Ciaran O'Driscoll

Privacy in context: Privacy issues in Ubiquitous Computing applications

This paper presents a review of privacy issues and guidelines for developing and assessing privacy-sensitive ubiquitous computing applications. Privacy is discussed to determine factors that affect peoples own privacy preferences in public and private environments. Ubiquitous environments based on invisible computers provide a particular challenge where limited user interfaces exist to inform users of the level of data collection and its usage. There is acceptance by designers of privacy-sensitive applications for a balance between control and feedback that is essential for systems to meet legal requirements for deployment to be successful. A survey of principles and design guidelines has been completed and these are used in the assessment of a context aware smart classroom environment. This paper aims to provide a foundation for developing and assessing privacy-sensitive applications.

RFID: An Ideal Technology for Ubiquitous Computing?

This paper presents a review of RFID based approaches used for the development of smart spaces and smart objects. We explore approaches that enable RFID technology to make the transition from the recognized applications such as retail to ubiquitous computing, in which computers and technology fade into the background of day to day life. In this paper we present the case for the use of RFID technology as a key technology of ubiquitous computing due to its ability to embed itself in everday objects and spaces. Frameworks to support the operation of RFID-based smart objects and spaces are discussed and key design concepts identified. Conceptual frameworks, based on academic research, and deployed frameworks based on real world implementations are reviewed and the potential for RFID as a truly ubiquitous technology is considered and presented.

Ubiquitous desktops with multi-factor authentication

There is no single desktop which meets the growing user requirement for diverse services and solutions. Desktop services such as operating system specific productivity tools, laboratory teaching environments, product testing and program compilation typically require substantially different desktop environments. While virtualization addresses the consolidation of multiple operating system environments onto a single piece of hardware, the issue of consolidating these multiple services into a single desktop for users must also be addressed. The need has arisen for a secure, mobile and integrated desktop which provides simple access to multiple desktop services. This paper proposes a ubiquitous desktop solution addressing these issues through a combination of virtualization, multi-factor authentication, single sign-on and thin client technology.