University Research Groups

Nexus, University of Stuttgart
The goal of this research group is the examination of concepts and methods for the support of location-aware application with mobile users. It will lead to the development of a global platform for spatial-aware applications, whose main purpose is to maintain a distributed, dynamic model of the real world augmented by virtual objects. Virtual objects are associated with a geographical position or a certain real world object in this model and contain links to existing information spaces like the WWW.

Cawar, Technical University of Munich
Cawar wants to develop new solutions for context aware architectures. Therefore solutions in special fields of interest are developed to explore the influence of context on new applications. Context information may be time, place, the user and his preferences and other information gathered. Currently there are two subprojects of Cawar, Cawar-Biz and Cawar-Mobi@. Cawar-Locator, a third project, is currently in an early project phase.

Future Computing Environments, Georgia Tech
The Future Computing Environments (FCE) Group is a collection of students and researchers across various units of Georgia Tech who are interested in developing a culture and infrastructure on campus for the investigation, prototyping, and construction of computing environments now that we believe will be commonplace in 10-15 years. Several projects deal with ubiquitous and context-aware computing.

Context-Aware Computing, MIT Media Lab
The Context Aware Computing group is interested in using "context knowledge" such as what we do, what we have done, where we are and how we feel about it, in order to interact with the environment around us. By understanding and using the contextual reality of a situation, we hope to redefine computer-human interaction.

Projects

Youngster
The Youngster project developed technologies to create a new open active mobile multimedia environment that is accessible from anywhere by a wide range of devices and networks and supports context-aware features (including location-awareness) allowing seamless and highly adaptive delivery of services. A mobile service platform was developed, and a demonstration of the new services was performed with a dedicated user group.
Partners: Heriot-Watt University, NRK - Norwegian Broadcasting Co. Ltd., Siemens AG, Sony International (Europe) GmbH, Steria, T-Systems Nova GmbH Berkom, Telenor AS

Cityguide Lancaster
The GUIDE project is developing hand-held computer based tourist GUIDEs for visitors to Lancaster. These GUIDEs are context-sensitive. In other words, they have knowledge of their physical location and their user's preferences. They can use this knowledge to display information and perform services specific to both a user and a location. For example, if a user is interested in history, the GUIDE unit is able to construct a walking tour which takes account of this interest. The unit gives the user directions on how to get from one location to the next. As the user arrives at each destination the unit describes what is being seen from a historical perspective.
Partners: Lancaster University, Lancaster City Council, EPSRC, Lucent Technologies

On the Move
Today, mobile networks provide only a small range of simple services, leaving multimedia out of reach. In stark contrast, the volume and richness of information services on fixed networks is growing at an accelerated pace. In the near future, wherever they are, people will want to use multimedia information services, whether global or local to a particular area, on fixed or mobile networks. Many different types of computers, including laptops, palmtops, personal assistants, but also mobile telephones, will help users to access a variety of networks and services.
OnTheMove addresses this issue by defining a Mobile Application Support Environment (MASE) providing support for applications running on mobile devices. This architecture includes a mobile application programming interface, Mobile API, that hides the heterogeneity of underlying networks and user equipment as well as the mobility related functions as such. The OnTheMove architecture is based on the latest research and OnTheMove is the only project in ACTS demonstrating UMTS-based middleware for client server systems.
Partners: Ericsson Radio Systems AB, Bonnier Business Press, BT, Burda New Media, Centre for Wireless Communications, DeTeMobilNet, Ericsson Eurolab Deutschland GmbH, IBM France, IONA Ltd, KTH, RWTH Aachen - I4, SICS, Siemens AG, Sony Europe Gmbh, Tecsi

UMTS Research Initiative of the Bavarian Government

mobiServe
The goal of this research project is to enable new business areas for Mobile Services with focus on context based services, taking into account migration and parallel operation aspects in heterogeneous networks for end to end seamless operational services, as well as a customer focus driven application development. The desired outcome of this project are new mobile service concepts and business models illustrated on fully operational prototypes.
Partners: Center for Digital Technology and Management (CDTM), BMW, Kirch Intermedia, Siemens, Vodafone Pilotentwicklung

CoPark - Coordiniertes Parken in Ballungszentren (Coordinated parking in congested urban areas)
The goal of the project is to enhance the use of public and private parking lots, to support the accurate addressing, and therefore drastically reduce parking traffic - which is up to 50% of the volume of traffic in congested urban areas. CoPark focuses on a high-technology solution through the use of state-of-the-art IT technologies.
Partners: Technical University Munich (Prof. R. Bayer, Prof. P. Kirchhoff), TUM-Tech GmbH, MVV GmbH, Siemens AG, Transaction Software GmbH, GAP AG

COSMOS - Community Online Services and MObile Solutions
The main objective of the project is the mobile support of communities. The goal of our activities is the development of generic services and technologies for operating mobile communities. In view of that, we establish and evaluate two pilot communities in the domains Lifestyle and Healthcare.
Partners: Technical University Munich, Universität Hohenheim, VIAG Interkom AG, Ericsson AG, Cassiopeia AG, Die Argonauten, Onkologischer Schwerpunkt Stuttgart, Krebsinformationsdienst KID, Interdisziplinäres Tumorzentrum, AOK Baden-Würtemberg, Web Consult