Abstract: Cooperative artefacts are physical objects, commonly associated with purposes other than computing, but instrumented with embedded computing, wireless communication, and sensors and actuators. Thus augmented, physical objects can monitor their state, share observations with other artefacts, and collectively model their situation and react to changes in the world. This enables software processes to be tightly coupled with physical activity, and to be embedded "where the action is". This talk will discuss a conceptual framework for cooperative artefacts, present experience with the Smart-Its hardware/software toolkit for augmentation of artefacts, and consider the specific challenge of embedding spatial awareness in common artefacts.

Hans Gellersen is Professor for Interactive Systems in the Computing Department at Lancaster University. His research interest is in ubiquitous computing and embedded interactive systems. This spans work on enabling technologies such as position and context sensing, on user interfaces beyond the desktop, and on embedding of interaction and intelligence in everyday artefacts. Recent work includes Smart-Its, a framework and platform for augmentation of artefacts with embedded computing, and Relate, an approach for relative positioning in networks of embedded devices. Hans is active in the Ubiquitous Computing research community and initiated the HUC/Ubicomp conference series. He is involved with major research programmes related to Ubiquitous Computing, including the Disappearing Computer initiative of the European Commission and the Equator project in the UK. Hans has been in his current position since 2001 and previously was affiliated with the University of Karlsruhe, Germany. He holds an MSc and PhD in Computer Science, both from University of Karlsruhe.