: April Archive
Sensors In Condoms
This application of Ubiquitous Computing is too good to pass up, if for no other reason than it stands out (no pun intended) from other news items in the field.
From Ananova courtesy of the Paste&Vinegar blog:
"A musical condom designed to play louder and faster as lovers reach a climax is to go on sale in Ukraine.
Grigoriy Chausovsky, from Zaporozhye, said his condoms came fitted with a special sensor that registers when the condom is put on."
While I don't particularly endorse/not endorse this application, it serves to drive home (it's really hard to avoid double-ententres with this) the fact that sensors and processors are indeed becoming ubiquitous. (See my article Why Ubiquitous Computing? for more on this).
So, I have to ask: what next? Will the condom give performance feedback and metrics? ;)
Ubiquitous Computing Is Not Cloud Computing
I have noticed a trend on blogs and online news sites where they are confusing other concepts with the concept of ubiquitous computing (also known as ubicomp). This is happening more recently as a result of (I'm not saying "because of") Tim O'Reilly's keynote speech at the 2008 Web 2.0 Expo in which he spoke about cloud computing and ubiquitous computing. This apparently served to reinforce the munging, already in progress, of these and other terms.
It is not particularly surprising since, although there are distinctly different concepts involved, they all relate in some way to what happens as we are surrounded by computers and network connections. Fortunately, (and even though nobody asked) I am here to help set the record straight by distinguishing between these major concepts relative to ubiquitous computing:
Cloud Computing
As defined by wikipedia, cloud computing is "simplification of the data center by leveraging virtualization technologies to reduce complexity". The idea is that the user of computer resources is abstracted from the actual hardware underneath. The user's application could be running on a dedicated computer, a shared computer, or across multiple computers. Related terms include mesh computing and virtualization.
Software As A Service
Software As A Service refers to a software delivery or licensing model where a software application or suite of applications is developed on a Web-based platform and hosted on a Web server for use by its customers over the Internet. Examples of this include the many online applications provided by Google such as Gmail, Google Maps and Google Docs, as well as things like the well-known photosharing app Flickr and the project collaboration tools from 37signals. The key point is that these software applications are never installed on the user's local (or company) computer, but instead the user always connects to the Internet to use the app.
Ubiquitous Computing
For the definition of ubiquitous computing I will defer to Mark Weiser who is credited with launching the ubicomp movement with this article. In this Weiser defines the goal as:
"Ubiquitous computing has as its goal the enhancing [of] computer use by making many computers available throughout the physical environment, but making them effectively invisible to the user".
He further adds:
"Unlike virtual reality, ubiquitous computing endeavers to integrate information displays into the everyday physical world."
Other terms include pervasive computing, ambient computing, proximity computing, location-aware computing, and everyware (no wonder there is some confusion). So, the key points here are that:
- Computing will be dispersed in your local physical environment.
- The user will interact with objects in a way that makes the computers seem invisible.
So, while all these terms somehow involve the use of increasingly more pervasive computing resources and network access, they are tackling different problems and evolutionary paths. Cloud computing is more of a focus for the IT community--the way in which users interact with the computers, by definition, should look the same. Cloud computing can be applied to any generation of Web apps including Web 1.0, Web 2.0 or later.
Software as a service is more relevant to what Tim O'Reilly is referring to and is consistent with the definition of Web 2.0, which O'Reilly helped define. With this concept, users are not just connecting up to the Web to browse and search for information, but are now using the Web for applications that traditiionally were installed and run on a local computer such as word processing, spreadsheets and email readers. However, this does not require cloud computing and doesn't have much to do with ubiquitous computing.
With ubiquitous computing, the focus is on interacting with computers that aren't even on the Internet (although there is nothing to prevent some of them from being connected). Instead they are embedded in objects all around us. Further, with ubicomp, the goal is not to be interacting with software applications as we know them, but rather to interact directly with objects which just happen to have computer intelligence (simple, but with some level of awareness) built in.
Now that I have discussed how these concepts are different, I will now suggest how they can work together. Suppose you decide to lose a few pounds by trying out the new Blogger's Diet you read an article about (I don't know if there is one, but might not be the worst idea ever). Back in the day you might have created a MS Excel spreadsheet on your PC to plan your diet and track your progress. But wait, you found this great website, MyBloggersDiet.com, where you can create an account and manage your diet online. This is great because you can log in and access your account even when you are traveling on business. This is an example of software as a service. Lars, the webmaster for MyBloggersDiet.com, wants to make sure the diet web app has a high uptime percentage and also will scale massively in case blogger obesity reaches epidemic proportions. So he arranges to get the application hosted with an ISP providing a cloud computing infrastructure.
If we introduce ubiquitious computing into the mix, then instead of trotting into your study to log onto your computer or the website, you have the option to ask your refridgerator directly to provide a menu for the day. Behind the scene, your fridge has accessed your account at MyBloggersDiet.com via an API, compares possible food options against what you have eaten recently as well as its current contents, and suggests some meal choices. It also informs you that you are running low on alfalfa sprouts and further suggests that maybe you would like to order some low-carb beer. This last interaction suggests the essense and potential of ubicomp, because even though you are still connected to Internet, you can accomplish your goals through different, sometimes more direct or natural, interactions with your environment.
rk
Why Ubiquitous Computing?
Now that we've discussed a bit about what ubiquitous computing is, a legitimate question is: why should we care? Why should we be concerned about ubiquitous computing? My response to that is we should care because:
1. To a degree, it is already here--computers are already becoming ubiquitous,
and
2. Others are already planning our ubicomp future, so we may want to start paying attention.
Let me elaborate.
Computing Is Already Becoming Ubiquitous
Many devices and objects with computing built in are already here, and more will come. To support this claim and make it more tangible, I conducted some research in my own home. Basically what I did was just go through my house and inventory things which had some kind of microprocessor in them. This is what I found:
- Home office: 13 processors
- Kitchen: 7 processors
- Master Bedroom: 10 processors
- Family Room: 10 processors
- Master Bathroom: 2 processors
- Kid Bedroom 1: 7 processors
- Kid Bedroom 2: 7 processors
- Rec Room: 4 processors
- Dining room: 1 processor
- Bathroom 2: 2 processors
- Spare Bedroom: 3 processors
- Garage: 3 processors
Oh, and we shouldn't forget to count our two cars--each contains multiple processors for things like:
- ignition control
- ABS
- alarm
- stereo
- climate control
So that adds another 10 processors for a total of at least 80 processors around our house! Yes, we are fairly digital and have been accumulating stuff for many years, but we are far from abnormal and upcoming generations show signs of easily surpassing us in accumulation of digital gadgetry.
Others Are Planning Your Ubicomp Future
One of the more developed forms of ubicomp comes in the form of location-aware systems for proximity marketing. Proximity marketing is basically a system which detects your presence by sensing your Bluetooth phone (typically) when you pass nearby, and then attempts to send some form of marketing message or media to your phone. This is already happening in different places and different events, and these are no longer prototypes. There are several companies with commercial products and services for implementing proximity marketing. They would very much like to push even more marketing and advertisements at more people in more places.
In some ways it won't be much different from the barrage of advertisement pushed at us via our radios and TV sets which we have tolerated for decades. But wouldn't you want to have a say in how, where and what is pushed at you, especially if it can now find you as you walk the city streets, or roam the shopping malls? To be fair, most of the companies involved in this field are sensitive to the privacy concerns and provide a form of opt-in (or out). But the potential for abuse and media overload is very real.
In addition to these specific commercial applications, and unknown to the average person, (even most techie types) work in academic institutions has been going on for many years to develop more advanced and pervasive forms of ubicomp. Multiple conferences now exist which are dedicated to the fields of and related to ubicomp.
One might argue that this is a sign that ubicomp is a misguided concept. However, just because something spends years in R and D with no noticeable public impact or visibility does not mean you can dismiss it. Bluetooth was hyped, then arguably stumbled, but it eventually "stuck" as hyped and predicted and growth of bluetooth devices shows little signs of slowing. HDTV is taking forever--literally decades--to get developed, standardized, and gain widespread usage, but it too will soon be "ubiquitous".
At this point in time, there is a sufficient mix of available technology, decreasing hardware cost, and sufficient applications to drive ubicomp to its tipping point. Further, ubicomp is not an all-or-nothing proposition. It can emerge in different guises and ultimately only requires computing elements to be ubiquitous, which I don't think anyone could argue has not been happening for some time.
rk
What Is Ubiquitous Computing?
Wikipedia defines “ubiquitous computing” as “... a model of human-computer interaction in which information processing has been thoroughly integrated into everyday objects and activities.”
Taken literally, ubiquitous computing means “computing everywhere”. It is that, but it's much more than that.
Ubiquitous computing is also known by its shorter form of “ubicomp” and additionally, there are other terms used to describe this concept such as “pervasive computing”, “ambient intelligence”, “proximity systems”, and “location aware” computing. It would be easy to assume this is simply the work of academics or market folk trying to push their individual brands.
But, in fact, it is more that just a matter of personal naming preference. The variety of different terms reflects the multi-faceted nature of what can be done, and what it means, to have computing everywhere. Consider this list of some of the facets or aspects of ubicomp:
- Computing is ubiquitous, so it's available everywhere.
- Computing is pervasive so it essentially becomes impossible to avoid.
- In ubicomp, the computer is not something in the environment that interacts with a human—it is the environment interacting with a human.
- The computing infrastructure is aware of your location or proximity, and makes use of that information.
- Since the computing is integrated in the environment, the human may not even be aware that it is doing something.
- As a result of all of the above, the environment embodies an emergent sense of awareness, in other words: “ambient intelligence”.
Ubiquitous computing has the potential to:
- employ computation in ways we haven't thought of before,
- change our perspective on how we interact with our environment as well as computers,
- use information to impact our lives in new ways, possibly far beyond what the Internet does today,
- and forever change our notions of security, privacy, and community.
That's the party line anyway, and while I think most parties involved in the field believe the above to ultimately be true, it is still very speculative and the actual evolutionary path of ubicomp is less than obvious.
One of my new goals in life, then--if you'll pardon a little drama--is to help make ubicomp more real by exploring the technical aspects of ubicomp and practical applications. There has been a lot of academic research in the field, but, at least to my mind, the "killer" applications, or at least implementations, remain to be realized.
Until next time,
rk
Back With A Mission
I am back after taking a sabbatical from this blog for a while. Looking at the date on my last post, I can't believe it has only been about three months, although it seems like much longer (and in blog time that may as well be forever).
The reason I took some time off (only from the blog that is) was that I didn't particularly like the direction the blog was going in nor was I happy with the projects I was working on. The two major problems as I saw it were:
- While I enjoy writing and blogging, I have always been more of an architect by nature as well as career (systems and software), and after some introspection realized I really wanted to be building something, and that should be where my entrepreneurial energy goes vs. primarily being an analyst/blogger.
- Although I had a good idea of the technical space that was a match for my background and interests, my focus was in the wrong place.
In my time away from this blog I have been working on my picobuzz web app at picobuzz.com. I've also been exploring Twitter and other social media and networking sites and apps. I've never been much for things like chat, IM and texting in the past, but I am particularly fond of Twitter and the people active on there.
There was a method to this jumping around: while I was off doing some soul-searching on what new direction I wanted to take with my entrepreneurship, I have been gaining some valuable experience on buliding a Web 2.0 app (picobuzz.com). Also, I have been getting a meaningful (not superficial) pulse on social networking, or at least those aspects I might be interested in.
All of this has helped me figure out my new focus. I will still be actively maintaining picobuzz (because it is a rush seeing what the Twitterverse is buzzing about). However, I am also going to be starting work on my new focus: Ubiquitous Computing, also known as "UbiComp". In retrospect, this is more of an evolution for me rather than a revolution. I already have a background in many of the related technical aspects like wireless communication, bluetooth and distributed computing. I was in the ballpark with my prior blogging focus on proximity marketing. Yet, I was close but still so far. The reasons:
- Proximity marketing is too often like a solution in search of a problem. There are some interesting applications and businesses doing work in this area but they are for the most part niche applications.
- There are issues related to privacy and intrusion that bothered me about proximity marketing.
- Even though I was aware of the work in Ubiquitous Computing, Pervasive Computing and similar domains, I had trouble seeing the mass appeal and value proposition for the average person. I am not far off the mark in thinking this--there have academic efforts and conferences on this for several years now but most people, even technical, are unaware of this field. And this is a field which could have mind-blowing ramifications.
In closing (for now), I am happy to say that I have come up with some new ideas for exploring and (hopefully) advancing the field of Ubicomp. I will be starting work on these ideas immediately and sharing my thoughts on this blog in the upcoming weeks.
rk