An Intelligent and Pervasive Surveillance System for Home Security

Domotics is a promising area for intelligent and pervasive applications that aims at achieving a better quality of life. Harnessing modern technologies is valuable in many contexts, in particular in home surveillance scenario, where people safety or security might be threatened. Modern home security systems endorse monitoring as well as control functions in a remote fashion, e.g. via devices as a laptops, PDAs, or cell phones, thus implementing the pervasive computing paradigma; moreover, the intelligence is now often embedded into modern applications, e.g. surveillance systems could adapt to the environment through a self-learning algorithm. This work presents an intelligent and pervasive surveillance system for home and corporate security based on the ZigBee protocol which detects and classifies intrusions discarding false positives, also providing remote control and cameras live streaming. Results of tests in different environments show the effectiveness of the proposed system

A Trust-based Secure Service Discovery (TSSD) Model for Pervasive Computing

To cope with the challenges posed by device capacity and capability, and also the nature of ad hoc networks, a Service discovery model is needed that can resolve security and privacy issues with simple solutions. The use of complex algorithms and powerful fixed infrastructure is infeasible due to the volatile nature of pervasive environment and tiny pervasive devices. In this paper, we present a trust-based secure Service discovery model, TSSD (trust-based secure service discovery) for a truly pervasive environment. Our model is a hybrid one that allows both secure and non-secure discovery of services. This model allows Service discovery and sharing based on mutual trust. The security model handles the communication and service sharing security issues. TSSD also incorporates a trust mode for sharing Services with unknown devices

virtualization for effective risk free network security assessment

Computer networks security is a hard issue, which continuously evolves due to the change of technologies, architectures and algorithms and the growing complexity of architectures and systems. This question is enforced in distributed contexts where the lack of a central authority imposes to set up a proper strategy for both passive and active security. Moreover, it is also essential to test the strategy under as many attack scenarios as possible, to discover and tackle unforeseen situations; this cannot be easily performed on the real system without avoiding either security risks (when it is running) or high costs (if the system must be disconnected from the network during tests). A viable solution is represented by the use of virtualization technologies. Leveraging virtualization permits us to set up an effective and efficient real network duplicate, which can be used for the assessment of security in a non-trivial, risk-free and costs saving fashion

An Approach for Ensuring Robust Support for Location Privacy and Identity Inference Protection

The challenge of preserving a user\u27s location privacy is more important now than ever before with the proliferation of handheld devices and the pervasive use of location based services. To protect location privacy, we must ensure k-anonymity so that the user remains indistinguishable among k-1 other users. There is no better way but to use a location anonymizer (LA) to achieve k-anonymity. However, its knowledge of each user\u27s current location makes it susceptible to be a single-point-of-failure. In this thesis, we propose a formal location privacy framework, termed SafeGrid that can work with or without an LA. In SafeGrid, LA is designed in such a way that it is no longer a single point of failure. In addition, it is resistant to known attacks and most significantly, the cloaking algorithm it employs meets reciprocity condition. Simulation results exhibit its better performance in query processing and cloaking region calculation compared with existing solutions. In this thesis, we also show that satisfying k-anonymity is not enough in preserving privacy. Especially in an environment where a group of colluded service providers collaborate with each other, a user\u27s privacy can be compromised through identity inference attacks. We present a detailed analysis of such attacks on privacy and propose a novel and powerful privacy definition called s-proximity. In addition to building a formal definition for s-proximity, we show that it is practical and it can be incorporated efficiently into existing systems to make them secure

A survey on cost-effective context-aware distribution of social data streams over energy-efficient data centres

Social media have emerged in the last decade as a viable and ubiquitous means of communication. The ease of user content generation within these platforms, e.g. check-in information, multimedia data, etc., along with the proliferation of Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled, always-connected capture devices lead to data streams of unprecedented amount and a radical change in information sharing. Social data streams raise a variety of practical challenges, including derivation of real-time meaningful insights from effectively gathered social information, as well as a paradigm shift for content distribution with the leverage of contextual data associated with user preferences, geographical characteristics and devices in general. In this article we present a comprehensive survey that outlines the state-of-the-art situation and organizes challenges concerning social media streams and the infrastructure of the data centres supporting the efficient access to data streams in terms of content distribution, data diffusion, data replication, energy efficiency and network infrastructure. We systematize the existing literature and proceed to identify and analyse the main research points and industrial efforts in the area as far as modelling, simulation and performance evaluation are concerned

Uma proposta de controle da adaptação dinâmica ao contexto na computação ubíqua.

Dissertação (Mestrado em Ciência da Computação de Clima Temperado) - Centro Politécnico Programa de pós-graduação em Informática, Universidade Católica de Pelotas, Pelotas. 2010. Orientador: Prof. Adenauer Corrêa Yamin, Universidade Ctatólica de Pelotas

Technological framework for ubiquitous interactions using context–aware mobile devices

This report presents research and development of dedicated system architecture, designed to enable its users to interact with each other as well as to access information on Points of Interest that exist in their immediate environment. This is accomplished through managing personal preferences and contextual information in a distributed manner and in real-time. The advantage of this system architecture is that it uses mobile devices, heterogeneous sensors and a selection of user interface paradigms to produce a sociotechnical framework to enhance the perception of the environment and promote intuitive interactions. The thrust of the work has been on software development and component integration. Iterative prototyping was adopted as a development method in order to effectively implement the users’ feedback and establish a platform for collaboration that closely meets the requirements and aids their decision-making process. The requirement acquisition was followed by the system-modelling phase in order to produce a robust software prototype. The implementation includes component-based development and extensive use of design patterns over native programming. Conclusively, the software product has become the means to evaluate differences in the use of mixed reality technologies in a ubiquitous scenario. The prototype can query a number of context sources such as sensors, or details of the personal profile, to acquire relevant data. The data (and metadata) is stored in opensource structures, so that they are accessible at every layer of the system architecture and at any time. By proactively processing the acquired context, the system can assist the users in their tasks (e.g. navigation) without explicit input – e.g. by simply creating a gesture with the device. However, advanced interaction with the application via the user interface is available for requests that are more complex. Representations of the real world objects, their spatial relations and other captured features of interest are visualised on scalable interfaces, ranging from 2D to 3D models and from photorealism to stylised clues and symbols. Two principal modes of operation have been implemented; one, using geo-referenced virtual reality models of the environment, updated in real time, and second, using the overlay of descriptive annotations and graphics on the video images of the surroundings, captured by a video camera. The latter is referred to as augmented reality. The continuous feed of the device position and orientation data, from the GPS receiver and the digital compass, into the application, makes the framework fit for use in unknown environments and therefore suitable for ubiquitous operation. This is one of the novelties of the proposed framework, because it enables a whole range of social, peer-to-peer interactions to take place. The scenarios of how the system could be employed to pursue these remote interactions and collaborative efforts on mobile devices are addressed in the context of urban navigation. The conceptual design and implementation of the novel location and orientation based algorithm for mobile AR are presented in detail. The system is, however, multifaceted and capable of supporting peer-to-peer exchange of information in a pervasive fashion, usable in various contexts. The modalities of these interactions are explored and laid out in several scenarios, but particularly in the context of user adoption. Two evaluation tasks took place. The preliminary evaluation examined certain aspects that influence user interaction while being immersed in a virtual environment, whereas the second summative evaluation compared the utility and certain usability aspects of the AR and VR interfaces

From Resilience-Building to Resilience-Scaling Technologies: Directions -- ReSIST NoE Deliverable D13

This document is the second product of workpackage WP2, "Resilience-building and -scaling technologies", in the programme of jointly executed research (JER) of the ReSIST Network of Excellence. The problem that ReSIST addresses is achieving sufficient resilience in the immense systems of ever evolving networks of computers and mobile devices, tightly integrated with human organisations and other technology, that are increasingly becoming a critical part of the information infrastructure of our society. This second deliverable D13 provides a detailed list of research gaps identified by experts from the four working groups related to assessability, evolvability, usability and diversit

Engineering Smart Software Services for Intelligent Pervasive Systems

Pervasive computing systems, envisioned as systems that blend with the physical environment to enhance the quality of life of its users, are rapidly becoming a not so distant reality. However, many challenges must be addressed before realizing the goal of having such computing systems as part of our everyday life. One such challenge is related to the problem of how to develop in a systematic way the software that lies behind pervasive systems, operating them and allowing them to intelligently adapt both to users' changing needs and to variations in the environment. In spite of the important strides done in recent years concerning the engineering of software that places the actual, immediate needs and preferences of users in the center of attention, to the best of our knowledge no work has been devoted to the study of the engineering process for building software for pervasive systems. In this dissertation we focus on the engineering process to build smart software services for pervasive systems. Specifically, we first introduce as our first major contribution a model for the systematic construction of software for pervasive systems, which has been derived using analytical, evidence-based, and empirical methodologies. Then, on the basis of the proposed model, we investigate two essential mechanisms that provide support for the engineering of value-added software services for smart environments, namely the learning of users' daily routines and the continuous identification of users. For the case of learning users' daily routines, we propose what is our second main contribution: a novel approach that discovers periodic-frequent routines in event data from sensors and smart devices deployed at home. For the continuous identification of users we propose what is our third major contribution: a novel approach based on behavioral biometrics which is able to recognize identities without requiring any specific gesture, action, or activity from the users. The two approaches proposed have been extensively evaluated through studies in the lab, based on synthetic data, and in the wild, showing that they can be effectively applied to different scenarios and environments. In sum, the engineering model proposed in this dissertation is expected to serve as a basis to further the research and development efforts in key aspects that are necessary to build value-added smart software services that bring pervasive systems closer to the way they have been envisioned. Furthermore, the approaches proposed for learning users' daily routines and recognizing users' identities in smart environments are aimed at contributing to the investigation and development of the data analytics technology necessary for the smart adaptation and evolution of the software in pervasive systems to users' needs

Display computers

A Display Computer (DC) is an everyday object: Display Computer = Display + Computer. The “Display” part is the standard viewing surface found on everyday objects that conveys information or art. The “Computer” is found on the same everyday object; but by its ubiquitous nature, it will be relatively unnoticeable by the DC user, as it is manufactured “in the margins”. A DC may be mobile, moving with us as part of the everyday object we are using. DCs will be ubiquitous: “effectively invisible”, available at a glance, and seamlessly integrated into the environment. A DC should be an example of Weiser’s calm technology: encalming to the user, providing peripheral awareness without information overload. A DC should provide unremarkable computing in support of our daily routines in life. The nbaCub (nightly bedtime ambient Cues utility buddy) prototype illustrates a sample application of how DCs can be useful in the everyday environment of the home of the future. Embedding a computer into a toy, such that the display is the only visible portion, can present many opportunities for seamless and nontraditional uses of computing technology for our youngest user community. A field study was conducted in the home environment of a five-year old child over ten consecutive weeks as an informal, proof of concept of what Display Computers for children can look like and be used for in the near future. The personalized nbaCub provided lightweight, ambient information during the necessary daily routines of preparing for bed (evening routine) and preparing to go to school (morning routine). To further understand the child’s progress towards learning abstract concepts of time passage and routines, a novel “test by design” activity was included. Here, the role of the subject changed to primary designer/director. Final post-testing showed the subject knew both morning and bedtime routines very well and correctly answered seven of eight questions based on abstract images of time passage. Thus, the subject was in the process of learning the more abstract concept of time passage, but was not totally comfortable with the idea at the end of the study