'Ubiquitous Computing' (UC) stands for a future Leitbild and vision of technology development in the field of information and communication technology: computer based devices will become so small and be produced so cheaply, that they can be integrated into numerous devices and surroundings of private and professional life.
They will spontaneously communicate with each other and be able to assist a multitude of everyday activities in an almost imperceptible way. Advocates of this technology project expect this in the not too distant future. The realisation of this vision depends on a number of technological breakthroughs which have yet to be achieved and would create considerable societal impacts. The main aim of this project was to analyse the opportunities and challenges for Europe, resulting from this new field of technology.
ITA worked on the analysis of this central question in an international team, led by PREST, University of Manchester. The project was commissioned by ESTO (European Science and Technology Observatory), to which ITA belongs as an associate member. It was conducted in close cooperation with the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) and the Information Society Technologies Advisory Group (ISTAG) of the European Commission´s, Directorate-General "Information Society".
The results of the project were integrated for instance into the conception of the 6th Framework Programme of the EU through the invitation of an ITA-researcher to the Expert Group on Ambient Intelligence of the Directorate General "Information Society". This area of technology poses an enormous threat to privacy, and is being researched in detail within the research programme "Privacy".
08/2000 - 03/2001