Project Summary
The main scientific challenge is in the use of environmental context information and individual user context information to develop leading edge personalised interactive information services for mobile users. The main technological challenge is in the combination of ambient, context-sensitive and personalisation technologies. This will be enlightened via user scenarios. The AmbieSense project will both develop and improve technology possessed by the technology providers in the project. The corner-stones of the AmbieSense system are:
- Wireless context tags
- Mobile devices
- Intelligent agents
- Personalised and context-sensitive information services
The system and reference architecture supports the development of mobile information services that are ubiquitous, personalised and adapted to the situation. On the mobile devices one can run both thin and think clients, and media-rich web content is delivered to the end users.
An AmbieSense application consists of context tags mounted in the surroundings, mobile devices, and online content services. It builds aupon state-of the-art wireless network infrastructures and de facto software and hardware. Ambient information access for travellers and tourists.
The system delivers different information depending of user’s interests and the current context and location. The applications was tested and demonstrated for mobile users in Oslo airport and in Seville. The integrated AmbieSense applications was tested and evaluated in both realistic and controlled environments. Commercial demos are available for interested parties.
The tags can be mounted everywhere - in buildings, within shops and restaurants, in vehicles, hidden in furniture, in user clothes, and even outdoors. The context tags automatically send the contextual information about the surroundings to the mobile users who travel. The effect is that the user is relieved from specifying the context around him. Context tags can be networked and integrated with existing computers and wireless network infrastructures. Hence, a context tag is smarter than an RFID tag.
This software component runs on mobile devices and in the content service. It implements state-of-the art security and privacy mechanisms that mobile users need. A user context is capable of describing the user’s interests, his state, the social setting, the spatio-temporal aspects, and other entities in the surroundings. Intelligent agents for mobile devices
Agent technology that personalises and adapts the information system in terms of information extraction, retrieval, filtering, and presentation is also developed and tested. Personalisation is achieved via the use of the context-sensitive technology. The intelligent agents help the mobile users to get the right information to the right situation.
The project has been successfully completed and achieved:
- Innovative applications and technologies
- Publicity in TV, radio, news papers, web, and popular scientific magazines
- 15+ scientific publications