Exploiting Personal Web Servers for Mobile Context-Aware Applications

There is an increasing trend in moving desktop applications to web browsers, even when the web server is running on the same desktop machine. In this paper we go further in this direction and show how to combine a web server, a web application framework (enhanced to support desktop-like Model-View-Controller interaction) and a context-aware architecture to develop web based mobile context-aware applications. By using this approach we take advantage of the well established web paradigm to design the GUIs and the inherent ability of the web to mash up applications with external components (such as Google Maps). On top of that, since the web server runs on the device itself, the application can access local resources (such as disk space or sensing devices, which are indispensable for context-aware systems) avoiding the sandbox model of the web browsers. To illustrate our approach we show how a mobile hypermedia system has been built on top of our platform.Facultad de InformáticaLaboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada (LIFIA

Exploiting Personal Web Servers for Mobile Context-Aware Applications

There is an increasing trend in moving desktop applications to web browsers, even when the web server is running on the same desktop machine. In this paper we go further in this direction and show how to combine a web server, a web application framework (enhanced to support desktop-like Model-View-Controller interaction) and a context-aware architecture to develop web based mobile context-aware applications. By using this approach we take advantage of the well established web paradigm to design the GUIs and the inherent ability of the web to mash up applications with external components (such as Google Maps). On top of that, since the web server runs on the device itself, the application can access local resources (such as disk space or sensing devices, which are indispensable for context-aware systems) avoiding the sandbox model of the web browsers. To illustrate our approach we show how a mobile hypermedia system has been built on top of our platform.Facultad de InformáticaLaboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada (LIFIA

Dealing with Variability in Context-Aware Mobile Software

Mobile context-aware software pose a set of challenging requirements to developers as these applications exhibit novel features, such as handling varied sensing devices and dynamically adapting to the user’s context (e.g. his or her location), and evolve quickly according to technological advances. In this paper, we discuss how to handle variability both across different domains and during the evolution of a single application. We present a set of design structures for solving different problems related with mobility (such as location sensing, behaviour adaptation, etc.), together with the design rationale underlying them, and show how these sound micro-architectural constructs impact on variability. Our presentation is illustrated with case studies in different domains.Facultad de Informátic

Dealing with Variability in Context-Aware Mobile Software

Mobile context-aware software pose a set of challenging requirements to developers as these applications exhibit novel features, such as handling varied sensing devices and dynamically adapting to the user’s context (e.g. his or her location), and evolve quickly according to technological advances. In this paper, we discuss how to handle variability both across different domains and during the evolution of a single application. We present a set of design structures for solving different problems related with mobility (such as location sensing, behaviour adaptation, etc.), together with the design rationale underlying them, and show how these sound micro-architectural constructs impact on variability. Our presentation is illustrated with case studies in different domains.Facultad de Informátic

Dealing with Variability in Context-Aware Mobile Software

Mobile context-aware software pose a set of challenging requirements to developers as these applications exhibit novel features, such as handling varied sensing devices and dynamically adapting to the user’s context (e.g. his or her location), and evolve quickly according to technological advances. In this paper, we discuss how to handle variability both across different domains and during the evolution of a single application. We present a set of design structures for solving different problems related with mobility (such as location sensing, behaviour adaptation, etc.), together with the design rationale underlying them, and show how these sound micro-architectural constructs impact on variability. Our presentation is illustrated with case studies in different domains

Dealing with Variability in Context-Aware Mobile Software

Mobile context-aware software pose a set of challenging requirements to developers as these applications exhibit novel features, such as handling varied sensing devices and dynamically adapting to the user’s context (e.g. his or her location), and evolve quickly according to technological advances. In this paper, we discuss how to handle variability both across different domains and during the evolution of a single application. We present a set of design structures for solving different problems related with mobility (such as location sensing, behaviour adaptation, etc.), together with the design rationale underlying them, and show how these sound micro-architectural constructs impact on variability. Our presentation is illustrated with case studies in different domains.Facultad de Informátic

A General-purpose Context Modeling Architecture for Adaptive Mobile Services

Mobile context-aware computing aims at providing services that are optimally adapted to the situation in which a given human actor is. An open problem is that not all mobile services need contextual information at the same level of abstraction, or care for all aspects of the user's situation. It is therefore impossible to create a unique context model that is useful and valid for all possible mobile services. In this paper we present a compromise: a three-tiered context modeling architecture that offers high-level mobile services a certain freedom in choosing what contextual parameters they are interested in, and on what abstraction level. We believe the proposal offers context modeling power to a wide range of high-level mobile services, thus eliminating the need for each service to maintain complete context models (which would result in severe modeling redundancy if many services run in parallell). Each mobile service must only maintain those parts of the context model that are application-dependent and specific to the mobile service in question. We exemplify the use of the context model by discussing its application to a mobile learning system

A General-purpose Context Modeling Architecture for Adaptive Mobile Services

Mobile context-aware computing aims at providing services that are optimally adapted to the situation in which a given human actor is. An open problem is that not all mobile services need contextual information at the same level of abstraction, or care for all aspects of the user’s situation. It is therefore impossible to create a unique context model that is useful and valid for all possible mobile services. In this paper we present a compromise: a three-tiered context modeling architecture that offers high-level mobile services a certain freedom in choosing what contextual parameters they are interested in, and on what abstraction level. We believe the proposal offers context modeling power to a wide range of high-level mobile services, thus eliminating the need for each service to maintain complete context models (which would result in severe modeling redundancy if many services run in parallell). Each mobile service must only maintain those parts of the context model that are application-dependent and specific to the mobile service in question. We exemplify the use of the context model by discussing its application to a mobile learning system

Mobile Learning using Mixed Reality Games and a Conversational, Instructional and Motivational Paradigm. Design and implementation of technical language learning mobile games for the developing world with special attention to mixed reality games for the realization of a conversational, instructional and motivational paradigm.

Mobile learning has significant potential to be very influential in further and higher education. In this research a new definition for Mobile Educational Mixed Reality Games (MEMRG) is proposed based on a mobile learning environment. A questionnaire and a quantifying scale are utilised to assist the game developers in designing a MEMRG. A ¿Conversational Framework¿ is proposed as an appropriate psycho-pedagogical approach to teaching and learning for MEMRG. This methodology is based on the theme of a ¿conversation¿ between different actors of the learning community with the objective of building the architectural framework for MEMRG. Various elements responsible for instructing and motivating learners in educational games are utilised in an instructional-motivational model. User interface design for the games incorporates an efficient navigation system that uses contextual information, and allows the players to move seamlessly between real and virtual worlds. The implementation of MEMRG using the Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) platform iii is presented. The hardware and software specification for the MEMRG implementation and deployment are also discussed. MEMRG has produced improvements in the different cognitive processes of the learner, and also produced a deeper level of learning through enculturation, externalising ideas, and socialising. Learners¿ enjoyment, involvement, motivation, autonomy and metacognition skills have improved. This research will assist developers and teachers to gain an insight into learning paradigms which utilise mobile game environments that are formed by mixing real and virtual spaces, and provide them with a vision for effectively incorporating these games into formal and informal classroom sessions