Ubiquitous Computing & Libraries

Michael Porter, Interactive Strategy Manager, WebJunction
Chris Peters, Technical Writer and Technology Analyst, MaintainIT Project TechSoup

Ubiquitous computing is: “A model of human-computer interaction in which information processing has been thoroughly integrated into everyday objects and activities.” These objects don’t take our focus away from what we are doing, but allow us to continue while they run unobtrusively in the background.

Examples:

• rfid: radio freqency identification – check in your books all at once with this system. use an rfid device to find out which books are out of order on the shelves (object beaps when it finds an out of order book)
• i-fi A card that you can use with digital cameras, makes it possible to upload to flickr by your location (?)
• phones, hardware, software = convergence
• Seattle PL: reference staff have voip phones to contact each other for reference questions.
• open source

Chris Peters:
Low cost information processing embedded in everyday objects.
Technology should be calm, unobtrusive, not taking all of your focus
Devices are context aware of time and space, noise, temperature
Devices can be personalized

Characteristics of ubiquitous computing:
- will be happening at the level of individual people and their environment
- Wireless networking protocol will be improving, with an ability for these devices to be able to communicate with each other
- Interoperability and open standards
- universal addressability
- sensors – what are sound levels, light levels, etc.
- position awareness
- power – the vision that we are talking about requires more power sources (witricity = wireless electricity)

Spimes: definition from spime.com: The name Spime comes from “space” and “time” – these words reflect Spime’s focus on developing location-enabled applications that empower users with information at the right time and the right place.
These devices have these properties:
-location awareness
-social awareness
-time awareness (history)

Calm technology: informs you of changes in your environment
- example: ambient orb a device that sits on your table and changes color to alert you of some event: The Orb arrives preset to track the Dow Jones Industrial Average, glowing more green or red to indicate market movement up or down, or yellow when the market is calm.

wikinear: wikipedia pages near you: – location-based reference based on wikipedia – a mashup

Fabbing: Digital fabricators A fabber (short for “digital fabricator”) is a “factory in a box” that makes things automatically from digital data. Fabbers generate three-dimensional, solid objects you can hold in your hands, submit to testing, or assemble into working mechanisms. They are used by manufacturers around the world for low-volume production, prototyping, and mold mastering. They are also used by scientists and surgeons for solid imaging, and by a few modern artists for innovative computerized sculpture. Manufacturers report enormous productivity gains from using fabbers.

Biotelemetry: applications for medical testing

Biofeedback – games and other uses

Some library applications:

• location-based reference
• anticipatory reference
• information therapy
• emotion mapping of the library
• community manufacturing center

Question: But…..what about information privacy for these objects, is it just a few steps away from the end of anonymity? Convenience vs. privacy, the old question.