How Do Users Think about Ubiquitous Computing

In How Do Users Think about Ubiquitous Computing, Kai N Truong, Elaiine M. Huang, Molly M. Stevens and Gregory D. Avowd investigate how people describe and conceptualize ubiquitous computing applications and technology. Current systems that allow end-users to create ubicomp applications generally embody a technology-centered perspective. There is a need to bridge the needs-technology gap in such systems.

By surveying 45 participants, the authors examine how users express their ideas about ubicomp applications, specifically for the purpose of capturing event and information in the home of the future. Ideas are grouped in three categories of applications:

• provide peace of mind: to help users feel secure by allowing them to monitor their home and children
• collect records of everyday tasks or objects: keep track of objects (such as car keys)
• preserve sentimental memories from experiences: the house should capture memories of people during special events instead of people having to manually capture them

Not surprisingly people tend to conceptualize ubicomp in terms of human needs, situations, and tasks rather than devices and interactions between devices. There was a general lack of reference to devices of any kind. Participants rarely mentioned cameras, microphones, digital displays, sensors, or any other type of device in their responses.