This masters thesis project, "Occupancy Sensor System", was conducted at Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden, during the period 2007-04-24 – 2007-12-17. The goal of the project was to design an occupancy sensor system that determines if there exists more than one person in a defined region. The output of this system is for use in a context-aware system at the KTH Center for Wireless Systems (Wireless@KTH). The system is important because there is a need for specific input to context-aware systems concerning occupancy of spaces and because this thesis has focused on a problem that enables new complex and interesting services. Additionally, the specific problem of determining not only occupancy, but if this occupancy is zero, one, many has not been widely examined previously. The significance of zero occupants indicating an empty room has already been recognized as having economic and environmental value in terms of heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and lighting. However, there has not been an effort to differentiate between a person being alone or if more than one person is present. A context-aware system might be able to use this later information to infer that a meeting is taking place in a meeting room, a class taking place in a classroom or that an individual is alone in a conference room, class room, etc. Thus enabling context-aware services to change their behavior based upon the differences in these situations. An occupancy sensor system prototype was designed to monitor a boundary by using a thermal detector, gumstix computer, an analog to digital converter prototype board, laptop computer, and a context broker. The testing and evaluation of the system, proved it to be sound. However, there are still further improvements and tests to be made. These improvements include: dynamic configuration of the system, communication between the different system entities, detection algorithms, and code improvements. Tests measuring accuracy of a detection algorithm and determining optimal detector placement need to be performed. The next step is to design applications that use the context information provided from the occupancy sensor system and expand the system to use multiple detectors. / Examensarbetet "Occupancy Sensor System" genomfördes på Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (KTH), Stockholm, Sverige, under perioden 2007-04-24 – 2007-12-17. Målet med examensarbetet var att designa ett sensorsystem, som avgör om ett rum är befolkat med fler än en person i ett definierat område. Resultatet av detta system är till för användning i ett kontextmedvetet system som finns i KTH Center for Wireless Systems (Wireless@KTH). Systemet är viktigt eftersom det finns ett behov för specifik input till kontextmedvetna system som berör befolkning av rum och eftersom detta examensarbete har fokuserat på ett problem som möjliggör nya komplexa och intressanta tjänster. Dessutom har det inte tidigare undersökts i vidare bemärkelse hur man kan avgöra om ett rum befolkats av noll, en eller flera personer. Betydelsen av att ett rum är obefolkat har redan ansetts ha ekonomiskt och miljöbetingat värde vad gäller uppvärming, ventilation, luftkonditionering och belysning. Däremot har det inte gjorts ansträngningar att differentiera mellan att en ensam person eller flera är närvarande. Ett kontextmedvetet system skulle kunna använda den senare nämnda informationen för att dra slutsatsen att ett möte pågår i ett mötesrum, en lektion är igång i ett klassrum o.s.v. Detta möjliggör i sin tur för kontextmedvetna tjänster att ändra på sina beteenden baserat på skillnaderna i dessa situationer. En prototyp utvecklades för att övervaka en gräns genom användningen av en termisk detektor, gumstixdator, analog till digital signalkonverterare, bärbar dator och en context broker (kontextförmedlare). Testningar och utvärderingar av systemet visade att systemet var dugligt. Flera förbättringar och tester behöver dock göras i framtiden. Dessa förbättringar inkluderar: dynamisk konfiguration av systemet, kommunikation mellan de olika systementiteterna, detektionsalgoritmer och kodförbättringar. Återstående tester inkluderar mätning av en detektionsalgoritms tillförlitlighet samt optimal placering av detektorer. Nästa steg är att utveckla applikationer som använder kontextinformationen från systemet samt att utveckla systemet till att kunna använda flera detektorer.

Recent advances in technology are changing the way how everyday activities are performed. Technologies in the traffic domain provide diverse instruments of gathering and analysing data for more fuel-efficient, safe, and convenient travelling for both drivers and passengers. In this article, we propose a reference architecture for a context-aware driving assistant system. Moreover, we exemplify this architecture with a real prototype of a driving assistance system called Driving coach. This prototype collects, fuses and analyses diverse information, like digital map, weather, traffic situation, as well as vehicle information to provide drivers in-depth information regarding their previous trip along with personalised hints to improve their fuel-efficient driving in the future. The Driving coach system monitors its own performance, as well as driver feedback to correct itself to serve the driver more appropriately.

In this thesis I present explorative work that shows how sounds beyond speak can be used on the input side in the design of interactive experiences and natural interfaces. By engagingin explorative approaches with a material view on sound and interactive machine learning, I’ve shown how these two counterparts may be combined with a goal to envision new possibilities and perspectives on sonic natural interfaces beyond speech. This exploration has been guided with a theoretical background ofdesign materials, machine learning, sonic interaction design and with a research through design driven process, I’ve used iterative prototyping and workshops with participants to conduct knowledge and guide the explorative process. My design work has resultedin new prototyping tools for designers to work with sound and interactive machine learning as well as a prototypes concept for kids that aims to manifest the material ndings around sound and interactive machine learning that I’ve done in this project.By evaluating my design work in contextual settings with participants, I’ve conducted both analytical and productive investigations than can construct new perspectives on how sound based interfaces beyond speech can be designed to support new interactive experiences with artefacts. Here my focus has been to engage with sound as a design material from both contextual and individual perspectives, and how this can be explored by end-users empowered by interactive machine learning to foster new forms of creative engagement with our physical world.

Artificial Intelligence, being recently one of the most popular topics in technology, has been in a spotlight of Interaction Design for a long time. Despite its success in software and business-oriented cases, the adoption of Artificial Intelligence solutions in home environments still remains relatively low. This study reflects on the key reasons for the low penetration of AI-based solutions in private households and formulates design considerations for possible further developments in this area with a focus on artificial light sources. The design considerations are based on literature review and studies of multiple home environments gathered through qualitative interviews and context mapping exercises. Health influence of lighting, multi-user interactions, and privacy-related and ethical concerns are taken into account as the key factors. The considerations have been validated with participants of the study through user testing sessions of a digital prototype that virtualises a home environment and explores some of the common light usage scenarios. The study argues that despite multiple efforts in this direction during the past three decades, the future of Artificial Intelligence in connected, intelligent homes does not lie in smart, autonomous systems. Instead, Artificial Intelligence can be arguably used to simplify and contextualise interactions between humans and their home environments as well as foster the development of parametric solutions for private households.

Pour fournir aux utilisateurs des services personnalisés d'adaptation en utilisant uniquement les ressources informatiques accessibles dans un environnement de cloud computing, les applications contexte, conscients besoin d'assimiler à la fois le contexte accessible et dérivés, c'est à dire une combinaison de plus d'un senti données et d'informations dans l'environnement. Contexte des données de dépendance, la dépendance qui se pose entre le contexte des données du producteur et du consommateur, peut se présenter dans un système en raison de nombreuses raisons. Mais comme le nombre de dépendances de contexte pour une augmentation des services, la plus complexe, le système devient à gérer. La thèse aborde les questions de la façon d'identifier les dépendances de contexte, représentent des dépendances de contexte tels, puis les réduire dans un système. Dans la première partie de la thèse, nous présentons deux approches efficaces pour déterminer les relations de dépendance entre les différents services du contexte dans l'environnement informatique ubiquitaire pour aider à mieux analyser les services omniprésents. Une approche est basée sur la théorie des graphes, et nous avons utilisé le tri topologique pour déterminer les dépendances de contexte. La deuxième approche est basée sur la résolution des réseaux de contraintes qui détermine si une entité est affectée lorsque l'état d'une certaine entité autre a changé son état, c.-à-détermination de la nature dynamique de la dépendance contexte. Dans la deuxième partie de la thèse, nous présentons un mode de représentation des dépendances de contexte au sein d'un système. Notre modèle qui représente les dépendances de contexte est basé sur la théorie des ensembles et la logique des prédicats du premier ordre. Le modèle de représentation contexte de dépendance représente également d'autres sources pour l'acquisition de contexte qui peuvent être utilisés dans une affaire dans laquelle les producteurs contexte privilégiées ne sont pas disponibles pour desservir le contexte souhaité pour le consommateur un contexte pertinent, pas plus. En outre, nous essayons de réduire les dépendances de contexte en présentant l'idée du contexte de profil, qui est basé sur la proposition d'un cadre ouvert pour l'acquisition de contexte, la gestion et la distribution. Cette approche heuristique est basée sur l'idée d'utiliser les nœuds mobiles dans un réseau ad hoc avec superposition de plus de ressources que le producteur lui-même contexte pour stocker diverses informations contextuelles sous la bannière du contexte profil, et en outre, fournir le contexte profil au lieu de chaque contexte individuellement sur la base sur les requêtes des nœuds reçoivent des consommateurs contexte. Réunissant les informations de contexte et de mises à jour de contexte à partir de diverses sources, le soutien aux décisions contexte, conscients peut être mis en œuvre efficacement dans un environnement mobile en s'attaquant aux problèmes de dépendance en utilisant le contexte contexte profil / To provide users with personalized adaptive services only using the accessible computing resources in a cloud environment, context aware applications need to assimilate both the accessed and derived context, i.e. a combination of more than one sensed data and information in the environment. Context data dependency, dependency that arises between the context data producer and consumer, may get introduced in a system due to numerous reasons. But as the number of context dependencies for a service increases, the more complex the system becomes to manage. The thesis addresses issues of how to identify context dependencies, represent such context dependencies and then reduce them in a system. In the first part of the thesis, we present two efficient approaches to determine context dependency relations among various services in ubiquitous computing environment to help better analyse the pervasive services. One approach is based on graph theory, and we have used the topological sort to determine the context dependencies. The second approach is based on solving constraint networks which determines whether an entity is affected when the state of a certain other entity has its state changed, i.e. determining the dynamic nature of context dependency. In the second part of the thesis, we present a mode for representation of context dependencies within a system. Our model that represents context dependencies is based on set theory and first-order predicate logic. The context dependency representation model also represents alternative sources for context acquisition that can be utilized in a case in which the preferred context producers are not available to service the desired context to the relevant context consumer any more. Further, we try to reduce the context dependencies by presenting the idea of profile context, which is based on the proposal of an open framework for context acquisition, management and distribution. This heuristic approach is based on the idea of utilizing mobile nodes in an ad hoc overlay network with more resources than the context producer itself to store various contextual information under the banner of profile context, and further, provide profile context instead of each context individually based on the queries the nodes receive from the context consumers. Bringing together the context information and context updates from various sources, support for context aware decisions can be implemented efficiently in a mobile environment by addressing the issues of context dependency using profile context

No / In this chapter, augmented space is described as the layering of media technologies onto the physical space of the city. The approach assesses salient aspects of the experience of space in everyday life, the city and urban space more generally. The chapter discusses these in relation to the deployment of augmenting technologies and modes of display associated with augmented reality, new and digital media: visual or otherwise. Selected work, carried out in relation to culture, leisure and tourism is assessed. These case studies indicate the potential of augmented reality in areas of a) urban design, b) tourism and heritage, and c) the promotion of cycling for health and the creation of alternative transport infrastructure. The main characteristics of AR and augmented space are presented. This is followed by a discussion and development of hybrid research tools and applied in two case studies with a view to providing a potential roadmap for future work in this area.

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This essay presents a study into the domain of architecture meeting new interaction design principles. The paper discusses future transparent surfaces to become programmable kinetic user interfaces, usable as information and communication channels to simplify our everyday environment. Based on the approach of using the five methodologies: Cultural Probes, Research Through Design, Grounded Theory, Star Life Cycle Model and Wizard of Oz; consistent data was collected to design and iterate on a visionary interface prototype to bridge the use of freehand gestures through motion sensing and moreover supported by RFID in a building structure on a see-through background. The objective of this paper is to unravel the main research question of how can people through kinetic interaction use organic interfaces on transparent surfaces?Several possible uses were ideated such as multiple shared user access, collaborative interaction on both sides. The primary research was answered through a final presented prototype combining a CV system with RFID for multiple and collaborative usages. User experiences and feedback makes an array of applications possible how a transparent interfaces with kinetic interaction can be applied to the interior and exterior such as fridge, mirror, doors, glass panels, alarm systems, games and the home entertainment.In today’s norm screens in the shape of a square are obsolete and support of new patterns, forms and materials are needed. Fieldwork concluded that kinetic interaction could flawlessly unite real world conditions with computer-generated substance, and become the design environment for future interactions to communicate with the user. We no longer seek to be bound to stiff shaped Graphical User Interfaces. Adding a transparent surface as background for such kinetic motion is underlying paradigm for the content to be projected into any ambience and surroundings.

This paper explores the possibilities concerning the use of smartwatches for practical use when cycling in the city of today. What is explored specifically is how place-specific information can be displayed in the user interface of the smartwatch in the best way possible, while cycling in an urban context. A design proposal is therefore presented as a means to prove the beneficial aspects of place-specific services in the context of cycling. This proposal is based on analysing user feedback upon usability testing performed on the prototypes developed for this purpose.

The appropriate framework to capture and share location information with mobile applications enable the development of interfaces and interface techniques that empower users to obtain and share information on the go. As such, the work in this thesis makes two major contributions. First is the SeeVT framework, a locative backbone that uses currently-available data and equipment in the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg VA environments (e.g., wireless signal triangulation, GPS signals) to make available to applications the location of the device in use. Applications built on this framework have available knowledge of the region in which the user's device is located. Second is a set of four applications built on the SeeVT framework: SeeVT – Alumni Edition (a guide for alumni returning to campus, often after lengthy absences), the Newman Project (a library information system for finding books and other library resources), VTAssist (a information sharing system for disabled users), and SeeVT-Art (a guide for users in our local inn and conference center to learn about the art on display). Key in this contribution is our identification and discussion of three interface techniques that emerged from our development efforts: an images-first presentation of information, a lightweight mobile augmented reality style of interaction, and locative content affordances that provide ways to quickly input focused types of information in mobile situations. / Master of Science