UBIQUITOUS CONCERNS

Breadcrumbs: The Future of Ubiquitous computing in 2025 --> Ubiquitous Concerns

2007 – 2013 (Laying the foundation)
The ISTAG report of 2007 marked the start of a new wave of IT research and development in Europe, as it encouraged the European countries to invest into the development of ubiquitous computing in order to compete with the already leading IT development and research countries, Japan and the USA. Research into fields such as embedded technology, mesh sensor networks, context-aware systems, new ways of effectively interact with embedded systems, standards for inter-connectivity, and energy efficiency management are on their way. The infrastructure on which ubiquitous computing would rely on was slowly being founded. Parallel to this development, embedded systems were being introduced into companies and public facilities. As RFID started to replace barcodes fully by 2013, RFID tags had optimized the supply chain within many industries, and it also proved to be an effective technology to optimize the flow of people in public transportation systems, including airports, bus and train systems. In 2007, some places around the world, like Hong Kong’s Octopus system and California’s E-ZPay system, implemented RFID technology to be used as an electric payment system. Banks were starting to look at whether they could expand this service into different countries. Many companies were research what possibilities RFID could provide them if everybody would start wearing cards/ID’s embedded with RFID. Many governments were concerned about privacy violations that RFID would bring with it and inter-connectivity of many different aspects of life. In 2008, the EU and other governments started to look at e-privacy directive laws. An EU commission assessed the policy options and future legislative steps for RFID, and by 2013 a law was passed through local legislative processes that would reduces the data collection and exchange of information gathered by RFID. Governments restricted the collection of sensitive information, resulting that companies couldn’t fully utilize local-based services, unless permission is granted by the person. The impact of this law in the long run forces companies to become more transparent on how information is gathered and which information is gathered. At the end of the decade the leading research fields for ubiquitous computing was the development and implementation of mesh sensor networks, and how this technology could reduce energy consumption in large office buildings and public facilities. The mesh sensing network allows for tracking the location of people in building, and can activate or de-active certain equipment or tools. This technology was perceived as very favorable as many companies were starting to look into ways to reduce their overhead costs to become more competitive. Governments perceived it as an opportunity to help them with reducing energy consumption and help them achieve their CO2 reduction goals set during the Kyoto treaty. An additional benefit of this system was that it provided for the possibility of an enhanced level of security. Further, due to the increasing public awareness of global warming, many electronics companies started bringing energy efficient products to the market which would reduce energy consumption levels in comparison which older products. The governments were looking into new ways to stimulate the drive for a better environment.

2013 – 2019 (Green Entrepreneurship)
The continuation of Moore’s law, wide availability of optic fiber connections, and the implementation of ultra-wideband network access in urban areas enabled many new possibilities for ubiquitous computing and other products. The research and businesses developing ubiquitous computing technologies, which had been undertaken since 2007, was finally starting to take shape as new smart products. Within the time-frame of 2013 to 2019, many companies were developing the next ‘must have’ smart products. Many of the earlier smart products produced didn’t create extra value to the consumer, and many consumers didn’t see the advantage of purchasing a ‘smart’ products. Some interfaces which were developed were meant to be used intuitively, but many users seem to have found them to be an annoyance. The development of this research continued and improvements were made, while the market filtered out the products which were most favored by the consumer, and by 2015 smart products were being sold to the masses. Among the successful ubiquitous technologies are smart products which reduce the cognitive overload for people, smart floor to detect when people call on the floor, voice and gesture-controlled communications systems, and smart medical devices. Although the governments had a stricter regulation on attaining of personal information, companies still manage to find new innovative ways to market their products more effectively. For example: through the usage of infrared cameras, which can determine where people are looking at, marketing departments were able to more effectively sell and inform consumers about new innovative products. One of the major problem which many of these smart products were still facing were the incompatible standards for inter-linking smart objects from different companies. During the development of many of the products, each company started developing their own standards for the interoperability of heterogeneous devices. The resulting situation was that there were many different products on the market which could not cooperate with all other devices. In many developed countries, the banks finalized the introduction enhanced electronic paying through the use of RFID systems which allows for easy, user intuitive paying. Some of the governments decided that they can stimulate better and more effective environmental behavior of its citizens by linking the citizens recycling behavior to their RFID electronic payment system. Recycling bins are introduced containing sensors which can provide a recycler with mini-credits when recycling their products.

2013 – 2019 (Green Entrepreneurship)
The continuation of Moore’s law, wide availability of optic fiber connections, and the implementation of ultra-wideband network access in urban areas enabled many new possibilities for ubiquitous computing and other products. The research and businesses developing ubiquitous computing technologies, which had been undertaken since 2007, was finally starting to take shape as new smart products. Within the time-frame of 2013 to 2019, many companies were developing the next ‘must have’ smart products. Many of the earlier smart products produced didn’t create extra value to the consumer, and many consumers didn’t see the advantage of purchasing a ‘smart’ products. Some interfaces which were developed were meant to be used intuitively, but many users seem to have found them to be an annoyance. The development of this research continued and improvements were made, while the market filtered out the products which were most favored by the consumer, and by 2015 smart products were being sold to the masses. Among the successful ubiquitous technologies are smart products which reduce the cognitive overload for people, smart floor to detect when people call on the floor, voice and gesture-controlled communications systems, and smart medical devices. Although the governments had a stricter regulation on attaining of personal information, companies still manage to find new innovative ways to market their products more effectively. For example: through the usage of infrared cameras, which can determine where people are looking at, marketing departments were able to more effectively sell and inform consumers about new innovative products. One of the major problem which many of these smart products were still facing were the incompatible standards for inter-linking smart objects from different companies. During the development of many of the products, each company started developing their own standards for the interoperability of heterogeneous devices. The resulting situation was that there were many different products on the market which could not cooperate with all other devices. In many developed countries, the banks finalized the introduction enhanced electronic paying through the use of RFID systems which allows for easy, user intuitive paying. Some of the governments decided that they can stimulate better and more effective environmental behavior of its citizens by linking the citizens recycling behavior to their RFID electronic payment system. Recycling bins are introduced containing sensors which can provide a recycler with mini-credits when recycling their products.