Pervasive Computing in WAIF

Pervasive computing is based on an integrated environment saturated seamlessly with computers, sensors and communication facilities. In WAIF, we focus on a pervasive environment that is proactive and pushes information to its users. In particular, we have built a first prototype of back-end servers that are extensible with user filters that push information to its users.

To take full use of the functionality provided in WAIF, a flexible mechanism for personalization of network services is needed. We have investigated how novice Internet users can compose highly personalized network services without doing explicit programming. We have successfully built a configuration service that maps user preferences into overlay network structures, and we hope to have available prototypes by the end of august 2004.

Additionally, we are interested in moving the user environments following the trajectory of a user as he moves about. Our initial WAIFARER prototype supports such task mobility, where certain applications can be moved transparently along with the user.

The Waifarer prototype is available for download from its CVS repository at SourceForge. Please consult its SourceForge project page for more information. A file release will soon be made available.