Context Aware Computing

1
Context Aware Computing

• CS 160 Discussion Section
• April 11, 2006
• Ryan Aipperspach

2
Motivation

• What are some of the current debates in HCI?
• E.g., where was I last week?
• International Symposium on Intelligent
  Environments

3
Context Aware Computing

• Context any information that can be used to
  characterize the situation of entities (i.e.
  whether a person, place or object) that are
  considered relevant to the interaction between a
  user and an application, including the user and
  the application themselves.
• Context is typically the location, identity and
  state of people, groups and computational and
  physical objects.
• Dey and Abowd, 2001

4
Some Examples

• Call Forwarding
• Use location information to forward calls to the
  office youre currently in
• Conference Assistant
• Handheld device provided when you attend a
  conference
• Recommends talks and gives directions to rooms
• Take notes along with synchronized audio/video
• Review notes and sessions afterwards

5
Some Examples

• Context any information that can be used to
  characterize the situation of entities (i.e.
  whether a person, place or object) that are
  considered relevant to the interaction between a
  user and an application, including the user and
  the application themselves.
• Context is typically the location, identity and
  state of people, groups and computational and
  physical objects.
• Conference Assistant
• Handheld device provided when you attend a
  conference
• Recommends talks and gives directions to rooms
• Take notes along with synchronized audio/video
• Review notes and sessions afterwards

6
Context in the Intelligent Home

• E.g., in the MIT PlaceLab
• http//architecture.mit.edu/house_n/placelab.html
• Environment (CO2, Temperature)
• Object state (drawers, furniture, kitchen
  containers, tea pot, )
• Location of people and objects
• Audio/Video
• Personal biometrics (heart rate, movement)
• Inferred activities from each of these
• And control over anything you want

7
What would you do with context in the home?
8
An Extreme Smart Home Scenario

• MavHome operations can be characterized by the
  following scenario. At 645 am, MavHome turns up
  the heat because it has learned that the home
  needs 15 minutes to warm to optimal temperature
  for waking. The alarm goes off at 700, which
  signals the bedroom light to go on as well as the
  coffee maker in the kitchen. Bob steps into the
  bathroom and turns on the light. MavHome records
  this interaction, displays the morning news on
  the bathroom video screen, and turns on the
  shower. While Bob is shaving, MavHome senses that
  Bob is two pounds over his ideal weight and
  adjusts Bobs suggested menu. When Bob finishes
  grooming, the bathroom light turns off while the
  kitchen light and menu/schedule display turns on,
  and the news program moves to the kitchen screen
• Because the refrigerator is low on milk and
  cheese, MavHome places a grocery order to arrive
  just before Bob comes home. When Bob arrives
  home, his grocery order has arrived and the hot
  tub is waiting for him.
• http//mavhome.uta.edu/publications/cookpc03.pdf