The course covers the research area and technology field of Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp). UbiComp technologies move beyond ‘traditional’ computing concerns, moving from the desktop into the world, from the workplace to the home and other settings [e.g., domestic, public spaces], from purely functional to ludic concerns [e.g. home entertainment, pervasive games], and from digital to digital-physical systems [tangible computing, IoT].
The course covers technical aspects as well as design issues, and addresses user-centered design, concept prototyping and evaluation methods relevant for Ubiquitous Computing. It includes discussion of broader societal and value-related concerns (e.g. privacy, security, user agency versus ambient intelligence). We will discuss and reflect on concerns, perspectives and the interdisciplinary nature of UbiComp.
Successful students should be able to
- discuss the diverse and emergent areas within UbiComp technologies and the issues entailed
- develop concepts for UbiComp applications that are appropriate for a given use context and illustrate these (sketching, video prototyping, Wizard of Oz) as well as determine their technical feasibility
- be able to reflect on practical experiences engaging with some of these technologies from a user-centred perspective
- understand the technical functioning of example UbiComp technologies
- choose and provide a rationale for appropriate user-centered design methods for exemplary application problems
- critically assess societal implications and discuss design trade-offs of UbiComp applications.
- Critically reflect on technology visions
- understand complex issues from the HCI and UbiComp research literature, in particular, to summarize literature and to discuss it
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