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A space oriented approach to A space oriented approach to designing truly pervasive systemsdesigning truly pervasive systems

Vassilis Kostakos and Eamonn O’Neill

University of Bath, UK

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OverviewOverviewBetter understanding of how to design

pervasive computing systems

A framework for analysing, designing and evaluating pervasive systems

Design tools and design principles for pervasive systems

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Truly pervasive systemsTruly pervasive systems Current “pervasive” systems are not

Truly pervasive systems should pervade the

– physical

– psychological

– social

environments

A truly pervasive system supports public access, use and participation

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A framework for pervasive HCIA framework for pervasive HCI Established HCI design foci

– user

– task

– domain

Design foci for truly pervasive systems

– citizen

– sphere

– space

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Citizen (user)Citizen (user) A truly pervasive system has implications for public

accessibility– see also work on universal access [Stephanidis

01] and universal usability [Shneiderman 02] We can say little about the particular user of a large-

scale, publicly available system but we can say some things about citizens– rights– responsibilities– membership

A wide-scale provider of information as a public service: e-democracy etc

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Sphere (task)Sphere (task) Public sphere

– a conceptual area of public debate in which issues of general concern can be discussed and opinions formed [Habermas 62]

– the space in which citizens deliberate about their common affairs and a site where social meanings are generated, circulated, contested and reconstructed [Fraser 95]

Private sphere– private issues, information and services; access denied to

others

Social sphere– issues, information and services; access restricted by

rules, conventions, costs etc

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Space (domain)Space (domain)Architectural space

– Physical space– Place: values, norms, histories

Interaction space– volume defined by a device/artefact within

which an activity is successfully supported by the device/artefact

Public, social and private spaces

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Visual interaction spacesVisual interaction spaces

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Auditory interaction spacesAuditory interaction spaces

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SpaceInteraction

SpaceSphere Citizen

Private Private One

Social

Public

Social

Public

Social

Public Many

Public Interaction Space

Private Interaction

Space

Public Space

Private Space

Social Space

One Citizen

Many Citizens

Social Interaction Space

Private Sphere

Public Sphere

Social Sphere

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Designing with the frameworkDesigning with the framework In designing systems for the delivery of

information and services, we have a range of artefacts available; e.g. wall displays, PDAs etc

We use these artefacts to define appropriate interaction spaces

To know what kind of interaction space to create, we need to take into account (i) the information sphere and (ii) the architectural space in which the citizen is located

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The design toolThe design tool

SpaceInteraction

SpaceSphere Citizen

Private Private Private One

Social

Public

Social

Public

Social

Public Many

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Using the design toolUsing the design tool

SpaceInteraction

SpaceSphere Citizen

Public Public

Social

Many

TechniquesRelocation

SpaceInteraction

SpaceSphere Citizen

Social Social Social

Many

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ConclusionConclusionTruly pervasive systems require more

than very wide area coverage

User, task, domain is not adequate to understand and design pervasive systems

Citizen, sphere, space: a framework and design tool