Compaq Mercury Project Exploring the Future of Handheld Computing

1
Compaq Mercury ProjectExploring the Future of
Handheld Computing

• October 18, 2001
• Jamey Hicks
• Jamey.hicks_at_compaq.com

2
Outline

• Our Vision of Handheld Computing
• Open Handhelds Project
• Mercury Project (BackPAQ)

3
Pervasive Handheld Computing

• Blackberry a step in the right direction
• Email anywhere
• But if we had GB local storage and wireless
  networks
• All your information
• All your apps
• Secure storage safely store credit cards, etc.
• Display on a projector in the room
• Show headings on wristwatch computer
• Show 3D rendering on desktop

4
Pervasive Computing

• Seamless, secure, ubiquitous access to your all
  your information
• Any information
• Any time
• Any where
• Human centered
• The next generation of computing

5
Anytime, Anywhere

• From any network, on any device
• Use best available network
• Best can be cheapest, fastest,
• Seamless
• automatic discovery and configuration of
  devices, networks, and services
• Adaptive
• Retrieval, rendering, UI appropriate to device
• Nonstop
• It has to work all the time

6
Research Questions Systems

• Automatic administration
• Discovery
• Configuration
• Planning
• Distributed storage
• Secure, replicated, consistent
• Adaptive networking
• Agents
• Services, microcommerce

7
Outline

• Our Vision of Handheld Computing
• Open Handhelds Project
• Mercury Project (BackPAQ)

8
Open Handhelds Project

• Program for stimulating development of innovative
  new applications on handhelds (e.g., iPAQ H3600)
• Derived from OpenItsy Initiative
• Joel Bartlett, Bill Hamburgen (WRL)
• http//research.compaq.com/wrl/projects/Itsy/itsy.
  html
• Website (www.handhelds.org)
• Hosts source code, binaries, discussion groups
• Free technical support
• Seed hardware for key developers
• Community 500 entries on email list, active IRC
• Timeline
• April 2000 Began Linux port to iPAQ H3600
• June 2000 Posted first release of Linux for
  H3600 on www.handhelds.org

9
Linux Capabilities

• Linux Kernel 2.4.7 (this week)
• GNU Software
• Complete GUI flexibility
• X Window System, Qt, Microwindows
• Filesystems
• JFFS2 compressed journaling flash filesystem
• ext2, vfat, nfs, samba, coda,
• Networking
• WLAN, WWAN
• IPSEC and other VPN
• IPv6, Mobile IP
• Java 2 Micro and Standard Editions
• Not just a zippy PDA, but a pocket workstation

10
Linux on the iPAQ Familiar distribution

• Python scripting
• JFFS2 root
• X Window System
• Gnome toolkit
• Full screen handwriting input
• Anti-aliased fonts
• Landscape or Portrait mode
• Full networking
• Distributed as ipkgs

Dbutter_at_wireless.net
11
QPE Qt Pocket Environment

• Uses Familiar as base
• without X
• distributed as ipkgs
• very polished look
• PDA-oriented

12
Intimate Linux

• Marked by close acquaintance, association, or
  familiarity. See Synonyms at familiar.
• Full blown linux on the Compaq iPAQ!
• Native development
• Stunts bochs x86 emulator

13
PocketLinux

• XML application framework
• Implemented in Java
• Runtime kaffe JVM
• Linux OS underneath
• Full support for theming
• Do not follow the 1.0 installation instructions
  they can be hazardous to ipaqs email jamey for
  revised instructions if youre interested in this.

14
Outline

• Our Vision of Handheld Computing
• Open Handhelds Project
• Mercury Project (BackPAQ)

15
CRLs Mercury Project

• A research project to extend the boundaries of
  pervasive wireless computing
• Hardware
• A handheld research platform
• Software
• Networking, middleware and applications
• Based on Linux Kernel and Open Source Software
• IPv6 Mobility
• Exploring the future of handheld computing

16
Mercury Hardware

• Pushing the envelope of integration
• BackPAQ prototyping platform
• Extension pack with
• VGA CMOS camera
• 32MB Flash, FPGA,
• Additional expansion connector,
• 2 PC Card slots
• Accelerometer
• Audio codec and headset connector
• WLAN and WWAN via PC Cards

17
iPAQ H3600/BackPAQ
18
iPAQ H3600/BackPAQ
19
BackPAQ Accelerometer Demo

• Oneko
• Cat and mouse
• Mouse runs downhill and cat follows mouse
• Screen Rotation
• Stand iPAQ/BackPAQ up, on side, upside down
• Screen is rotated to match
• Window manager receives ResizeAndRotate event
• Applications are resized appropriately

20
BackPAQ Video Conferencing Demo

• H.323 audio and video supported
• can call Polycom or Netmeeting
• H.261 codec is quite slow
• www.openh323.org
• VIC videoconferencing tool
• Many codecs supported
• Multicast and IPv6 also supported
• ftp//ftp.ee.lbl.gov/conferencing/vic

21
IPv6 Node Mobility Architecture
IPv6 Router
Direct routing from CN to MN on home network
MIPv6 (HA) Home Agent
A.P. A.P.
Mobile Node Sending Video
MIPv6 (CN) Correspondent
Node Receiving video
Communication path Wired connection 802.11b
wireless connection
22
MIPv6 After Node Migration Forwarding
IPv6 Router
Mobile Node Sending Video
MIPv6 Home Agent
A.P. A.P.
HA encapsulates and forwards packets to MN on
foreign network
Correspondent Node Receiving Video
Communication path Wired connection 802.11b
wireless connection
23
MIPv6 Architecture Routing Optimization
IPv6 Router
MIPv6 (HA) Home Agent
Mobile Node Sending Video
A.P. A.P.
MN sends care-of address to CN, CN sends packets
to new location
Correspondent Node (CN) Receiving Video
Communication path Wired connection
802.11b wireless connection
24
Mercury Foundations and Collaborations

• Foundations
• Itsy
• Building on Linux, StrongARM, camera, packaging,
  ...
• Open Handhelds
• Building on Linux on iPAQ H3600
• External Collaborations
• MIT (Oxygen Project)
• iPAQ/BackPAQ being used as Handy 21 prototype
• Reuters (iPRISM)
• Demonstrating end-to-end application
• CMU (Coda, Intermezzo Filesystems)

25
Mercury and Open Handhelds Team

• CRL
• Jamey Hicks
• Jim Gettys
• Andy Christian
• Brian Avery
• Steve Ayer
• Ben Kuris
• Don Denning
• Gita Sukthankar
• Frank Bomba
• Dave Panariti
• Neil Reynolds
• SRC
• Tom Lawler

• WRL
• Debby Wallach
• Compaq Handhelds
• Ken Nicholas
• George Bold
• Open Source Community
• Carl Worth, Alexander Guy, Ken Causey, Edward
  Muller, George France, David Neuer, Jim Conner
• many others
• RMK, NP, AC, Linus ...

26
iPAQ Linux Resources

• Handhelds.org website (www.handhelds.org)
• Handhelds wiki (www.handhelds.org/z/wiki)
• Includes search interface
• World writable please use and contribute
• Chat (IRC on irc.openprojects.net)
• handhelds.org mostly ipaq linux discussion
• familiar Familiar distribution discussion
• ipaq lightly populated, installation support
• Email (www.handhelds.org/email_lists.html)
• ipaq_at_handhelds.org, linux_at_handhelds.org,
  familiar_at_handhelds.org, bootldr_at_handhelds.org

27
References

• Mercury
• http//crl.research.compaq.com/projects/mercury/
• Handhelds.org
• Mercurys Linux and application base
• Http//www.handhelds.org/
• Familiar Linux Distribution
• http//familiar.handhelds.org/

28
(No Transcript)
29
iPAQ Linux Distributions

• Original handhelds.org distribution
• characterized by cramfs, twm, motley apps
• Familiar Linux (familiar.handhelds.org)
• jffs2 root, python scripting, ipkg, ion wm,
  networking
• Intimate Linux (intimate.handhelds.org)
• ARM Debian on iPAQ with disk, boot via WinCE or
  Familiar
• QPE (www.trolltech.com)
• PocketLinux (www.pocketlinux.com)
• kernel from handhelds.org, kaffe jvm, xml app
  defn