Smart Space Laboratory Project: Toward the Next Generation Computing Environment Tadashi Okoshi 1 , Shirou Wakayama 2 , Yousuke Sugita 2 , Soko Aoki 2 , Takeshi Iwamoto 1 , Jin Nakazawa 1 , Tomohiro Nagata 1 , Daichi Furusaka 1 , Masayuki Iwai 1 , Akihiko Kusumoto 1 , Noriyuki Harashima 1 , Jun’ichi Yura 1 , Nobuhiko Nishio 1 , Yoshito Tobe 1 , Yasushi Ikeda 1 , and Hideyuki Tokuda 12 1 Graduate School of Media and Governance, 2 Faculty of Environmental Information, Keio University 5322 Endo, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252–8520, Japan Abstract— This paper describes the Smart Space Lab (SSLab) project toward the next generation comput- ing environment, “Smart Space.” As numerous types of networked appliances, such as A/V devices, home appliances, or sensors, are connected to each other via both wired and wireless networks, computation- al intelligence can be regarded as being distributed and embedded into users’ surrounding space, rather than on a specific device such as users’ PCs or P- DAs. We call such a space with embedded computa- tion “Smart Space.” In Smart Space, users can have their computing environment relying on not only com- putation of their carrying devices, but one in Smart Space. Toward the realization of Smart Space, SS- Lab Project is now addressing three research issues, (A)physical structure of Smart Space, (B)network ar- chitecture with support of dynamism and heterogene- ity, and (C)adaptive middleware architecture and ap- plications. I. Introduction This paper presents the Smart Space Lab (SSLab) project which aims to realize the next generation com- puting environment, “Smart Space,” which is based on interactions between users and intelligent space. As processors evolve with higher speed and smaller size, there are diverse types of devices so called “Net- worked Appliances”[1], such as PDA, Wearable Comput- er (WC), A/V equipment, home appliances, or sensors. Furthermore, emerging wired/less network technologies achieves network connectivity for those devices. Sever- al types of networks, Ethernet, IEEE802.11b, IEEE1394, IrDA, Bluetooth, or RS-232C, are building blocks of the “dynamic heterogeneous network” which is dynamically constructed from multiple different media, links, and pro- tocols up-to the transport layer. In such an environment, computational intelligence can be regarded as being embedded into users environmen- t, including the space around the users[2], rather than into the individual devices, such as the users mobile phones or the specific Networked Appliances. We call this computation-aided physical space “Smart Space.” In the SSLab Project, we aim at the realization of next genera- tion computing based on interactions between users and Smart Space, and have focused on three research areas, physical structure, network, and middleware for applica- tions. In the remainder of this paper, we present the SSLab project in Section 2, including our research goal, issues, and features. Section 3 shows the design and construc- tion of the physical structure of SSLab, “Box-in-the-Box.” Section 4 describes the network infrastructure middleware which manages the heterogeneous network environment. Section 5 presents two of middleware systems and applica- tions currently being evaluated in the “Box-in-the-Box.” Section 6 concludes this paper. II. SSLab Project This section presets the concept of Smart Space and the researches in the SSLab Project. A. Smart Space The research goal of the SSLab Project is realization of next generation computing based on the interactions be- tween users and Smart Space. Figure 1 shows its concept. 100 : 0 i i Sensor i 100 : 100 Fig. 1. Smart Space In the conventional computing environment, computa- tional power of devices in users’ surrounding space is quite lower than that of users’ mobile devices, such as PCs or PDAs. Users’ devices and devices in the space are not con- nected through network, thus it is not possible to achieve collaborative behavior among them. The users have their computing environment based on only their own devices and network connectivity, manipulating them. In Smart Space, numerous devices in the space also obtain computational power and network connectivity. The users can have more powerful computing environment which can be dependent on the computational power in the space beyond that in their own devices on demand. B. Research Issues The SSLab project consists of three research tasks to- ward the realization of Smart Space. Figure 2 shows the system architecture based on them. Task A designs and constructs an indoor experimental physical structure of SSLab. This structure, “Box-in-the-Box” is a physical infrastructure for Task B and C, featuring capacity for
Transcript
Smart Space Laboratory Project:Toward the Next Generation Computing Environment
1Graduate School of Media and Governance, 2Faculty of Environmental Information, Keio University
5322 Endo, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 252–8520, Japan
Abstract—This paper describes the Smart Space Lab(SSLab) project toward the next generation comput-ing environment, “Smart Space.” As numerous typesof networked appliances, such as A/V devices, homeappliances, or sensors, are connected to each othervia both wired and wireless networks, computation-al intelligence can be regarded as being distributedand embedded into users’ surrounding space, ratherthan on a specific device such as users’ PCs or P-DAs. We call such a space with embedded computa-tion “Smart Space.” In Smart Space, users can havetheir computing environment relying on not only com-putation of their carrying devices, but one in SmartSpace. Toward the realization of Smart Space, SS-Lab Project is now addressing three research issues,(A)physical structure of Smart Space, (B)network ar-chitecture with support of dynamism and heterogene-ity, and (C)adaptive middleware architecture and ap-plications.
I. Introduction
This paper presents the Smart Space Lab (SSLab)project which aims to realize the next generation com-puting environment, “Smart Space,” which is based oninteractions between users and intelligent space.As processors evolve with higher speed and smaller
size, there are diverse types of devices so called “Net-worked Appliances”[1], such as PDA, Wearable Comput-er (WC), A/V equipment, home appliances, or sensors.Furthermore, emerging wired/less network technologiesachieves network connectivity for those devices. Sever-al types of networks, Ethernet, IEEE802.11b, IEEE1394,IrDA, Bluetooth, or RS-232C, are building blocks of the“dynamic heterogeneous network” which is dynamicallyconstructed from multiple different media, links, and pro-tocols up-to the transport layer.In such an environment, computational intelligence can
be regarded as being embedded into users environmen-t, including the space around the users[2], rather thaninto the individual devices, such as the users mobilephones or the specific Networked Appliances. We call thiscomputation-aided physical space “Smart Space.” In theSSLab Project, we aim at the realization of next genera-tion computing based on interactions between users andSmart Space, and have focused on three research areas,physical structure, network, and middleware for applica-tions.In the remainder of this paper, we present the SSLab
project in Section 2, including our research goal, issues,and features. Section 3 shows the design and construc-
tion of the physical structure of SSLab, “Box-in-the-Box.”Section 4 describes the network infrastructure middlewarewhich manages the heterogeneous network environment.Section 5 presents two of middleware systems and applica-tions currently being evaluated in the “Box-in-the-Box.”Section 6 concludes this paper.
II. SSLab Project
This section presets the concept of Smart Space and theresearches in the SSLab Project.
A. Smart Space
The research goal of the SSLab Project is realization ofnext generation computing based on the interactions be-tween users and Smart Space. Figure 1 shows its concept.
100 : 0
i
i
Sensor
i
100 : 100
Fig. 1. Smart Space
In the conventional computing environment, computa-tional power of devices in users’ surrounding space is quitelower than that of users’ mobile devices, such as PCs orPDAs. Users’ devices and devices in the space are not con-nected through network, thus it is not possible to achievecollaborative behavior among them. The users have theircomputing environment based on only their own devicesand network connectivity, manipulating them.In Smart Space, numerous devices in the space also
obtain computational power and network connectivity.The users can have more powerful computing environmentwhich can be dependent on the computational power inthe space beyond that in their own devices on demand.
B. Research Issues
The SSLab project consists of three research tasks to-ward the realization of Smart Space. Figure 2 shows thesystem architecture based on them. Task A designs andconstructs an indoor experimental physical structure ofSSLab. This structure, “Box-in-the-Box” is a physicalinfrastructure for Task B and C, featuring capacity for
numerous devices and sensors embedded in it, extendibil-ity, and reconfigurability. Task B accomplishes commu-nication among devices over the heterogeneous networksconstructed from coexisting different network media andprotocols. Thus, applications on it can communicate witheach other without awareness of differences of underlyingprotocols. In Task C, we evaluate several service middle-ware systems researched at our related projects[3], suchas VNA[4] or WN (Wearable Network)[5].
HeterogeneousNetworks
Sensor
“Box-in-the-Box”
Middleware Architectures
App
A.Physical Structure Support
B.Network Support
Protocol-transparent Communication Middleware
Sensor
C.Middleware and Application Support
VNA WN SensorNet
App App
Fig. 2. Smart Space system architecture
C. Features of the Project
The first feature of this project is vertical research forSmart Space from the physical structure, the network sup-port, to the middleware and applications, enabling theirmutual feedback of research results. The second is theinter-disciplinary collaboration. The design and construc-tion of the SSLab physical structure is pursued in col-laboration with the Architecture and Urban Design (AU-D) group in Keio University, Ikeda Design Studio[6], andSHUKOH Corporation[7], an interior deign and construc-tion firm.
III. SSLab Physical Structure Support
This section describes the design and construction ofthe experimental physical structure of SSLab, “Box-in-the-Box (BinB).” BinB is constructed at Tokuda Labora-tory in the laboratory building at Keio University.
A. Design Requirements
The following three are the requirements for the ex-perimental SSLab structure toward the physical structuresupport of Smart Space.
1) Capacity for embedded devices: Capacity for numer-ous devices, sensors, and network equipment embeddedinto the physical element of the space, such as walls, ceil-ings and the floors.
2) Extendibility: According to multiple purposes of sev-eral evaluations for our research systems, extendibility isrequired in terms of both physical structure itself andplacement of emerging new devices.
3) Reconfigurability: For diverse demands in usage ofthe physical structure, highly reconfigurable design is de-sirable, such as arrangement of walls or room partitioning.
B. Architectural Design: “Box-in-the-Box”
Following the requirements mentioned above, we de-signed an experimental structure, BinB. Figure 3 showsa CG images based on our design. It designed as an in-door cage-like shaped structure because of the necessity ofconstruction inside our laboratory building. Devices andnetwork equipment are configured inside its walls, ceil-ings, and floors which have extra capacity for these em-bedded stuffs. Outer dimension of BinB is 7.3m x 6.6mx 2.75m height, while inner dimension is 5.4m x 5.4m x2.4m height.
Fig. 3. A computer graphics image of “Box-in-the-Box”
Major unique feature of BinB is its modular design. Ituses recyclable modular building materials, PILA, main-ly used for the booths at exhibition places. Skeleton isconstructed from combinations of frames which can becut to any length to become beams and pillars, and cu-bic connectors which connects multiple beams. Designingthe following mechanisms based on this modularity, weachieved extendibility and reconfigurability both of whichare essential to BinB construction.
1) Dual-Structured Walls, Floor, and Ceiling: Space of45cm inside the walls, 20cm under the floor, 35cm abovethe ceiling between the inner and the outer composesmake up the dual-structured walls, floor, and ceiling re-spectively. Surface of inner walls, floor, ceiling are al-l openable panels, thus users can configure devices andnetworks through them. Figure 4 shows pictures of thewalls, floor, and ceiling.
2) Modular Walls, Floors, and Ceilings: Surface ofwalls, floor, and ceiling are designed as assembly of modu-lar panels, which are wall panels, free-access floor panels,and plastic ceiling panels respectively. Particularly for thewall panels, three types of material, MDF, white board,and glass are prepared and achieve flexible arrangementof them by exchanging each place.
3) Mobile Modern FUSUMA (MMF): “Fusuma” isJapanese traditional mobile wall used in Japanese-styletraditional houses. Mobile Modern FUSUMA (MMF) is
Fig. 4. Dual-structured walls, floor, and ceiling
Openable wall panels, Inside the wallsInside the ceiling, The floor
a kind of mobile partitioner with two types of material,MDF and whiteboard. Being placed in any location inBinB, it realizes the reconfiguration of the room parti-tioning toward the multiple usages of this room. Figure 5shows some examples of use of MMF.
Fig. 5. Room reconfiguration with MMF
4) Universal Device Attachment: Universal Device At-tachment (UDA), metallic parts designed for attachmentof diverse kinds of devices into BinB, achieves extendibili-ty of BinB. UDA is a metal fitting with two slits for screws,and is used as a mediator between the devices and BinB.It enables diverse types of devices with different size andplace of screw to be attached into BinB, by adjusting thescrewing place on the slits or the combining multiple ofUDA together. Figure 6 shows an example of UDA usage.
Fig. 6. UDA and speakers attached to BinB with UDA
C. Construction
BinB is constructed inside Tokuda laboratory at KeioUniversity. Figure 7 shows a picture of constructed BinB.
Fig. 7. Box-in-the-Box at Keio University
IV. Heterogeneous Network Support
This section describes the network of Smart Spacewhich has two major characteristics, mobility and hetero-geneity. Our network middleware realizes the transparentcommunication between applications over the diverse co-existing protocols.
A. Network Construction
Network inside BinB is managed individually for eachphysical area in BinB (“Region”) and for each type of net-work (“Plane”), such as LAN, sensor network, or lightingcontrol network. Figure 8 shows the network constructionin BinB.
5
WaveLANBase Station
PC4FC4
PC1FC1
LAN Switch
PC2FC2
PC5FC5
PC3FC3
PDP&
TouchPanel
PC(L)
Controller
Light
LCD&Touch Panel
Speaker
Mike
A/Vs
LocationSensor
MotionProcessor
Illuminometer
thermometer
Region Servers(PC & FC)
Backbone(LAN)
SensorPlane
Audio/VisualPlane
LightingPlane
Camera
2 1
3 4
Fig. 8. Construction of Smart Space network
1) Region: “Region” indicates physical area inside Bin-B. BinB is currently separated into five regions, four cor-ners and the center of BinB. Devices and several types ofnetworks are installed for per-region basis and manageddistributedly. Region is enable to be added on demand,using extendibility of BinB.Concept of region realizes two kinds of “relocation” in
mobile computing environment. One is a case of assum-ing regions as actual areas of the room respectively, while
the other is a case of virtually assuming them as differentplaces with users’ different context, such as home, office,or inside train. Middleware systems configured on thisnetwork, such as VNA or WN, can pursue the evaluationwith relocation between regions.
2) Plane: “Plane” expresses a type of network whichprovides particular service, such as LAN, sensor network,or the lighting control, on the heterogeneous network pro-tocols, such as Ethernet, IEEE1394, IEEE802.11b, orBluetooth. Like “Region”, plane is also able to be addedaccording to the demand for BinB.
B. Extended Transport Layer (ETL) Middleware
Here we present the Extended Transport Layer (ETL)middleware which enables communication between appli-cations over the heterogeneous network.
1) Background: Network media and protocols amongdiverse types of devices used in BinB contain Ethernet,IEEE802.11b, IEEE1394, IrDA, RS-232C or Bluetooth.Different type network connections may be used simul-taneously in one network topology, thus communicationbetween applications in such a network must be achievedthrough these coexisting heterogeneous protocols.Figure 9 shows a sample network topology. “Virtual-
VCR VNA” in the figure is a video player VNA applica-tion, and “i-con” is an application which controls a CDplayer from i-MODE[8] phone. For A/V streaming andcontrol data communication in Virtual-VCR, and for re-mote control data communication in i-con, communica-tion functionality requires to be transparent to underly-ing multiple protocols, such as TCP/IP, IEEE1394, orRS-232C.
TCP/IP/Ethernet
IEEE1394
RS-232C
IEEE1394
Public
Cellular
Network
Cellular Phonewith i-mode
The
Internet
“Smart Space”
Embedded Wireless (e.g., Bluetoorh / IrDA)
A/V Data
Remote Control
Remote Control
Host(1) Host(2)
Host(4)Host(3)
TVCDP
VCR
Fig. 9. Sample heterogeneous network
2) Approach to Heterogeneity Support: Major two pos-sibilities toward heterogeneity support are one in the net-work layer and one above the transport layer.The former example is IP. Use of IP on diverse protocols
has advantages in terms of compatibility for existing ap-plications or connectivity to the Internet. But for deviceswith limitation of memory or CPU power, the implemen-tation of IP protocol block is often costly.ETL is a thin protocol above the transport layer, adopt-
ing the latter approach. ETL does not need modification
in the underlying datalink, network, and transport lay-ers but uses functionalities of them. This approach hasadvantages in terms of simplicity of implementation, high-er portability, and higher applicability to additional net-works.
3) Design Overview: Figure 10 shows overview of ETL.ETL is configured at each host on the network. Applica-tions use ETL interface for their communication insteadof conventional transport layer interface.
ETL adopts its original endpoint identifier based on“ETL-hostname” and “ETL-portname.” ETL-hostnameis allocated to each host uniquely. On the other hand,ETL-portname identifies each endpoint uniquely in a host.Figure 3) shows a sample of ETL layer endpoint identifier.
� ✏ETL Communication Endpoint ID
= {ETL-hostname, ETL-portname}
ETL-hostname example: “Dad-VAIO505DX”ETL-portname example: “VideoCaptureServ”Endpoint ID example:
{“Dad-VAIO505DX”, “VideoCaptureServ”}✒ ✑
Fig. 11. Endpoint identifier of ETL
ETL’s communication directing at the intermediatehosts is behaved based on the original routing tables in-side ETL. Top of figure10 shows examples of the routingtable. The routing table has values of the destinationETL-hostname as “destination”, and values of the net-work layer address to which connection is required to di-rect toward the destination as “Gateway”. As routingprotocols, several pro-active protocols proposed at IETF-MANET working group can be adopted.Actual communication of ETL has achieved through
multiple hop-by-hop transport layer communications.Sample communication in figure 10 is from application(1)on host(1) to application(2) on host(4).ETLs on individual hosts establish hop-by-hop trans-
port layer connections from host(1) to host(4) as an arrowindicates, referring to their own local routing tables. ETLon the each intermediate host relays two transport layer
connections, thus end-to-end communication is achieved.
4) Implementation: Figure 12 shows the internal struc-ture and implementation of ETL. Current implementa-tion is written in C language on FreeBSD 3.4R and Linux2.2, supporting TCP/IP, IrDA, and RS-232C. Applica-tions can use ETL either through user level library, “li-bETL”, or the SOCKS-compatible proxy server on thelocal host.
This section presents two middleware systems and theirapplications for next generation computing, “Personaliz-ing Public Place”, and “Universal Remote Access”, whichare now configured into BinB and being evaluated.
A. Personalizing Public Place
Here we presents Personalizing Public Place which weconstructed on the new computing environment, “Wear-able Network (WN) environment”[5], with wearable com-puters.
1) Wearable Network: Wearable Network aims to sup-port users convenience and mobility, adding computation-al power to users’ surrounding environment.For pursuit of users task, the goal of system in the WN
environment is to process users task in as high perfor-mance as possible in the given environment. It utilizesresources (devices or software services) near the users,adapting requrirements of the task. Thus, comparing withthe conventional computing environment, the users are re-leased from carrying many devices with themThe system behanvior is done intensively in the smal-
l devices, “Wearable Center (wC)”, which users alwayswears. wC acts as a commander which detects infor-mation of surrounding environment or users, decides re-sources to allocate for the users task, and actually allocatethem. Furthermore, it retains its behaviour by detect-ing and adapting to the dyncamic environmental changes,such as changes of resource usability after the users relo-cations.
2) Personalizing Public Place: We define “Personaliz-ing Public Place” as provision users with essentially publicplace as if it is personal. System in the WN environment
utilizes resources in environment in order to process users’tasks. Even if the resource is essentially public, it is al-located for the users with access control. Thus users canuse those public resources as if they are provided to userspersonally.
3) Evaluations of Personalizing Public Place: We eval-uated the following two functionalities of WN-PPP mid-dleware in BinB.
• Retainment of task context after user’s relocation• Adaptive Selection of Peripheral Devices4) Retainment of task context after user’s relocation: In
the WN environment, system’s adaptive behaviour whichretainment of task context in the case of user’s relocaion.For the WN computing environment, supporting adaptiveand continuous operation against user’s changes in theirworking environment is a critical issue. In BinB envi-ronment, an experiment on video replaying task contextrestoration, the overview of which is illustrated in Figure13. We introduced a notion of Commutext which meanscommunication context and carries user’s status on taskor communication, and developed a system where CSM(Commutext Session Manager) takes care of loading andrestoration of commutext in response to user’s environ-mental changes so as to realize continuous operations.
Fig. 13. Retainment of Operation Context on the Move
At the initial state, a user was watching a streamingvideo through a display device which resides in the regionA. Meanwhile, the user got a phone call which forces himto quit watching video. At the very moment, commutextis stored from the CSM in the display device into a user’swearable device, wC. Since all resources and services areavailable for resume of video operation in the region B, hecan give his wC a command to resume there. The resumerequest to the wC triggers dispatching the commutext tothe CSM which resides in the video projector in the regionB.In this experiment, user can temporarily personalize
public devices (projector device in the region B), and sys-tem realizes continuous operation. As for users, commu-text transparent operation is enabled.
5) Adaptive Selection of Peripheral Devices: In the WNcomputing environment, wC should handle resource alter-nation in response to service availability around user. Inour experiment, as an example of resource alternation,transforming oral telecommunication into visual commu-nication in BinB. Figure 14 gives an overview of the ex-periment.
Fig. 14. Adaptive Alternation of Peripheral Devices
User starts from the region C, where he got a phone call.This phone application includes sound module and videomodule. However, since only headset device is availablein the region C, only sound module is activated as if itwere a normal telephone communication.Then, he moves into the region D, where display moni-
tor service and loud speaker service are available. There-fore, wC would be notified that useful services are avail-able and knows possibility of transforming the applicationinto in higher quality. Here, wC makes the sound modulewhich was executed in the headset, migrate to the speakerservice. This changes application’s audio output to highquality speakers. Also, wC makes the inactive video mod-ule migrate to the display service, and activate it to addvisual output to the application.This experiment examines our application framework’s
adaptive performance on appropriate device alternationin response to user’s environmental (resource availability)change.
B. Universal Remote Access
In this research, computers, appliances, and sensors areomnipresented in our living environment. The networkof these computers, appliances, and sensors enable us torealize a new operation of networked appliances such asUniversal Remote Access (URA). We propose a new nextgeneration application of networked appliances, and it isrealized by using the BinB’s architecture.The application systems we have realized are divided
into three from their using form of appliances. Thesethree are described below. Figure 15 shows the systemoverview.
1. Mutual operation of networked appliances in BinB
2. Remote operation of networked appliances in BinBusing handheld devices
3. Proactive operation of networked appliances in BinBusing a trigger of networked sensors
Comparing to the reactive operation which requiresusers to input commands directly, the proactive opera-tion is activated with appliances’ own decision made withthe data from sensors.
thermometerLocationSensor
Sensors
Plasma Display
Audio/Visual
Lighting
AirConditioner
Appliances
BinBBinBBinBBinB
Network
The Internet
Proactive operationsbased on sensing info.
GW
A-to-Aoperation
Mobiles
i-mode PDARemoteoperation
Remotewatch of sensors
１１１１
2
2
3
SensorMangerModule
HTTPServer
Pref. DB
Pref. Script
Fig. 15. Network of appliances and sensors in BinB
1) Problems and Correspondend Appliacations: In theexisiting appliances operation, users need to move to theplace of an appliance and operate it by using buttons onthe appliances or a remote controller. In this way of oper-ation, users are required to know the appliance dependentoperation interface and also restricted to the appliance’slocation. Furthermore, the way of operation is only fromusers to appliances. It is not coping with other diverseways of operation such as appliances to appliances (a-to-a) access and appliances to users (a-to-u) access. A-to-aaccess is the collaborative and cooperated operation ofappliances, and a-to-u access is the proactive operationwhich appliances automatically and proactively start tooperate with the trigger of sensors.In the classification above, 1 and 2 relaxes the restric-
tions of operation interface which is appliance dependentand position of appliances. 1 and 3 realizes the collabo-rative and cooperated operation of appliances. 3 realizesproactive operation of appliances and collaborative oper-ation of appliances and sensors.
2) Heterogeneous Network and Post PC: In the envi-ronment of appliances network, because there are a num-ber kinds of network media and protocols such as Eth-ernet, IEEE1394, RS-232C, and Wireless LAN, there isnecessity of devices which append network connectivityto appliances.In our research these computer which append network
connectivity to appliances are called as post PC and con-sider it as a necessary device in our ubiquitous appliancescomputing environment.Traditional PCs are mainly used to process user’s task.
In using traditional PCs users input commands by usingkeyboards and mouses, and PCs output results by printersand displays. In other words, users use PCs consciously.Therefore these traditional PCs are not suitable to theubiquitous appliances computing environment in the senseof shape, size, and strength.
Take into consideration all the facts shown above, thepost PC which we utilized in our research is small andstrong enough to be used as ubiquitous computer. Prac-tically we have adopted Duonus[9] and Tini[10] as our postPCs and used to operate appliances.
3) Application Overview: We describe the followingthree appliacations we have realized.
1. Collaborative operation
2. Remote operation
3. Proactive operation
4) Collaborative Operation: A number of applianceshave human interfaces, but operation scope of human in-terfaces are concluded in themselves functions. However,by utilizing networked appliacnes environment construct-ed in the BinB, one appliance’s input interface can bereflected to another appliance’s operation.In our application system, we adopted a plasma display
with touch panel interface as a control panel of appliancesin the BinB. Practically we had realized these functions:operation of a plasma display itself, switch (on and off)of a light and a fan, adjust of light’s color, and operationof CD player. Users touch the screen of plasma displaywhich displays a PC’s output as a pointing device, and themanipulation of touch panel sends commands to the ap-pliances operation program which is installed on the PC.Then the appliances operation program sends command-s to post PC which is connected to appliances throughthe network in the BinB. The post PC traslates the com-mands into the commands appropriate for appliance’s in-put/output interface (RS-232C) and execute it.
5) Remote Operation: One of the advantages of con-necting many kinds of appliances to the network is remoteoperation of appliances via the Internet. By using the In-ternet, users need not consider the geographical distancewhen operating appliances. Furthermote, by using hand-held devices outside, users can operate and acquire theinformation of appliances in the certain room.In our system, we have enabled to control a CD player,
a fan, and a light by i-MODE by accessing the networkthe in BinB. In addition, we can operate the camera inthe BinB and capture the picture of inside the BinB by i-MODE. Therefore we can observe inside of the BinB fromthe remote place. i-MODE accesses the http server insidethe BinB, and commands are sent to CGI program, thenCGI program sends commands to appliances operationprogram installed on the post PC.
6) Proactive Operation: In the BinB, appliances andsensors can hold in common the data from many kinds ofsensors. This joint ownership of data from sensors enableother appliances to start operate proactively according tothe data. In our applicatin, we have realized the proactiveoperation using data from a temperature sensor and apositioning sensor.The positioning sensor detects user’s appearance to the
room, and from the sensor appliances can obtain user’sID and position of appearance. The sensor observation
module look up the preference database for setting of ap-pliances by using keys of user’s ID and position. The set-ting of appliances are sent to the appliances as requestsof operation. As a result, environment which is fit to theuser’s preferences are constructed automatically. Practi-cally the brighness and color of room lights, a CD player’sswitch, a TV’s switch, and a fan’s switch can be operated.In addition, we can obtain temperature information of
certain places in the BinB from the sensors. In case thereis abnormal increase of temperature in the certain place,sensor observation module detects it and reports it to theCD player, room lights, and plasma display according toanticipatory setted up scripts. Practically, the CD playermake a sound of alart and room lights and plasma displayshows the alart messages.
VI. Conclusion and Future Work
This paper described the SSLab project which aims atthe realization of “Smart Space”. Smart Space is an in-telligent space with numerous embedded devices and net-works embedded there, and supports users’ tasks with itsenvironment-side computational intelligence.This project has its originality in terms of vertical re-
search tasks toward the next generation computing en-vironment, including physical structure support, networksupport, and middleware and application support.Our future works include further implementation and
evaluation of ETL and further research on adaptive mid-dleware systems for Smart Space.
Acknowdledgment
The authors are grateful to members of the SSLabProject and Hideyuki Tokuda Laboratory for valuablecomments and criticisms. We especially thank Mr. SeijiroTerui (Ikeda Design Studio) and members from SHUKO-H corporation for their constructive discussion and advicetoward “Box-in-the-Box”.
[2] Mark Weiser, “The computer for the twenty-first century,”Scientific American, vol. 265, no. 3, pp. 94–104, Sep 1991.
[3] Real-Time Human Device Interaction (RT-HDI) Project,“http://www.mkg.sfc.keio.ac.jp/RT-HDI/,” .
[4] Jin Nakazawa, Tadashi Okoshi, Masahiro Mochizuki, YoshitoTobe, and Hideyuki Tokuda, “Vna: An object model for vir-tual network appliances,” in IEEE International Conferenceon Consumer Electronics. IEEE Consumer ElectronicsSociety,June 2000, pp. 364–365.
[5] Nobuhiko Nishio, Takeshi Iwamoto, Tomohiro Nagata, andHideyuki Tokuda, “Wearable network: Architecture and im-plementation,” in 2nd International Workshop on NetworkedAppliances 2000, Nov 2000.
