5 context aware services

2de IBBT Brokerage Event

Break-out Sessie

Context Aware Services

Sessieleider: Piet DemeesterIBBT Program Manager: Nico Verplancke

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Session chair & objectives

Session chair: Piet Demeester IBCN-INTEC / UGent

Objectives:IBBT = demand driven researchInteraction with industry and other organisationsIdentification of research topicsIdentification of interested parties

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2de IBBT Brokerage Event – Context Aware Services

Topics

Concept of context aware servicesMarket PotentialChallenges and requirementsDiscussion

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Concept

Context is any information that can be used to characterize the situation of an entity. An entity is a person, place, or object that is considered relevant to the interaction between a user and an application, including the user and application themselves. [A. Day and G. Abowd, 1999]Context aware services automatically adapt to the environment of a user, for instance to the location, time, or physical condition (e.g. hart rhythm and blood pressure) of a person. The social context of users is an important determinant for the information needs and well being of people. People are truly social beings.

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Concept

Context information encompasses:Location informationProximity to devices, places and personsEnvironment factors as weather, temperature, time, trafficStatus information of devicesBehavior of the user (e.g. talking, sleeping, walking, …)Personal fitness / health / ……

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Market Potential

- 3 days business trip to Vienna- needs regular medication

Vienna

- From agenda it is detected that Bob is leaving for 3 days- It is checked that he didn’t take his (RFID tagged) medication with him warning on his cell phone- It is raining in Vienna also warning to take umbrella

- Bob gets ill in Vienna (detected by sensor)- Doctor at home is automatically consulted- Bob should go to a specialized hospital in Vienna- Taxi is automatically ordered and location of Bob / hospitalloaded in GPS

Gent

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Market Potential

ConsumerContext enhanced information services Emergency services BillingTracking services Advertising Community applications Telematics services Entertainment …

CorporateFleet management Workforce managementAsset managementSecurity…

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Market Potential

Location/context technology vendorsEquipment vendors, Terminal manufacturersMobile network operatorsLBS/context middleware providers Content providersApplication developersPortals and location/context data brokers…

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Market Potential

ServicesGPS navigation systemsProximus GeoServices

Map me: Where am I?Nearby: What’s around me?Itinary: How do I get there?

Friend-finder applicationsLocalisation of (the mobile phones) of friends or family

Monitoring traffic streams

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Market Potential

Location DeterminationGPSGSMWiFiRFIDBluetoothZigBee…

Commercial platformsLocation servers (Alcatel/Siemens/etc.) intended for GSM networksSoftware platforms for deploying location-based services (e.g. Milestone)

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2de IBBT Brokerage Event – Context Aware Services

Market Potential

Context ToolkitSoftware toolkit for rapid prototyping of context-aware applicationsFeatures: Separation of context sensing/acquisitionfrom context use, context aggregation and context interpretation.

SOCAM (Service-Oriented Context-AwareMiddleware)

Context model based on ontologiesDifferent components implemented as separate services in OSGi

…

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2de IBBT Brokerage Event – Context Aware Services

Major Challenge

Now:Existing solutions are mainly outdoor applications based on location information provided by GPS or GSM networks.

Future: Also indoor applications (home/office) where location information is provided by WiFi, RFID, …Also services where device, user and environment information is taken into account using advanced sensors and sensor networks.

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Challenges & Requirements

Accurate position determination in buildings Difficult due to reflections, absorptions, movement, …

Different types of sensors (health monitoring, weather conditions, …)Terminals : context aware, (ultra) low powerWired and wireless communication between all kinds of devices in different environments (home, office, vehicle, public place, outdoor,…)It should be possible to automatically discover devices. As there exist several protocols (UPnP, Jini, etc.) bridging is needed.

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Challenges & Requirements

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2de IBBT Brokerage Event – Context Aware Services

Challenges & Requirements

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Challenges & RequirementsSeveral kinds of context information have to be aggregated and represented in a standardized way

This representation should be formal so that extra information can be added by reasoning.Standard representations of e.g. a house topology allow easy development of new context-aware services.

Software platforms needed for the servers and access gateways.

Data aggregationAllowing rapid development of context-aware services by 3rd

party developersEasy deployment of new services (e.g. by using OSGi for the home gateway). Centralized or distributed

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Challenges & Requirements

Example software architecture

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Challenges & Requirements

Security en privacyLocation information is interesting for marketing purposes or insurance companies. It can also lead to embarrassing situations or even harassment.This information should be protected and users should be able to choose which information can be disclosed and which information is private.

UsabilityServices should be invisible to the user

AdoptionWhat do users expect from context aware services and what is acceptable ? What context does the user wantHow does the user impact on its context

Legal issues

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Conclusions

Context detection infrastructure (sensors, …, discovery, …, identification, …)

Context aware terminals and actuatorsInterconnection networksService architecturesService creation platformsContext representation and handlingSecurity architecturesUser requirementsLegal constraintsBusiness models

>8 interested parties

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Conclusions

Input from attendees during session (1):Existing technologies can indeed be used to processontologies and implement context reasoners.Context creation and aggregation of information fromheterogeneous sources is importantStandards are needed for representing context information.Interesting application: addition of context data in content (e.g. videos) through meta-data level data.Identification of persons is required for correct and secure service execution.Usability aspect is important: easy user and configurationinterfaces are necessary.

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Conclusions

Input from attendees during session (2):Discovery of devices is required.Remote installation of new services on terminals is required as well.User requirements:

Adjustable profile (presence status).Personal configuration.

Which new services and features are possible? New business models? Sensors to detect the intention of a user (e.g. telephone call with a friend vs. call with boss)Use past context information to automatically learn habits, intentions, …Using context information for billing!Context aware advertisements!

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Goal of Break-Out session

De doelstelling van de break-out sessies is de thema’s die zouden kunnen leiden tot projectvoorstellen verder uit te diepen, en potentiële trekkers voor een mogelijke indiening te detecteren. Idealiter zal de break-out leiden tot een potentiële cluster van partners en uitwisseling van contactgegevens. Op basis hiervan zal de coördinator denodige initiatieven nemen om de partners samen te brengen en de proposal verder uit te werken rond een gezamenlijk interessedomein.

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Background

Break-out reeks 2 (16u00-16u45)Context Aware ServicesMobiele, geconnecteerde toestellen en gebruiker biedenmogelijkheden voor nieuwe diensten die context-gebaseerdzijn. Locatie in het algemeen, proximity tot anderetoestellen, omgevingsfactoren, ... kunnen triggers of enablers zijn van specifieke diensten. Mogelijk onderzoekbinnen dit thema: nieuwe diensten, enabling technologie(software/devices/netwerk), adoptie, usability, likability, business modellen. Interessant aan dit thema is ook dat hierde volledige waardeketen van dienstenleverancier, tot telecom-operator en software/hardware vendor een bijdragein kan leveren.

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Participants (registration)

Banama-TelecomAlcatelSiemensMarketshare BelgiumPRO Telecom ConsultingNewtec CyMinisterie Vlaamse GemeenschapDimension DataiForum ConsultGatespace EuropeVDABInno.comMedianet VlaanderenCultuurnet VlaanderenOctalisConcentraVRTi-mergePMTCArtillium...