The Computer for the 21st Century Mark Weiser

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ECE992 Ubiquitous ComputingLead Review

• The Computer for the 21st Century Mark Weiser
• The Coming Age of Technology Mark Weiser John
  Seely Brown
• Moving on from Weisers Vision of Calm Computing
  Engaging in UbiComp Experiences Yvonne Rogers
• How to give a great Research Talk John Krumm
  Patrick Baudisch Rick Szeliski Mary Czerwinski

Presented by Michael A. Farrar
September 9, 2008
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The Computer for the 21st CenturyMark Weiser

• Problem It (the computer) is approachable only
  through complex jargon that has nothing to do
  with the task for which people use computers.
• Goal To establish a new way of thinking about
  computers, one that takes into account the human
  world and allows the computers themselves to
  vanish into the background.

• How can the typical user modify the functionality
  of an existing configuration?
• Is it possible for computers to make these
  adjustments automatically?
• How can the world be invisibly enhanced?

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• Hypothesis Specialized elements of hardware and
  software, connected by wires, radio waves and
  infrared, will be so ubiquitous that no one will
  notice their presence.

The Computer for the 21st Century Mark Weiser
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• Background How do technologies disappear into
  the background?
• Factory example Even as the number of electric
  motors in a mechanical device increase, the
  operator still maintains the idea of interacting
  with the device as a whole and not the individual
  motors.
• Automotive example The motors and solenoids
  used to control various features of an automobile
  are not credited when one starts the engine or
  locks the doors.
• Answer Concealment, location, and scale
• The Relationship When can computers disappear
  into the background?
• Answer Concealment, location, and scale
• Answer When a disturbance of the physical world
  occurs in response to indirect human activity.
  In other words, when direct human activity
  becomes indirect.
• Electronic sliding doors
• Light switches
• Thermostats
• Stereos
• Ovens

Sensory Feedback
The Computer for the 21st Century Mark Weiser
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• Approach Embodied Virtuality Bringing
  computer-readable data into the physical world.
• Shifting of user focus from traditional computing
  components, to more task-appropriate devices
  Keyboard, mouse, display ? tab, pad, board,
  or subsets.

The real power of the concept comes not from any
one of these devices it emerges from the
interaction of all of them.
The Computer for the 21st Century Mark Weiser
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• Results and Explanation Developments
• Tabs Active badges (clip-on computers, size of
  an employee ID card, identified by receivers)
  open doors, greet by name, contribute to tracking
  (route telephone calls), computer terminals
  retrieve their preferences, minimize applications
  to, ect.
• Pads Prototype using two microprocessors,
  workstation-sized display, multi-button stylus,
  and a radio network capable of supporting
  hundreds of devices.
• Boards Prototypes placed in conference rooms,
  open areas, and widely separated sites (across
  the Atlantic), tab-reactive public bulletin
  boards.

• Supporting the Architecture
• Micro-kernel operating system Barest
  scaffolding computer code, where
  function-specific software modules may be added
  or removed as necessary.
• Advances in display technologies
• Flexible network communications (indoor/outdoor
  wired/wireless supporting a multiple of range
  requirements)

The Computer for the 21st Century Mark Weiser
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The Coming Age of Calm TechnologyMark Weiser
John Seely Brown

• Background
• Mainframe Era Utilization of scarce resources
  shared amongst a number of users.
• PC Era Special technological relationships
  which fully occupy its user by requiring a
  considerable amount of focus and attention.
• Internet/Distributed Computing Transition A
  massive-scale agreement between the mainframe
  (servers) and PC (clients) eras.
• UC era An extension of history justified by the
  traits of human relationships and characterized
  by object-computation connections, where tech.
  shares its users.

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• Problem Targeting of the personal computing
  platform by information technologies has left the
  user with an inefficient means of data analysis
  and on the brink of overload.
• Goal Calm the attention demands imposed by
  information technologies to an offer but not
  demand level, where the user, not the
  environment, mediates task activities.

There is more information available at our
fingertips during a walk in the woods than in any
computer system, yet people find a walk among
trees relaxing and computers frustrating. Mark
Weiser
The Coming Age of Calm Technology Mark Weiser
John Seely Brown
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• Hypothesis People are capable of accepting
  information through central and peripheral
  attention foci, and tasks which subject
  themselves to ease of selective motion between
  these two states impose less user frustrations
  and more environmental awareness.

The Coming Age of Calm Technology Mark Weiser
John Seely Brown
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• Approach Calm Technology A user-selective
  presentation of information, without
  overburdening.
• Periphery What we are attuned to without
  attending to explicitly.
• Lend themselves to sensory processing
  (non-central)
• Encalm as they empower (selectiveness)
• Contribute to environmental awareness
  (Locatedness)
• Ease of Selective Motion Determined by
  individual, not the environment.
• The center/peripheral attention combination
  surpasses center alone
• Offer but not demand
• Design for the Periphery Attend to information
  technology less.
• Command technology, not become dominated by it

The Coming Age of Calm Technology Mark Weiser
John Seely Brown
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• Results and Explanation Developments
• Hallway Windows Two-way channel for office-like
  environmental cues illustrating motion between
  center and peripheral attention.
• Internet Multicast Continuous multi-way
  connections between many computers, increasing
  peripheral reach through simultaneous multimedia
  connections.
• A window of awareness
• The Dangling String Physical display of network
  traffic through sensory data such as motion,
  sound, and touch.
• Highly peripheral cues with strict
  characteristics (whirling noise)
• Contrary to electronically displayed network
  traffic (center of attention)

The Coming Age of Calm Technology Mark Weiser
John Seely Brown
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Moving on from Weisers Vision of Calm Computing
Engaging UbiComp ExperiencesYvonne Rogers

• Background Forms of Calm Computing
• Context-Aware Computing Focused on detecting,
  identifying, and locating peoples movements,
  routines, or actions (augmentation/assistance).
• Requires knowledge of location, time, person,
  activity type, ect
• Attempts to compensate for limitations in human
  cognition (attention, memory, learning,
  comprehension, and decision making)
• Unpredictable/subtle behavior restrict the
  settings of context-aware systems
• Ambient and Ubiquitous Intelligence Reactions
  according to the prediction of peoples needs
  (involve both physical and digital worlds).
• Attempts to determine a persons physical,
  emotional, or informational state, making them
  more productive by taking expected
  action/information
• Lack of accurate/sensitive multi-modal interfaces
  (computer vision, speech recognition,
  gesture-based detection)

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• Background (cont.) Forms of Calm Computing
• Recording, Tracking, and Monitoring The
  movements, habits, health and mishaps of an
  individual are recorded, tracked and presented to
  an overseer(s).
• Violation of privacy and self-respect
• Problem The specifics of the context surrounding
  peoples lives are much more subtle, fluid and
  idiosyncratic than believed, making it difficult,
  if not impossible, to implement context in any
  practical sense.
• Ethical and social concerns presented by Calm
  computing
• Who makes the decisions? Designers?
• What happens to human learning abilities?
• UbiComp research is overwhelmed

Moving on from Weisers Vision of Calm Computing
Engaging UbiComp Experiences Yvonne Rogers
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• Goal An active engagement relationship, where
  people rather than computers take the initiative
  to be constructive, creative, and in control of
  their worldly interactions.
• Hypothesis A shift from proactive computing to
  proactive people is more beneficial to society
  (based on successful research).
• Approach Recast computers into their originally
  designed environments (tools, devices, and
  systems which extend and engage people in their
  activities/pursuits).
• Bringing back the excitement of interaction
• Rethinking the representations and presentations
  of information (interfaces)
• Determine how to best make use of the current
  data streams of the world
• Integrate and replay the masses of digitally
  recorded material
• Consider suitable combinations of sensors, mobile
  devices, shared displays, and computational
  devices which can be assembled by non-UbiCompers
  (customization of new devices and uses)
• Further study focusing on how people use their
  current tools and devices in their own
  environments.

Moving on from Weisers Vision of Calm Computing
Engaging UbiComp Experiences Yvonne Rogers
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• Results and Explanation Developments and areas
  of applicability.

• Playful and Learning Practices a
  physical-digital place, outfitted with objects
  and tangibles to play and interact with,
  promoting different kinds of learning and
  collaboration among users.
• Toolkits comprised of sensors, motors, lights,
  microprocessors, ect.
• Easily assembled and programmed to react,
  interact, and communicate
• Scientific Practices Interconnect scientists
  from different fields of study guiding them in
  their understanding and learning from others
  solutions.
• Enhance problem solving abilities
• However, the delivery of multi-dynamic data
  streams require powerful location-independent
  manipulation interfaces

Moving on from Weisers Vision of Calm Computing
Engaging UbiComp Experiences Yvonne Rogers
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• Results and Explanation (cont.) Developments and
  areas of applicability.

• Persuasive Practices Self-monitoring and be
  behavioral change programs (habitual learning).
• Mobile devices coupled with on-body sensors
• Long-term context monitor certain aspects of
  peoples behavior and represent information at
  weak moments (constant but gentle nagging)
• Further evaluation of their effectiveness

Moving on from Weisers Vision of Calm Computing
Engaging UbiComp Experiences Yvonne Rogers
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How to give a great Research TalkJohn Krumm
Patrick Baudisch Rick Szeliski Mary Czerwinski

• John Krumm
• Bulleted format
• Short when possible, long when necessary
• More focused on the audience than his slides
• Practice, memorization, and timing
• Include humor/pictures on each slide
• A great alternative to text
• Notes to himself (note tell hilarious story now)
• Include demos
• Repeat yourself occasionally (bring drifters up
  to speed)
• End on a memorable note
• Overview with pictures
• Session chair should have preplanned questions
• Allows the audience more time to think

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• Patrick Baudisch
• Start with a demo/video/picture
• Puts the talk into perspective before it begins
• Use as little text as possible (memorize more)
• Avoid cluttered slides (whitespace is
  beautiful)
• Reading and listening is difficult
• Direct a users attention
• Contrasting colors (but not as a background)
• Blur/crop/fade images
• Take pictures as your work progresses
• They may end up in the presentation
• Avoid animation (slide transitions), it forces
  people to wait

How to give a great Research Talk John Krumm
Patrick Baudisch Rick Szeliski Mary Czerwinski
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• Rick Szeliski
• Engage the audience immediately
• Ask questions, even if they arent directly
  related
• Establishes a connection
• Progressed in a natural, narrative manner
• Very little, almost no, text
• Memorization and strict timing (during videos)
• Use the laptop as your pointing device
• Avoids obstructing the presentation

How to give a great Research Talk John Krumm
Patrick Baudisch Rick Szeliski Mary Czerwinski
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• Mary Czerwinski
• Address the audience
• Posture and balance
• Memorize 7 /- 2 key points
• Build your presentation around a solid result
• Be prepared to handle Rude Q and A
• Have backup slides with detailed
  information/results
• Tell em what you are going to tell em, Tell
  em, and Tell em what you told em!

How to give a great Research Talk John Krumm
Patrick Baudisch Rick Szeliski Mary Czerwinski