Pervasive tabs, Pads, and Boards: are We there Yet?
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We i se r ’s Vi si o n : 20 Ye ars L ate r
Pervasive Tabs, Pads,
and Boards: Are We
There Yet?
How far have we come with respect to commercial deployments of the
devices Mark Weiser described? This review of Weiser’s vision evaluates
the commercial success of tabs, pads, and boards and discusses their
real-world use.
I
n 1991, Mark Weiser described the most use in the real world and forecasting their future
profound technologies as those that dis- potential. We find that although we’ve traveled
appear by weaving themselves into “the a long way toward achieving Weiser’s vision, we
fabric of everyday life until they are have yet to reach our destination.
indistinguishable from it.”1 His vision
for ubiquitous computing was one where we Inch-Scale Machines
could live comfortably and more productively Today’s “inch-scale machines” come in many
because we’d be surrounded by computers that forms, from the active badges that Weiser
help us yet disappear into the background. described in his article, to smartphones, which
On the 10th anniversary of Weiser’s could be considered the direct descendants of
publication, IEEE Pervasive Computing Weiser’s tabs. But today’s inch-scale machines
examined how far we had go beyond badges and tabs to include devices
come. Nigel Davies and such as wristwatch computers, sensor motes,
Maria R. Ebling Hans Gellersen reviewed MP3 players, and handheld games. Inch-scale
IBM T.J. Watson Research Center deployments of ubiquitous computers are almost ubiquitous, but compared
systems coming out of a to Weiser’s vision, most are used less as badges or
Mary Baker number of research labs, 2 for sensing or controlling our environment and
HP Labs including the Lancaster more for personal productivity, entertainment,
Guide system, 3 the Cooltown and communication. (See the “Commercial
project,4 and the MediaCup Offerings” sidebar for product information on
5
work. Now, on the 20th anniversary, we review devices mentioned throughout the article.)
how far we’ve come with respect to commercial
deployments of the devices Weiser described. Active Badges
As Weiser explained, “My colleagues and I An active badge is about the size of an
have built what we call tabs, pads, and boards: identification badge and can be clipped onto
inch-scale machines that approximate active a lapel. 6 The badge can communicate with
Post-It notes, foot-scale ones that behave receivers placed throughout a building or facility,
something like a sheet of paper … and yard-scale notifying a computing system of its location.
displays that are the equivalent of a blackboard The system can then map badge ID numbers
or bulletin board.”1 Here, we look at these three to employees to locate people throughout the
scales of computing machines, examining their building. Initially developed by the Olivetti
42 PER VA SI V E computing Published by the IEEE CS n 1536-1268/12/$31.00 © 2012 IEEE
Commercial Offerings
T he following is a list of the commercial offerings discussed
in the article (in order of appearance) that aren’t referred
to in citations at the end of the article.
Yard-Scale Machines
SmartBoard: http://smarttech.com
Promethean ActivClassroom: www.prometheanworld.com
Hitachi StarBoard: www.hitachisolutions-us.com/starboard
Inch-Scale Machines
Cisco TelePresence: www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps7060
i’m Watch: http://live.imwatch.it/
Polycom RealPresence: www.polycom.com/products/
ActiveWave RFID Active Tags: www.activewaveinc.com/
hd_telepresence_video
products_active_tags.php
AdSpace Digital’s Mall Network: www.adspacenetworks.com/
Radianse ID Tags: www.radianse.com/products_tags.html
index2.php
Arch Rock motes: www.cisco.com/web/about/ac49/ac0/ac1/
Appliance Studio PrintSign: www.ambientweb.co.uk/sectors/
ac259/archrock.html
smartsigns.htm
MOOG Crossbow motes: www.xbow.com
Dynamax POV system: www.dynamaxworld.com/Solutions-
Fruition Sciences sensor nodes: http://fruitionsciences.com
Vertical-Sectors.html
Sifteo cubes: www.sifteo.com
Haivision CoolSign: www.haivision.com/products/
Foot-Scale Machines CoolSign_Cool-Sign
Amazon Kindle: https://kindle.amazon.com Sony Ziris: http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-digitalsignage/
Barnes & Noble Nook: www.barnesandnoble.com/nook resource.articles
Apple iPad: www.apple.com/ipad eKiosk Phex Digital Signage: www.ekiosk.de/en/digital_
Samsung Galaxy: www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab signage_system_phex.html
Jeppensen Mobile FlightDeck: http://ww1.jeppesen.com/apps/
mobilefd
Deploid Tablet PC Menus: www.deploid.com/tablet
Cambridge research laboratory, active lets the center’s technicians comply area without the proper equipment. For
badges are now offered by numerous with preventative maintenance example, certain sections of the plant
vendors (such as ActiveWave and requirements, identify equipment require a gas monitor. If someone tries
Radianse) in various sizes using several recalled by the manufacturer, find to enter such sections without a monitor,
different communication frequencies. equipment with expiring leases for or if the person wanders too far from
The deployment of active badges at timely returns, and identify idle assets. the monitor, the safety system sends
Xerox PARC led to articles concerned We spoke with Maria Agostinho, an alert. In addition, the plant can save
about Orwellian futures.7 In fact, active the center’s Director of Biomedical electricity by reducing lighting when
badges aren’t widely used in businesses Engineering, who said they’ve been able no one is around, as determined by the
today in the way Weiser envisioned, to “significantly reduce” the amount of active tags.
primarily because of privacy concerns time it takes to find equipment and have
and a weak business case. However, “increased their equipment utilization.” Smartphones
active badges have found a niche in Agostinho can’t imagine going back to Today’s smartphones act as email
industries involving safety, where using the “Easter egg” hunting method readers, calendars, diaries, and enter
the business case is stronger and of tracking equipment. tainment systems, and they can provide
the privacy concerns are weaker. In Posco Steel Mill, the fourth largest steel almost constant connectivity between
particular, hospitals have used them manufacturer in the world, is also using people via texting, voice calls, and
to track expensive equipment, and active RFID tags.8 At their Finex plant, video conferencing. These phones have
manufacturing plants have used them located in Pohang, South Korea, they’ve become so ubiquitous that networks
to enhance worker safety by tracking embedded the active tags in the hard within buildings, such as those in
heavy equipment and people. hats that visitors and employees wear. conference rooms, at times can’t handle
For example, Saint Michael’s This helps Posco’s managers quickly the hundreds of “computers” attempting
Medical Center uses ultrasound tags locate people in an emergency. The tags to gain access simultaneously.
to monitor the location of 1,500 also help Posco monitor equipment. Orwellian or not, many applica
mobile, biomedical assets. The ability The monitoring system can generate tions and services track our location
to locate biomedical assets quickly an alert if a person enters a restricted through smartphones, often to support
january–march 2012 PER VA SI V E computing 43
Weiser’s Vision: 20 Years Later
about the technology, Peterson said
he wasn’t versed in the details and
pointed us to Fruition Sciences for more
information—a direct testament to this
technology disappearing into the fabric
of everyday vineyard management.
Sifteo Cubes
As a final example, let’s look at Sifteo
cubes (www.sifteo.com), a type of inch-
scale computer used for entertainment
and education. These cubes, shown in
Figure 1, know their relationship to
one another, allowing them to appear
to interact with one another. The
Figure 1. Sifteo cubes. They know their relationship to one another, allowing them cubes offer several games designed
to appear to interact with one another. to challenge the brain. The cubes
are wirelessly tethered to a laptop or
end-consumer applications and services. or MOOG Crossbow’s), can be carried desktop computer that coordinates the
Smartphones know their location and with the item being sensed, such game and provides sound. This type
react accordingly. Phones can display as when the mote is monitoring a of device is one we could see sprinkled
maps with a pin to show the phone’s piece of equipment or a shipping about the environment and left behind
current location and can help their container. In this capacity, they act a for others to use because it isn’t as
owners navigate to other locations. They bit like a smartphone or active badge. personal as many of the others.
can show restaurants, gas stations, and However, they can also be positioned
other points of interest near the phone’s in the environment—to monitor the Assessment: Mixed Results
current location. They can show us geological activity of a volcano, for The inch-scale computer has come
where our friends are located, where example, or a grapevine in a vineyard. the furthest in achieving the ubiquity
people with similar interests congregate, Fruition Sciences is attaching sensor Weiser envisioned. The active-badge
what businesses they patronize, and nodes to grapevines, connecting concept itself is far from ubiquitous
even what they’re doing. the sensors via a mesh network and but has found a niche in specific
providing winemakers with a dashboard applications such as tracking things as
Car Navigation Systems to help them better care for their grapes opposed to people—or tracking people
Car navigation systems also exhibit the (http://fruitionsciences.com). Sap- in hazardous environments. Smart
navigation functions just described and flow sensors, installed on the vines, dust takes the active-badge concept
are technically inch-scale computers. send wireless readings of how much a step further, allowing more sensing
Most car navigation systems obtain water is moving through the vine—its capability in a somewhat smaller
their location from satellites and don’t “transpiration rate.” The system also package. It too has found a niche—
have a communication capability to collects information from weather again monitoring things as opposed to
disclose their location externally, so stations positioned throughout the people. Navigation devices are common
they suffer less from privacy concerns. vineyard. The data is aggregated into in cars and, unlike active badges and
They represent an appliance that has a reporting tool to help the winemaker sensor motes, are used by consumers to
disappeared into the background (more so manage the vineyard, determining get from one location to another—even
than smartphones) for drivers in familiar whether, when, and how much to by consumers who aren’t necessarily
and unfamiliar areas alike. However, irrigate the vines. comfortable with computers.
despite these advantages, car navigation Austin Peterson, Ovid Napa Valley’s Mobile phones, however, have clearly
systems compete with smartphones, winemaker, has used this system since achieved the distinction of becoming
and smartphones offer many additional 2008. He says that the system “is an ubiquitous in the past 20 years.
features beyond navigation. incredible tool and tremendously As of November 2010, in the US,
helpful. It allows better control of the 234 million Americans aged 13 and
Smart Dust irrigation system to meet the needs of older use a mobile phone, and more
Smart dust, 9 best exemplified by the grapevines and improve the quality than 61 million use a smartphone.10
sensor motes (for example, Arch Rock’s of the fruit.” Interestingly, when asked In addition to providing the types of
44 PER VA SI V E computing www.computer.org/pervasive
capabilities available on an active badge, from room to room, then the pad was copies, and it’s much easier to avoid
a sensor mote, or a navigation device, a failure. Weiser’s standard for success the copious advertising found in print.
mobile phones also provide the killer might have been a bit high, considering Also, he finds it easier to scroll through
app—the ability to communicate with that, by this standard, a pad of paper the news stories electronically than
anyone wherever you happen to be (as would be a failure. to search the paper layout to find the
long as you have wireless coverage). The headlines of interest. He notes, “there’s
mobile phone has achieved the goal of Reading Appliances a lot less news in a newspaper than you’d
ubiquity, although perhaps not the goal Today, many foot-scale devices are think, and this becomes apparent when
of fading entirely into the background. available. We have reading appliances, you access the news from an electronic
Weiser’s vision also included an such as the Amazon Kindle, introduced reader.” Interestingly, he only reads
expectation that computing devices in 2007, and the Barnes & Noble Nook, electronic newspapers in the kitchen in
would move away from being personal introduced in 2009. the morning, in the same way he used
to being environmental. On this People no longer think of their readers to read the print newspaper. Other
dimension, inch-scale computers have as computers. They pick them up and periodicals—ones that benefit from
had mixed results. Some applications, naturally turn them on (instead of color graphics, sound, and videos—he
such as smart dust and environmental opening them), click a button or touch reads anywhere, whenever convenient,
sensing, are clearly nonpersonal the screen (instead of turning the page) on a tablet computer.
devices, deployed throughout a limited and annotate them (instead of writing
environment. On the other hand, notes in the margin). Sharing books is Pad-Style Appliances
smartphones are very personal devices, both easier and harder. It’s surprisingly Pad-style appliances include Apple’s
akin to a wallet. These devices aren’t easy to share annotations, especially iPad and Samsung’s Galaxy Tablet,
left lying around, except by accident. from some readers. It’s more difficult both introduced in 2010. Businesses
As we look into the future, we to share a book, but it’s becoming easier have started to integrate these devices
anticipate that smartphones will to check one out from the library. into their operations.
continue to increase their capabilities Content isn’t universally available, One example is Jeppensen’s Mobile
and their foothold in our lives. We expect but it’s becoming more common. FliteDeck, which provides a mobile-
to see more smartphones being used to Book publishers are publishing many, enabled paperless application for pilots
pay bills in the US, such as the recent but not all, books electronically, (see Figure 2). The system provides
beta test at Starbucks.11 (This is already and newspapers and magazines are images, dynamic flight data, and an
common in other countries.) We expect publishing electronically as well extensive global chart library. The
smartphones to become more aware of as on paper. In late 2009, Amazon system eliminates, for instance, the
social and environmental context and announced that sales of electronic error-prone and time-consuming need
to adapt their behavior and the services books exceeded sales of paper books for pilots to update daily their cockpit
they provide accordingly. We also expect on Christmas day.12 Although that was binders of information regarding
to see more integration of smartphones probably anomalous because of the changes to landing and take-off
with enterprise business applications as holiday, it was a sign of things to come instructions for airports around the
well as more use of smartphones instead and a trend that has continued.13 world. The application is designed
of laptops for a variety of business Wendell Baker, a computer scientist to work on an Apple iPad and is a
applications, including email. employed by a San Francisco Bay-Area good example of how businesses are
Internet search company, began reading exploiting such devices.
Foot-Scale Machines
The second scale of machines that
Weiser identified is the foot-scale People no longer think of their readers as
machine—one that acts like a cross
between a piece of paper and a laptop computers. They pick them up and naturally
computer. Weiser described these
machines as having a paper-sized screen touch the screen (instead of turning the page).
that could be used to extend the work
area of a traditional computer screen. newspapers and other periodicals on Assessment: Not Yet “Scrap”
His view was that they would be left his Kindle several years ago and ceased Computers
scattered about a home or office to be reading paper copies. He explained to Today, foot-scale devices are typically
used at will. He argued that if people us that the form factor of the electronic personal devices, owned and oper-
felt the need to carry such a pad around reader is more convenient than paper ated by individuals or shared among
january–march 2012 PER VA SI V E computing 45
Weiser’s Vision: 20 Years Later
closer to Weiser’s vision as prices
come down and as cloud computing
becomes more useful is unclear. The
limited success of community bicycle
and car programs is a testament to the
fact that people like to “own” their
mobile equipment.
As we look to the future, we expect
foot-scale devices to become even more
pervasive. As prices come down, more
paper-based reading material will
be accessed digitally. In particular,
more students will start using electronic
textbooks in the coming decade—in
fact, several communities are already
exploring this option.14
The foot-scale machine is immature.
People are using these machines
differently from what they expected
when they purchased them. In addition,
businesses are still figuring out how to
integrate them into their enterprise.
Consequently, we expect this market
to evolve over time, and foot-scale
machines should eventually gain
significant market share over laptop
computers.
Yard-Scale Machines
Weiser also envisioned the “board,”
intended to serve as a video screen,
bulletin board, or whiteboard in
the home or office. The board had a
large screen, approximately 40 × 60
inches, controlled by both a keyboard
and an electronic pen. Numerous
Figure 2. The FliteDeck application. This mobile-enabled paperless application for
prototypes were placed around the
pilots provides images, dynamic flight data, and an extensive global chart library.
offices at Xerox PARC, allowing
researchers to experiment with them.
family members. They might be left personal devices, carried from place Weiser envisioned these boards serving
laying on a coffee table, but they’re to place. as collaboration tools. In fact, the
not so numerous that they can be used Foot-scale devices are on track to boards at Xerox PARC were used
as the “scrap” computers Weiser en- fade into the fabric of everyday life, for impromptu collaboration, even
visioned, left behind for the next per- but they might never reach Weiser’s occasionally between labs separated
son. Except for some in situ business ultimate goal of being used like a by the Atlantic Ocean.
uses, such as the Deploid, tablets tend sheet of paper. Because most people
to be carried from location to location tend to have just one or two foot- Interactive Whiteboards
by their owners. High prices and cus- scale devices, they don’t “spread Several companies around the world
tomization (by way of downloaded the many parts of the many tasks manufacture yard-scale devices similar
apps) play a part in this. Until it be- of the day out in front” of them as to those prototyped by Weiser and his
comes trivial to access our personal Weiser envisioned.1 Instead, they use colleagues at Xerox PARC—including
environments and activities from any these devices as readers and as more SMART Board, Promethean, and
machine, we expect pads to remain portable laptops. Whether we’ll move Hitachi’s StarBoard. These systems
46 PER VA SI V E computing www.computer.org/pervasive
offer an interactive whiteboard that lets teachers create dynamic lessons and vivid multimedia presentations. They support team collaboration and allow notations using electronic ink. Although the boards are rarely seen in homes and aren’t extensively available in corporate offices, they’re becoming more common in school classrooms. Linda Guzzo, a fifth-grade teacher at Kensico School in Valhalla, NY, explained to us that the board makes her classroom more interactive by letting students manipulate objects on the board through a touch-screen display. She thinks that the board makes learning fun and more like the technologies that the kids use at home (see Figure 3). “The board has changed the way I teach and the way my students Figure 3. A teacher and student focus on math using an interactive whiteboard. Such learn,” said Guzzo. boards are becoming more common in schools. For students, the technology behind the boards fades into the background. team. He explains, “Smart Boards have video and call signals to provide secure The students don’t think of the board changed our meetings. We’re able to and confidential communication. as a computer—just as a fun way get on topic, pull up a 3D model, show These screens support face-to-face to learn. Guzzo explained that the the problem, and quickly get others meetings without requiring time- teachers know very well that there’s a on board. Everyone in the room can consuming and costly air travel. Shared computer running the board because quickly understand what the issue is materials such as slides and documents they have to “program” the lesson and collaborate on resolving it.”15 Once are typically displayed on an additional plans. Guzzo seemed amazed at the all parties have agreed on a solution, the screen or in the same manner as the board’s capabilities and is continually team uses the board to sign off on participants—with the camera focused learning more ways to use it in her the plans right on the screen. By the time on the materials. In essence, they’re classroom. She envisions using the the parties return to their offices, they acting as video displays to bring people board to collaborate with children in have a copy of the new plans waiting on together. other countries. their computer. This type of technology Furthermore, computing moves into Some boards have integrated has also proven effective in helping the background in these systems, at handheld units for each student that to manage complex projects. Turner least when the technology is working as let the students respond to a prompt, attributes a US$2 million savings on designed. Participants in high-quality such as a quiz. These devices let the one project to the use of technologies telepresence meetings can focus on the teacher quickly see how well each including SMART boards. meeting and the people on the other student is grasping the material. side of the world without focusing They begin to support Weiser’s view Telepresence on the technology that’s enabling the of devices interoperating with one Although yard-scale displays in meeting. another, but we still have a long way corporate offices aren’t widely to go. Although these boards have used as the interactive, collaborative Dynamic Billboards been used mostly in schools, some “whiteboards” that Weiser envisioned, Yard-scale devices that offer specialized companies have adopted them as well. they’re used extensively in this output-only display functionality are Turner Construction Company uses environment as telecommunications commonplace today in transportation Smart Board technology to enhance products. For example, Cisco’s Tele- centers, retail centers, entertainment their building process, making it more Presence and Polycom’s RealPresence venues, and similar locations where efficient and of a higher quality.15 Dan use large displays and advanced people congregate. These devices Gramer is a national manager with the computing techniques, such as and software packages are offered Turner’s Integrated Building Solutions automatically encrypting both the by numerous companies, including january–march 2012 PER VA SI V E computing 47
Weiser’s Vision: 20 Years Later
Adspace Digital’s Mall Network, For example, at Priscilla of Boston deployment in less protected spaces.
Appl ia nc e St ud io’s Pr i nt Sig n , Bridal Salons, these displays are used for We expect to see more personalized
Dynamax’s POV system, Haivision’s browsing through selections of gowns content appear on large, public displays
CoolSign, and Sony’s Ziris. and for exploring and configuring based upon information available from
Essentially, these systems are options. Customers use the displays the inch-scale computers we carry
dynamic billboards that let their directly or with a sales assistant. with us. We also expect to see better
owners update content more readily This is especially helpful with brides integration of telepresence functionality
than a billboard, potentially at the maids as “bringing in a group of with the ability to collaborate over
granularity of seconds. Train stations picky gals can wreak havoc on an content, all on the same screen, as if the
and airports can list departure and appointment if they can’t agree on participants were all standing together
arrival times, platforms or gates, and the cut and color of their dresses. But around the same whiteboard.
status updates. Shopping malls can the TouchSmart screens let the entire
display advertisements that change group browse and choose colors, while Connectivity
every few seconds. Restaurants can seeing the transformation take place in Weiser looked forward to a world
update menus throughout the course front of their eyes.”16 Motorbike and where many devices were blended
of the day. Sporting venues use these automotive dealers similarly use large into our environment, communicating
displays for scoreboards but can interactive displays for demonstrating seamlessly with the environment and
also show instant replays or in-depth and selecting different options. These each other. To achieve his vision,
coverage of athletes. Although more displays represent a blurring of the now Weiser described a need for multiple
limited in capability than the yard- almost-ubiquitous digital signage with network connections. He foresaw
scale devices Weiser envisioned, they the functionality of a kiosk. the need for “three different network
effectively disseminate information. connections: tiny-range wireless, long-
Assessment: Slower, range wireless, and very high-speed
Interactive Kiosks Specialized Adoption wired.”1
Interactive yard-scale displays are also Yard-scale devices have achieved a Today, we indeed have multiple
beginning to appear. Devices, such as slower and more specialized adoption network connections for many of
the Phex from eKiosk, permit interactive than their inch-scale or foot-scale our mobile devices. We have cellular,
use as well as the more standard counterparts, but they have remained Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and near-field
information dissemination use dis close to Weiser’s original vision. Retail communication (NFC), providing
cussed earlier. These kiosks are used in stores use them as bulletin boards. communication across long distances
airports for ticketing and check-in, in Schools use them as collaboration as well as very short ones.
businesses as a virtual receptionist and tools. Corporations use them as Cellular communications are a long-
for wayfinding (including the ability video screens, but currently more for range (kilometers) wireless technology
to connect to the host via telephone), connecting people than for interactive that allows mobile transceiver units
and for tourism and in hotels to help collaboration over content. They to communicate with stationary
visitors find locations and amenities achieve these functions while hiding “cell towers.” The cell towers are placed
and make reservations independent of the computers inside—shoppers focus across a large geographic area and
time and place. on the purchase, students focus on support mobile transceivers moving
across cells during transmissions.
Cellular phone service companies
commonly provide these networks.
Yard-scale devices achieve these functions while Wi-Fi connections are medium-range
(many meters) wireless technology
hiding the computers inside—shoppers focus on the based on the IEEE 802.11 standards
(www.wi-fi.org). Wi-Fi networks
purchase, students focus on the educational activity. provide a wireless local area network
(W LAN), essentially a wireless
Large touch-screen displays are also the educational activity, and meeting alternative to a traditional Ethernet.
appearing in smaller retail environments participants focus on the discussion. Bluetooth connections support
to provide an “endless aisle”—a way to As we look to the future, we expect short-range (a few meters) wireless
expand the sales function beyond even more yard-scale devices to appear communication between two devices,
the physical boundaries of the store as prices come down and as the such as mobile phones, headsets,
or the immediately accessible stock. hardware becomes rugged enough for laptops, printers, and handheld game
48 PER VA SI V E computing www.computer.org/pervasive
controllers (http://bluetooth.org). Assessment: Lacking Device our ability to connect devices with ease
Bluetooth connections require pairing Interoperability and security is moved into commercially
the two devices. Although Weiser correctly predicted available offerings, we won’t achieve
NFC is a tiny-range (a few centimeters) today’s varied ranges and types Weiser’s vision of devices cooperating to
wireless technology that has been of connectivity, current reality in make people’s lives easier.
standardized to enable easy two-
way interactions between electronic
devices.17 By simply touching a device The reality is that our ubiquitous computing
such as a smartphone to a poster or
other object with an embedded NFC devices are largely disconnected from one another
chip, a user can access content, transfer
data, or perform a transaction such and rarely interoperable.
W
as choosing a menu item or making a
payment. connectivity also differs somewhat eiser believed that
In addition, as Weiser predicted, from his vision. First, Weiser focused ubiquitous computing
most mobile devices can connect with more on the connectivity of devices would “gradually emerge
other computers via a wired cable. and less on the connectivity of people as the dominant mode of
that we see today. computer access over the next 20 years.”1
Restaurants and Second, Weiser’s vision of inter As we review our commercial progress
Customer Loyalty connectedness between these devices toward Weiser’s vision, we see great
CustomerIn Systems has developed and between the devices and their strides have been made in building the
an NFC-based solution called The environment has been difficult to required appliances and infrastructure.
Connected Restaurant to “reinvent achieve. Today, these connections are Yet Weiser also described a room
the restaurant dining experience at used mostly for accessing personal where, “depending on [the purpose
a time when industry profitability is productivity applications (such as of] the room, you may see more than
under siege.”18 The goal is to improve email, contacts, and calendars), 100 tabs, 10 or 20 pads and one or two
customer service without requiring infrastructure providing services and boards.”1 We have clearly not achieved
more work from the restaurant staff, entertainment (such as app stores and this scale yet. A technologically-
all while speeding up table turnover. social networking sites), and personal advanced room might have one board
Customers entering the restaurant can communications (such as texting, phone and might have as many pads and
tap their phones against a poster with calls, and video conferencing). For tabs as there are people in the room—
an embedded NFC chip, which lets them example, smartphones are widely used but this is a far cry from Weiser’s
download the Connected Restaurant to keep track of incoming email and to description. People still very much
application. They can then use this app communicate with business associates “own” the mobile devices they use,
to check in at the restaurant and ask for a and family alike. They’re almost even if they might share them with
particular table. While waiting, they can ubiquitously connected to a carrier’s or family members or students in their
read the menu, see customer reviews of enterprise’s infrastructure, but they’re classrooms. To achieve this aspect
menu items, and order. They’re alerted not well connected to each other. of Weiser’s vision, we need to make
when their table is ready, and at the table We still can’t easily move content be- computers much less expensive, change
they can also touch their phones to items tween our phones, tablets, and boards. the way people think about and interact
on an NFC-enabled menu to get a list of Reasons for this are varied. One aspect with these devices, and change the way
ingredients or a calorie count for a dish. of the problem revolves around com- content is made available on the device.
Finally, they can use the app to pay for munication: It’s challenging to integrate Weiser also pointed out that “the
their meal. carrier networks and locally owned real power of the concept comes not
Competing solutions, such as Enable networks both easily and securely. from any one of these devices—it
Table, also let diners with NFC- Other problems include vendor lock-in emerges from the interaction of all of
enabled phones pick up and redeem and incompatibilities between devices them.”1 Although these devices are
coupons and find information about sold by different companies. Unfortu- heavily used to connect people with
daily deals, thus increasing customer nately, the missing interconnectedness each other—perhaps more so than
loyalty.19 Furthermore, restaurant described in Weiser’s article is key to Weiser predicted—the reality is that
owners can track service times at his vision. our ubiquitous computing devices
particular tables and the popularity of Researchers today are actively working are largely disconnected from one
various dishes. to create an “Internet of Things.”20 Until another and rarely interoperable.
january–march 2012 PER VA SI V E computing 49
Weiser’s Vision: 20 Years Later
the Authors 12. “Amazon Kindle is the Most Gifted
Item Ever on Amazon.com,” Amaz on .
Maria R. Ebling is a research staff member and senior manager at the IBM T.J. c o m , 2 6 D e c . 2 0 0 9 ; h t t p : / / phx.
Watson Research Center. Her interests are in distributed systems supporting cor porate -i r.net /pho en i x.zht m l?c =
mobile and pervasive computing, privacy, and human-computer interaction. 1760 60 &p =i rol- ne w s A r t icle& I D =
Ebling received her PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University. 1369429.
She serves as an associate editor-in-chief for IEEE Pervasive Computing. She was
elected to the IBM Academy of Technology in 2011 and is a senior member of 13. “Kindle Device Unit Sales Acceler-
both the ACM and IEEE. Contact her at ebling@us.ibm.com. ate Each Month in Second Quarter;
New $189 Price Results in Tipping
Point for Growth,” Amazon.com,
19 July 2010; http://phx.corporate-ir.
Mary Baker is a senior research scientist at HP Labs. Her research interests
net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-
include distributed systems, networks, mobile systems, security, and digital
newsArticle&ID=1449176.
preservation. Baker received her PhD in computer science from UC Berkeley.
She is a founding editorial board member of IEEE Pervasive Computing. She is a
14. M. Sager, “Schools Weigh Benefits
member of IEEE, the ACM, and Usenix. Contact her at mgbaker@hp.com.
of Digital Textbooks,” Tampa Bay
Online, 14 June 2011; http://www2.tbo.
com/news/news/2011/jun/14/schools-
weigh-benefits-of-digital-textbooks-ar-
237064.
15. “Turner Construction Company: Inno-
vation, Technology and Teamwork,”
Smarttech.com; http://smarttech.com/
We still have a ways to go to achieve Int’l Symp. Handheld and Ubiquitous Home%20Page/Solutions/ Business%
the full power of the vision Weiser Computing (HUC99), LNCS 1707, 2 0 S o lu t i o n s / B u s i n e s s%2 0V i d e o s /
Springer, 1999, pp. 309–310. Turner.
described. To do so, we need to work
more on realizing the “Internet of 5. T. Kindberg et al., “People, Places, Thinks: 16. “P r is ci l la of B oston Unvei ls N ew
Things,” making the devices easily Web Presence for the Real World,” Partnership with H P,” Geeksugar.
J. Mobile Networks and Applications, com, 24 Mar. 2010; www.geeksugar.
and naturally interoperable in a secure vol. 7, no. 5, 2002, pp. 365–376. c o m / H P -To u c h S m a r t- C o mp u t e r s -
fashion. Priscilla-Boston-Bridal-Salons-
6. R. Want et al., “The Active Badge 7874280.
Location System,” ACM Trans. Infor-
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Acknowledgments pp. 91–102. the NFC Forum: The Keys to Truly
Interoperable Communications,” white
We thank Bob Rosenberry and Emily Dart for 7. P. Coy, “Big Brother Pinned to Your paper, N FC Forum, 31 Oct. 2007;
providing us with information about retail use Chest,” BusinessWeek, 17 Aug. 1992; www.nfc-forum.org/resources/white_
of touch-screen displays and interactive kiosks. www.businessweek.com/archives/1992/ papers.
We thank Linda Guzzo and Stefan Hild for help b327929.arc.htm.
with photos. We also thank the many reviewers, 18. “With the NFC-Powered Connected
formal and informal, for their helpful comments 8. D. Friedlos, “Posco Steel Mill Improve Restaurant Solution CustomerIn Systems
and feedback. Safety, Energy Conservation,” RFID J., and UPM RFID are Poised to Trans-
2 Oct. 2009; www.rfidjournal.com/article/ form Restaurant Dining,” UPM, 20 June
view/5268. 2011; www.upmrfid.com /rfid/upm_
rfid-news-2011-customerin-systems-
nfc-2.
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