Architectures of the third cloud : distributed, mobile, and pervasive systems design

Abstract

In recent years, we have seen the proliferation of ubiquitous computers invading our public and private spaces. While personal computing is unfolding to become mobile activity, it rarely crosses the boundary of our personal devices, using the public interactive infrastructure as a substrate. This thesis develops an approach to interoperability and modular composition in the design of ubiquitous devices and systems. The focus is placed on the relationship between mobile devices and public infrastructure, in particular how a device with access to information about its physical and social context can dynamically configure and extend functionality of its cooperative environment to augment its interactive user experience. Based on Internet concepts of connectivity utility and resource utility, we derive the concept of interaction utility which we call the Third Cloud. Two complementary systems designs and implementations are presented to support this vision of computing. Substrate is an authoring framework and an execution environment intended to provide the necessary language and tools to easily compose self-operable applications capable of dynamically instantiate desired functionality in their proximate environment. The Amulet is a discrete portable device able to act on behalf of its user in a multitude of contexts. We evaluate the power and flexibility of these systems by using them in the construction of two applications. In the final chapter, we compare our approach with alternative ways of building such applications and suggest how our work can be extended.