Browsing Semantics in Context-Aware Mobile Hypermedia

Mobile hypermedia applications combine the well-known advantages of the navigational paradigm of the Web with the capabilities of location-aware software. However, there are some subtleties to integrate them synergistically. In this paper we analyze different aspects related with navigation semantics in mobile hypermedia; in particular we discuss the problems which arise in the use of the familiar backward and forward operations when physical navigation in the real world is involved. Using a motivating example, we present a simple model to handle physical and digital navigation in a cohesive way. We also describe a modular implementation of our ideas in an architecture which support context-aware services.Publicado en: Meersman R., Tari Z., Herrero P. (eds) On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems 2007: OTM 2007 Workshops. OTM 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4805. Springer, Berlin, Heidelber

Perspectives for Electronic Books in the World Wide Web Age

While the World Wide Web (WWW or Web) is steadily expanding, electronic books (e-books) remain a niche market. In this article, it is first postulated that specialized contents and device independence can make Web-based e-books compete with paper prints; and that adaptive features that can be implemented by client-side computing are relevant for e-books, while more complex forms of adaptation requiring server-side computations are not. Then, enhancements of the WWW standards (specifically of XML, XHTML, of the style-sheet languages CSS and XSL, and of the linking language XLink) are proposed for a better support of client-side adaptation and device independent content modeling. Finally, advanced browsing functionalities desirable for e-books as well as their implementation in the WWW context are described

A Process Framework for Semantics-aware Tourism Information Systems

The growing sophistication of user requirements in tourism due to the advent of new technologies such as the Semantic Web and mobile computing has imposed new possibilities for improved intelligence in Tourism Information Systems (TIS). Traditional software engineering and web engineering approaches cannot suffice, hence the need to find new product development approaches that would sufficiently enable the next generation of TIS. The next generation of TIS are expected among other things to: enable semantics-based information processing, exhibit natural language capabilities, facilitate inter-organization exchange of information in a seamless way, and evolve proactively in tandem with dynamic user requirements. In this paper, a product development approach called Product Line for Ontology-based Semantics-Aware Tourism Information Systems (PLOSATIS) which is a novel hybridization of software product line engineering, and Semantic Web engineering concepts is proposed. PLOSATIS is presented as potentially effective, predictable and amenable to software process improvement initiatives

Adaptive Hypermedia made simple using HTML/XML Style Sheet Selectors

This paper addresses enhancing HTML and XML with adaptation functionalities. The approach consists in using the path selectors of the HTML and XML style sheet languages CSS and XSLT for expressing content and navigation adaptation. Thus, the necessary extensions of the selector languages are minimal (a few additional constructs suffice), the processors of these languages can be kept almost unchanged, and no new algorithms are needed. In addition, XML is used for expressing the user model data like browsing history, browsing environment (such as device, location, time, etc.), and application data (such as user performances on exercises). The goal of the research presented here is not to propose novel forms or applications of adaptation, but instead to extend widespread web standards with adaptation functionalities. Essential features of the proposed approach are its simplicity and both the upwards and downwards compatibility of the extension

XML Document Adaptation Queries (XDAQ)

Adaptive web applications combine data retrieval on the web with reasoning so as to generate context dependent contents. The data is retrieved either as content or as context specifications. Content data is, for example, fragments of a textbook or e-commerce catalogue, whereas context data is, for example, a user model or a device profile. Current adaptive web applications are often implemented using ad hoc and heterogeneous techniques. This paper describes a novel approach called ”XML Document Adaptation Queries (XDAQ)” requiring less heterogeneous software components. The approach is based on using a web query language for data retrieval (content as well as context) and on a novel generic formalism to express adaptation. The approach is generic in the sense that it is applicable with all web query and transformation languages, for example with XQuery and XSLT

Model-Based Concerns Mashups for Mobile Hypermedia

Mobile (or Physical) Hypermedia combines the navigational style typical of Web applications with the functionality of location and context-aware software. Users explore digital and physical relationships while accessing to information about their actual location, e.g. the object in front of them. Similar to “conventional” Web applications one might suffer usability problems when dealing with multiple informational concerns, but the situation gets worse because of screen size issues, the need to avoid user distraction, etc. In this paper we outline our model based approach for building mobile hypermedia applications by combining (“mashing up”) information corresponding to multiple concerns in a modular, usable way. Architectural issues are discussed and a simple example is presented together with its implementation.Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzad

Bletchley Park text: using mobile and semantic web technologies to support the post-visit use of online museum resources

A number of technologies have been developed to support the museum visitor, with the aim of making their visit more educationally rewarding and/or entertaining. Examples include PDA-based personalized tour guides and virtual reality representations of cultural objects or scenes. Rather than supporting the actual visit, we decided to employ technology to support the post-visitor, that is, encourage follow-up activities among recent visitors to a museum. This allowed us to use the technology in a way that would not detract from the existing curated experience and allow the museum to provide access to additional heritage resources that cannot be presented during the physical visit. Within our application, called Bletchley Park Text, visitors express their interests by sending text (SMS) messages containing suggested keywords using their own mobile phone. The semantic description of the archive of resources is then used to retrieve and organize a collection of content into a personalized web site for use when they get home. Organization of the collection occurs both bottom-up from the semantic description of each item in the collection, and also top-down according to a formal representation of the overall museum story. In designing the interface we aimed to support exploration across the content archive rather than just the search and retrieval of specific resources. The service was developed for the Bletchley Park museum and has since been launched for use by all visitors

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

Context-awareness in mobile tourist information systems: challenges for user interaction

Context in mobile tourist information systems is typically captured as the current location of the user. Few systems consider the user's interests or wider context of the sights. This paper explores ideas of how to model, observe, evaluate, and exploit a richer notion of context in this application area. We discuss the influence of such a richer context model on the user interaction for both the capturing of context and the context-aware user/device interactions

Architectural and Implementation Issues for a Context-Aware Hypermedia Platform

In this paper we present the rationale and the main components of a modular and extensible architecture for building and deploying mobile hypermedia software. Using some simple archetypical examples we show how to provide context-aware assistance to the mobile user, as he explores the physical world. We also show that this kind of software systems poses strong requirements on supporting software (such as Web browsers) and we explain how to provide a modular software substrate to support these requirements. This paper shows how to use some simple concepts to develop complex context-aware systems, which are evolvable and easy to extend.Facultad de InformáticaLaboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada (LIFIA