Pervasive Environments and Digital Inclusion Patrick Olivier Newcastle University

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Pervasive Environments and Digital
InclusionPatrick OlivierNewcastle University
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Pervasive Environments

• Future based on Mark Weisers vision of the
  computer of the 21st century
• Significant extension on mobile computing
• Massive networks of sensors, displays and
  actuators woven into the very fabric of the world
  around us (everything is digital)
• Monitoring our activity and intelligently
  providing us with situated services to improve
  our lives

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Real needs

• Older and disabled users have a real need for
  situated support
• Health e.g. remote monitoring
• Well-being e.g. daily living activities
• Mobility e.g. contextual information
• E.g. From our actions and intentions provide
  situated support for meal preparation

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Real challenges

• Technology challenges
• sensors, actuators, displays, networks
• security, activity recognition, context
• Design challenges
• no keyboards or mice
• transformed conception of objects
• new ways to engage users in design
• tackle invasive potential

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Inclusion is innovation

• Not only do older and disabled users have a real
  need for pervasive technologiesbut
• supposed barriers keep us honest
• history of innovation by and for disabled users
• inclusion can drive the technological research
  agenda
• Beware the technologist as world maker
• Industry is hesitant to innovate in this space