script

Ubiquitous computing is generally considered the third wave of computing after the mainframe era and the present personal computing era.

This new age of computing which is just starting is also described as the era of calm technology, indicating that computer technology will be part of our daily life, but predominantly staying in the background. Pervasive and nomadic computing are other descriptions that refer to the increased embeddedness and mobility associated with the application of ubiquitous devices.

This short tutorial emphasizes current trends in ubiquitous environments, giving special attention to the differentiation between traditional computing and modern pervasive computing. This has been driven by the development of new microcomputer based technologies, including smart devices, special sensors and actuators. Examples will be discussed which show new hardware modules (e.g. Java processors, motes and smart dust) and applications in the area of location dependent computing (e.g. using motion sensing, RFID and GPS as well as active badges and bats). This will lead to sentient computing and context awareness.