This thesis presents the Simple Internet of Things Enabler (SITE), a smart home solution that allows users to specify and centrally control IoT smart objects. Unlike most existing systems, SITE supports End-User Development (EUD). It includes features that make the system accessible to users that do not possess a background in Information Technology (IT). Hence, it defines a simple language for the specification of control rules for smart objects. It also provides a user interface to graphically illustrate data received from smart objects. Furthermore, we present the SITE architecture and describe the components that enable users to define, register, and operate smart objects within a smart home environment. Since deploying applications on the cloud renders many advantages pertaining to data security, robustness, and elasticity of resources, we additionally propose a cloud-based architecture for SITE. In this case, SITE acts as a service hosted on a cloud platform that realizes monitoring and control of a smart home remotely. Moreover, since most of the objects in any environment are not inherently smart, we propose a framework that affords “everyday” objects the necessary modules to measure and report their state. Hence, users realize the smart objects using a transducer network framework that supports the amalgamation of multiple transducers into a single smart object. To make these objects easily reconfigurable, we apply a plug and play mechanism to enable the clustering of any number of transducers. We propose an algorithm that dynamically detects added and removed transducers from a smart object. To assess the usability of SITE, we conduct an empirical study involving 20 participants belonging to two user groups: users with technical training (IT users) and users without technical training (Non-IT users). We demonstrate that both user groups can satisfactorily build smart objects and define control rules in a smart home environment using SITE.

The last decade has seen the scope of digital library usage extend from data warehousing and other common library services to building quality collections of electronic resources and providing web-based information retrieval mechanisms for distributed learning. This is clear from the number of ongoing research initiatives aiming to provide dynamic learning environments. A major task in providing learning environments is to define a resource model (learning object). The flexibility of the learning object model determines the quality of the learning environment. Further, dynamic environments can be realized by changing the contents and structure of the learning object, i.e. make it mutable. Most existing models are immutable after creation and require the library to support operations that help in creating these environments. This leaves the learning object at the mercy of the parent library's functionality. This thesis work is an extension of an existing model and allows a learning object to function independent of the operational constraints of a digital library by equipping learning objects with software components called methods that influence their operation and structure even after being deployed. It provides a reference implementation of an aggregate, intelligent, self-sufficient, object-oriented, platform-independent learning object model, which is conformant to popular digital library standards. It also presents a Java-based development tool for creating and modifying smart objects. It is capable of performing content aggregation, metadata harvesting and user repository maintenance operations, in addition to supporting the addition/removal of methods to a smart object. The current smart object implementation and the development tool have been deployed successfully on two platforms (Windows and Linux) where their operation was found to be satisfactory. / Master of Science

When we forget things, we feel anxious which can impact our day negatively. Some individuals believe they are forgetful, so emphatically, it disrupts their day. There has been little discussion about perceived forgetfulness in design and HCI, combined with few studied smart objects to aid with memory. However, embedded systems, radio frequency identification (RFID) and HCI research provides inspiration towards creating a solution. Challenges of creating a day-to-day smart object that can enhance a user's lifestyle are explored and recommended design guidelines for creating a smart object in a specific domain are the focus of this thesis. Using an experience-centred approach, 'Message Bag' and 'Tag Along' are two purpose built object-based memory aids that have emerged as a result of investigating the design processes for smart objects. The work examines smart objects in the context of forgetting what items to pack in a bag. A solution presented is a device consisting of an RFID system involving (a) pre-tagging essential items; (b) scanning those tagged items and; (c) viewing a corresponding light illuminate, to communicate to the user. Although the conceptual model is simple, success depends on a combination of technical design, usability and aesthetics. These scanning interactions result in a person feeling more confident as suggested through autoethnography reporting, real-world, third person engagements - single user walkouts, conference demos, professional critiques, and residential weekends with potential users (focus group) studies conducted. My work involved extensive autobiographical research and design-led enquiries. Testing was undertaken with investigative prototypes, followed by field testing high-fidelity prototypes. This involved an in-the-wild comparative study involving six users over several months. Results show that people feel more confident and respondents claim no longer needing to continually check items are packed, thus 'gaining time', and feeling less forgetful. Although the application of RFID is not new to ubiquitous computing, this implementation, styling and system immediacy is novel. This thesis presents the development of ten prototypes as well as design guidelines. The research provides a solid base for further exploration, and includes discovery of the importance of a user's style universe and extreme ease-of-use. I conclude with the presentation of early positive results including; (i) the unique form factor becomes a reminder itself and; (ii) usability coupled with the intuitive nature of the system is shown to be essential. We found that when you are creating a smart object, usability and an intuitive nature is even more important than in a standard system. When dealing within the domain of forgetfulness, this is paramount.

Os objetos inteligentes (SObjs) são numerosos e irão comunicar-se diretamente através da Internet das Coisas (IoT). Esse grande número de SObjs, pode levar a IoT a enfrentar severas condições de rede, em termos de congestionamento na rede e atrasos na comunicação fim-a-fim. Assim, o gerenciamento de SObjs torna-se fundamental para evitar futuros problemas da IoT. Em tal gerenciamento, switches, network-boxes e roteadores, também chamados de gateways, são configurados para gerenciar SObjs através de reconfigurações e atualizações de software seguidas por reinicializações nos gateways. Entretanto, a dinamicidade da IoT, causa a necessidade de se reconfigurar os gateways frequentemente, i.e., a configuração vigente dos gateways torna-se rapidamente desatualizadas por lidar a todo momento com a entrada e saída de novos SObjs da rede. Assim, propõe-se uma abordagem chamada Management by Delegation Smart Object Aware System (MbDSAS), para reconfigurar gateways e gerenciar SObjs, sem a necessidade de uma atualização de software ou aplicação de patches, lidando com a dinamicidade da rede IoT. MbDSAS foi prototipado e uma avaliação foi realizada, através de um cenário, onde o fluxo de dispositivos existentes se assemelha com o de um aeroporto. Em adição, MbDSAS foi testado experimentalmente, em termos de desempenho, para avaliar sua qualificação como uma solução de gerenciamento para cenários da IoT e determinar a melhor combinação de tecnologias para implementar essa solução. Os resultados encontrados mostram que MbDSAS desempenha melhor quando desenvolvida com uma arquitetura de acesso baseada em recursos e através do uso de um módulo Open Service Gateway initiative (OSGi). MbDSAS quando comparada a um sistema de gerenciamento tradicional, se mostra superior em termos de consumo de memória e processamento, se classificando como uma importante solução para o gerenciamento de SObjs da IoT. / The smart objects (SObjs) are numerous and will communicate directly through the Internet of Things (IoT). Such huge number of SObjs may lead the IoT to face severe network conditions, in terms of network congestion and large delays. Thus, the management of SObjs is fundamental to avoid future IoT network problems. In such a management, network boxes, also called gateways, have been configured to manage SObjs with software updates or reconfiguration followed by a warm start. However, gateways configuration become soon outdated because SObjs join and leave the network quite frequently. Therefore, we propose an approach called MbDSAS to reconfigure gateways without the need of a software updating or patching to manage and detect SObjs and deal with the dynamicity of the IoT network. An evaluation of MbDSAS was performed through an airport modeled scenario. In addition, MbDSAS was experimentally tested to be qualified as a management solution to IoT scenarios and to determine the best performance combination of technologies to implement MbDSAS. The results shown that MbDSAS has its performance improved when developed with an architecture based on resources and through the use of a module textit Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi). Mb- DSAS when compared to a traditional management system shows superior in terms of memory consumption and processing, being classified as an important solution for the managing of SObjs from the IoT.

Os objetos inteligentes (SObjs) são numerosos e irão comunicar-se diretamente através da Internet das Coisas (IoT). Esse grande número de SObjs, pode levar a IoT a enfrentar severas condições de rede, em termos de congestionamento na rede e atrasos na comunicação fim-a-fim. Assim, o gerenciamento de SObjs torna-se fundamental para evitar futuros problemas da IoT. Em tal gerenciamento, switches, network-boxes e roteadores, também chamados de gateways, são configurados para gerenciar SObjs através de reconfigurações e atualizações de software seguidas por reinicializações nos gateways. Entretanto, a dinamicidade da IoT, causa a necessidade de se reconfigurar os gateways frequentemente, i.e., a configuração vigente dos gateways torna-se rapidamente desatualizadas por lidar a todo momento com a entrada e saída de novos SObjs da rede. Assim, propõe-se uma abordagem chamada Management by Delegation Smart Object Aware System (MbDSAS), para reconfigurar gateways e gerenciar SObjs, sem a necessidade de uma atualização de software ou aplicação de patches, lidando com a dinamicidade da rede IoT. MbDSAS foi prototipado e uma avaliação foi realizada, através de um cenário, onde o fluxo de dispositivos existentes se assemelha com o de um aeroporto. Em adição, MbDSAS foi testado experimentalmente, em termos de desempenho, para avaliar sua qualificação como uma solução de gerenciamento para cenários da IoT e determinar a melhor combinação de tecnologias para implementar essa solução. Os resultados encontrados mostram que MbDSAS desempenha melhor quando desenvolvida com uma arquitetura de acesso baseada em recursos e através do uso de um módulo Open Service Gateway initiative (OSGi). MbDSAS quando comparada a um sistema de gerenciamento tradicional, se mostra superior em termos de consumo de memória e processamento, se classificando como uma importante solução para o gerenciamento de SObjs da IoT. / The smart objects (SObjs) are numerous and will communicate directly through the Internet of Things (IoT). Such huge number of SObjs may lead the IoT to face severe network conditions, in terms of network congestion and large delays. Thus, the management of SObjs is fundamental to avoid future IoT network problems. In such a management, network boxes, also called gateways, have been configured to manage SObjs with software updates or reconfiguration followed by a warm start. However, gateways configuration become soon outdated because SObjs join and leave the network quite frequently. Therefore, we propose an approach called MbDSAS to reconfigure gateways without the need of a software updating or patching to manage and detect SObjs and deal with the dynamicity of the IoT network. An evaluation of MbDSAS was performed through an airport modeled scenario. In addition, MbDSAS was experimentally tested to be qualified as a management solution to IoT scenarios and to determine the best performance combination of technologies to implement MbDSAS. The results shown that MbDSAS has its performance improved when developed with an architecture based on resources and through the use of a module textit Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi). Mb- DSAS when compared to a traditional management system shows superior in terms of memory consumption and processing, being classified as an important solution for the managing of SObjs from the IoT.

Os objetos inteligentes (SObjs) são numerosos e irão comunicar-se diretamente através da Internet das Coisas (IoT). Esse grande número de SObjs, pode levar a IoT a enfrentar severas condições de rede, em termos de congestionamento na rede e atrasos na comunicação fim-a-fim. Assim, o gerenciamento de SObjs torna-se fundamental para evitar futuros problemas da IoT. Em tal gerenciamento, switches, network-boxes e roteadores, também chamados de gateways, são configurados para gerenciar SObjs através de reconfigurações e atualizações de software seguidas por reinicializações nos gateways. Entretanto, a dinamicidade da IoT, causa a necessidade de se reconfigurar os gateways frequentemente, i.e., a configuração vigente dos gateways torna-se rapidamente desatualizadas por lidar a todo momento com a entrada e saída de novos SObjs da rede. Assim, propõe-se uma abordagem chamada Management by Delegation Smart Object Aware System (MbDSAS), para reconfigurar gateways e gerenciar SObjs, sem a necessidade de uma atualização de software ou aplicação de patches, lidando com a dinamicidade da rede IoT. MbDSAS foi prototipado e uma avaliação foi realizada, através de um cenário, onde o fluxo de dispositivos existentes se assemelha com o de um aeroporto. Em adição, MbDSAS foi testado experimentalmente, em termos de desempenho, para avaliar sua qualificação como uma solução de gerenciamento para cenários da IoT e determinar a melhor combinação de tecnologias para implementar essa solução. Os resultados encontrados mostram que MbDSAS desempenha melhor quando desenvolvida com uma arquitetura de acesso baseada em recursos e através do uso de um módulo Open Service Gateway initiative (OSGi). MbDSAS quando comparada a um sistema de gerenciamento tradicional, se mostra superior em termos de consumo de memória e processamento, se classificando como uma importante solução para o gerenciamento de SObjs da IoT. / The smart objects (SObjs) are numerous and will communicate directly through the Internet of Things (IoT). Such huge number of SObjs may lead the IoT to face severe network conditions, in terms of network congestion and large delays. Thus, the management of SObjs is fundamental to avoid future IoT network problems. In such a management, network boxes, also called gateways, have been configured to manage SObjs with software updates or reconfiguration followed by a warm start. However, gateways configuration become soon outdated because SObjs join and leave the network quite frequently. Therefore, we propose an approach called MbDSAS to reconfigure gateways without the need of a software updating or patching to manage and detect SObjs and deal with the dynamicity of the IoT network. An evaluation of MbDSAS was performed through an airport modeled scenario. In addition, MbDSAS was experimentally tested to be qualified as a management solution to IoT scenarios and to determine the best performance combination of technologies to implement MbDSAS. The results shown that MbDSAS has its performance improved when developed with an architecture based on resources and through the use of a module textit Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi). Mb- DSAS when compared to a traditional management system shows superior in terms of memory consumption and processing, being classified as an important solution for the managing of SObjs from the IoT.

Un nouveau moteur de recherche embarqué conçu pour les objets intelligents. Ces dispositifs sont généralement équipés d'extrêmement de faible quantité de RAM et une grande capacité de stockage Flash NANAD. Pour faire face à ces contraintes matérielles contradictoires, les moteurs de recherche classique privilégient soit la scalabilité en insertion ou la scalabilité en requête, et ne peut pas répondre à ces deux exigences en même temps. En outre, très peu de solutions prennent en charge les suppressions de documents et mises à jour dans ce contexte. nous avons introduit trois principes de conception, à savoir y Write-Once Partitioning, Linear Pipelining and Background Linear Merging, et montrent comment ils peuvent être combinés pour produire un moteur de recherche intégré concilier un niveau élevé d'insertion / de suppression / et des mises à jour. Nous avons mis en place notre moteur de recherche sur une Board de développement ayant un représentant de configuration matérielle pour les objets intelligents et avons mené de vastes expériences en utilisant deux ensembles de données représentatives. Le dispositif expérimental résultats démontrent la scalabilité de l'approche et sa supériorité par rapport à l'état des procédés de l'art. / A new embedded search engine designed for smart objects. Such devices are generally equipped with extremely low RAM and large Flash storage capacity. To tackle these conflicting hardware constraints, conventional search engines privilege either insertion or query scalability but cannot meet both requirements at the same time. Moreover, very few solutions support document deletions and updates in this context. we introduce three design principles, namely Write-Once Partitioning, Linear Pipelining and Background Linear Merging, and show how they can be combined to produce an embedded search engine reconciling high insert/delete/update rate and query scalability. We have implemented our search engine on a development board having a hardware configuration representative for smart objects and have conducted extensive experiments using two representative datasets. The experimental results demonstrate the scalability of the approach and its superiority compared to state of the art methods.

Physical inactivity has increased significantly over the past years, andthe advancement of technology has contributed to it. Paradoxically,domestic IoT shapes human behavior through human interaction. Aseveryday objects become a part of the Internet of Things (IoT), thisthesis aims to investigate how the IoT devices and everyday objects cancollaborate with humans to address growing physical inactivity.Using a speculative and critical design approach, design proposals in theform of physical and video prototypes are constructed and discussed in aseries of workshops. Participation in the workshops moves theparticipants from being passive consumers of technology to citizens thatactively debate and design their own future.The outcomes of the workshops are themes that critically address theimplications of domesticating technology and its future roles andfunctions. Also, a set of characteristics is outlined to illustrate desirable,undesirable, and preferred characteristics of networked technologies thatmay encourage physical activity.

L’Internet des Objets (IdO) intègre les réseaux de capteurs à Internet, et ouvre la voie pour des systèmes ou des écosystèmes ayant pour but d’aider les gens à vivre dans des mondes à la fois physiques et cybernétiques. L’IdO offre l’omniprésence d’objets capables d'interagir les uns avec les autres et de coopérer avec leurs voisins pour atteindre des objectifs communs. Ces objets dits"Intelligents" (OI), peuvent détecter l'environnement et communiquer avec d’autres objets. La création d’OI et de systèmes d’IdO fait intervenir des acteurs d’expertises très diverses. Ainsi, il devient indispensable d’avoir des descriptions standardisées et sémantiques pour résoudre les problèmes liés à l’interopérabilité et l’hétérogénéité sémantique entre les différentes ressources disponibles d’une part, et entre les différents intervenants à la conception/fabrication des OI, d’autre part. De ce fait, nous avons proposé le Framework sémantique et générique FSMS, structuré en un ensemble de modules ontologiques pour la conception/fabrication d’un OI. Une méthodologie de support à ce Framework a été proposée. Elle se fonde sur les mêmes modules ontologiques identifiés dans la composante sémantique du FSMS. Ces modules ontologiques forment l’ontologie SMS pierre angulaire de cette thèse. Un processus générique basé sur une description sémantique des composants structurels et comportementaux d’un OI a été également proposé en vue d'une gestion intelligente de la conceptiond’un OI. Ce processus a ensuite été mis en application pour des Vêtements Intelligents de sport. Un OI étant destiné à être réutilisé à différents contextes d’usage, une approche de reconfiguration/adaptationdu fonctionnement de l'OI a été proposée. Celle-ci trouve à son tour son fondement dans l’ontologie modulaire SMS. / The Internet of Things (IoT) integrates sensor networks with the Internet, and paves the way for systems or ecosystems to help people live in both physical and cyber worlds. IoT offers the ubiquity of objects that are able to interact with each other and cooperate with their neighbors to achieve common goals. These objects, called "Smart" (SO), can detect the environment and communicate with other objects. The creation of SO and IoT system involves actors of very diverse expertise. Hence, it becomes essential to have standardized and semantic descriptions to solve the problems related to the interoperability and the semantic heterogeneity between the different available resources on the one hand, and between the different stakeholders designing/manufacturing the SO, on the other hand. Therefore, we have proposed the FSMS semantic and generic framework, which is structured into a set of ontological modules to design/manufacture a given SO. A support methodology for this framework has been equally proposed. It is based on the same ontological modules identified in the semantic component of the FSMS. These ontological modules form the SMS ontology that is proposed and constitutes the corner stone of this thesis. In order to intelligently manage an SO design, we proposed a generic process based on a semantic description of the structural and behavioral components of an SO. This process was thereafeter implemented for Smart Clothing of sports. This Sportswear is intended to be used in different contexts of use, an approach to reconfiguration/adaptation of the operation of the Smart Clothing has been proposed. This one is also based on the modular ontology SMS.

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to an inter-connected world where physical devices are seamlessly integrated into the Internet and become active participants of business, information and social processes. This involves the inter-connection of a large number of heterogeneous networked entities and networks. Emergence of technologies such as Zigbee, Bluetooth low energy and embedded sensors has transformed simple physical devices into smart objectsthat can understand and react to their environment. Such smart objects form the building blocks for the Internet of Things. The communication infrastructure for these objects is based on an extension of the Internet protocol stack. Although the need for security is widely accepted, there is no clear consensus on how IP-based Internet security protocols can be applied to resource-constrained smart object networks. In this thesis  we develop a new secure and energyefficient communication model for the Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP), a light-weight communication protocol designed for smart object networks. We contribute to the standardization of the generic communication architecture by adding security and delegation components for smart objects that sleep for large amounts of time during their operational phase. This architecture ensures data integrity and authenticity over a multi-hop network topology. It also provides a mirroring mechanism that uses a proxy to serve data on behalf of sleeping smart objects, thereby allowing them to act as always-online web servers. A working prototype implementation of the architecture is also developed. The security features in the architecture presented in this thesis are based on using strong public-key cryptography. Contrary to popular belief, our performance evaluation shows that asymmetric public-key cryptography can be implemented on small 8-bit micro-controllers without modifying the underlying cryptographic algorithms. / Internet of Things (IoT, ”Föremålens Internet") syftar på en sammankopplad värld där fysiska apparater är sömlöst integrerade till Internet och blir aktiva deltagare i affärslivs-, informations- och sociala processer. Detta innefattar sammankopplingen av ett stort antal heterogeniskt nätverkade enheter och nätverk. Uppkomsten av teknologier som Zigbee, låg energi Bluetooth och inbyggda sensorer har förvandlat enkla fysiska apparater till smarta objekt som kan förstå och reagera till sin omgivning. Dessa smarta objekt utgör byggstenarna för Föremålens Internet. Kommunikationsinfrastrukturen för dessa objekt bygger på en utvidgning av internetprotokollstacken.  Även om behovet av säkerhet är allmänt känt, finns det inget konsensus om hur IP-baserade internetsäkerhetsprotokoll kan tillämpas i resursbegränsade smartobjektnätverk. I denna avhandling utvecklas en ny säker och energisnål kommunikationsmodell för Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP, “Begränsat applikationsprotokoll"), ett lätt kommunikationsprotokoll avsett för smartobjektnätverk. Avhandlingen bidrar till standardiseringen av den generiska kommunikationsarkitekturen genom att tillsätta säkerhets- och delegationskomponenter för smarta objekt som sover under en stor del av sin operativa fas. Denna arkitektur garanterar dataintegritet och autenticitet över en flerhopps nätverkstopologi. Arkitekturen bidrar också med en återspeglingsmekanism som använder sig av en proxyserver för att erbjuda data för sovande smarta objekts del, vilket låter dem agera som alltid-online webbservrar. I avhandlingen utvecklas också en fungerande prototypimplementation av arkitekturen. Säkerhetsegenskaperna i den arkitektur som presenteras i denna avhandling är baserade på användningen av stark publik-nyckel kryptering. I motsatts till den allmänna förväntningen, visar prestationsbedömningen i denna avhandling att asymmetrisk kryptering med publik nyckel kan tillämpas i 8-bitars mikrokontrollrar utan att ändra på de underliggande kryptografiska algoritmerna.