Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani

Work-Integrated Learning Programmes

Second Semester 2010-2011

Course Handout
Course Number: SS ZG531
Course Title: Pervasive Computing

[1]. Course Description

The course is about the emerging discipline of Pervasive Computing which is also known as Ubiquitous
Computing, Everywhere Computing and Invisible Computing. The key element here is the omnipresence of
information devices. These devices can be embedded into cars, airplanes, ships, bikes, posters,
signboards, walls and even clothes. This course focuses on independent information devices including
wearable computers, mobile phones, smart phones, smart-cards, wireless sensor-compute nodes and the
services made available by them.. It includes human-computer interaction using several types of elements
including sensing, text, speech, handwriting and vision.

[2]. Scope and Objectives

The course aims at providing a sound conceptual foundation in the area of Pervasive Computing aspects.
The course attempts to provide a balanced treatment of the mechanisms and environments of pervasive
computing and initiates senior CS students to the state-of-the-art in the area. At the end of this course,
students should be able to conceptualize, analyze and design select classes of pervasive computing
systems.

[3]. Text Book:

T1 Stefen Poslad: Ubiquitous Computing: Smart Devices, Environments and Interactions, Wiley,
London, 2009. <A low cost Indian paperback reprint from Wiley India has just arrived.>

[4]. Reference Material:

R1. Uwe Hansman, Lothar Merk, Martin S. Nicklous & Thomas Stober: Pervasive Computing,
Second Edition, Springer-Verlag, New Delhi, 2003. (ISBN 81-7722-468-9)
R2. Jochen Burkhardt, Horst Henn, Stefan Hepper, Thomas Schaec & Klaus Rindtorff:
Pervasive Computing: Technology and Architecture of Mobile Internet Applications,
Pearson Education, New Delhi, 2006.
R3. P. Nicopolitidis, M. S. Obaidat, G. I. Papadimitriou & A. S. Pompportsis: Wireless
Networks, John Wiley & Sons, New Delhi, 2003. (ISBN 9812-53-033-9)
R4. Frank Adelstein, S K S Gupta, G G Richard & L Schwiebert: Fundamentals of Mobile and
Pervasive Computing, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, 2005.
R5. Asoke K Talukder & R R Yavagal: Mobile Computing, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi,
2005.
R6. Daniel Amor: Internet Future Strategies: How Pervasive Computing Services Will
Change the World, Prentice-Hall PTR, 2008.
In addition to these, you shall be expected to read as per the ‘Online Reading Advisories’ posted at the
course page at the Nalanda portal (http://www.nalanda.bits-pilani.ac.in/) from time to time.
[5]. Course Home Page:
URL for the course’s instructor-maintained page is: http://discovery.bits-
pilani.ac.in/rahul/PervasiveComputing/. Discussions shall be handled through the Nalanda
portal as refereed above.

[6]. Plan of Study and Lecture-Schedule

Learning Objectives Sections

Lecture
Technical Topic(s) to be covered in the
Nos.
T1
Introduction to the course, motivation, Introductory concepts, brief 1.1, 1.2,
methodology and a brief overview of history history, How to model involved 1.3, 1.4,
fundamental attributes / 1.5
properties relevant to ubiquitous /
1&2
pervasive computing? HCI as
relevant to everywhere computing,
Architectural Elements of
Pervasive Computing Systems
An exposure to the learning from the past, Select Case Studies in Past, 2.1-2.4
current state of the art and emerging Contemporary and In-research
directions of research Pervasive Computing Systems and
3&4 related products / applications,
Current Status and Emerging
Trends in Pervasive / Ubiquitous /
Everywhere / Invisible Computing
Identification of device component and Pervasive Computing Device 3.1-3.3
associated technology requirements specific to Technologies and Service
Pervasive Computing environments, Architectures: Device types,
introduction to involved service elements Device Characteristics, Pervasive
4&5 Computing Service Architectural
Paradigms, Service / Resource
Discovery basics, Elements of
service composition, invocation
and deployment
Identification of system level requirements, Select concepts in Operating 3.4, on-
Understanding role of relevant Operating Systems, Virtualization and their line
6&7 Systems and Virtualization technologies wit relevance to Pervasive notes
Computing, select example
Operating Systems of relevance
Introduction to the hardware and software Smart Phones, Smart Cards 4.4, 4.5
aspects of handheld and miniature devices and including related hardware /
related functionalities, introducing vehicle- software concepts (OS included),
8&9
based service interfaces select case studies, connectivity
through non-realtime Gateway
services: the OSGi approach
 Understanding the fundamentals of HCI in the Human-Computer Interactions 5.1-5.4
context of pervasive computing, exposure to (HCI) in Pervasive Computing:
current practices and evolving trends in HCI basics, select representative
10 & 11
approaches to the HCI, invisible /
hidden UI techniques and
technologies
Understanding the design and modeling HCI and the Human-Centred 5.5-5.7
aspects of HCI Design (HCD),fundamentals of
12
User modeling, the iHCI
paradigm
Introduction to the RFID device technology, Passive, Active and Semi-Active 6.1,6.2
understanding of the role of the RFID device Tagging fundamentals and
13 & 14 technology in Pervasive Computing applications: the RFID approach,
environments, Exploring the concept known as the Internet of Things paradigm
the Internet of Things and role of the RFID tags
Understanding Sensor-Compute Nodes, Introduction to sensors, sensor- 6.3
Introduction to the hardware and software compute nodes, sensor networks
15
aspect of the Sensor Networks (wired and and wireless sensor networks
wireless) (WSNs)
A brief recap of the Real-Time embedded Fundamentals of real-time and 6.5
16 computing and associated networking aspects non-real-time embedded systems
of Pervasive Computing of relevance, select examples
Introduction to the concept of Context-Aware Fundamentals of Context-Aware 7.1-7.6
computing, identifying elements involved and Computing, Context Modeling,
their implications on modeling and Mobility aspects of awareness and
application-service realization its implications, Spatial aspects of
awareness and its implications,
17 & 18
Temporal aspects of awareness
and its implications,
complementary aspects of
awareness and its role in service
adaptation
Understanding the factors that contribute Elements of intelligent / smart 8.1-
towards the notion of intelligent behavior of pervasive computing systems, 8.79.3.5,
systems and associated services, Exposure to Environments and Architectures 9.3-9.4
the prevalent and emerging trends, Overview of relevance, brief discussion on
of the involved technical composition of major types / classes of Intelligent
distributed intelligent environments providing Systems (ISes) and their relevance
19 & 20 pervasive computing services to Ubiquitous Computing
Environments, Multi-Agent ISes,
generic, / social networking /
media-exchange / recommender
and referral systems and
associated work flow aspects in
pervasive computing
 Introducing the Intelligent Life paradigm, Basics of Autonomous Systems 10.1-
21 analyzing involved elements and myths and Intelligent Life paradigm of 10.6
associated, an overview of the state-of-the art computing
An exposure to the network-specific aspects of Communication Networking 11.1-
Pervasive Computing aspects of Pervasive / Ubiquitous 11.7
22
Computing
Understanding the major issues and 13.1-
Principal challenges, issues and
challenges involved in designing, building, 13.13.9
23 contemporary approaches in
deploying and maintaining pervasive
pervasive computing
computing solutions
A careful survey of recent research and Online
Recent advances in Pervasive /
development updates followed by an analysis notes
24 Ubiquitous Computing, select
of the recent research results in the field of
case studies
pervasive computing
Understanding how to plan a simple pervasive Designing Real-life Pervasive Online
25
computing system Computing Systems-I notes
Understanding the design process involved in Designing Real-life Pervasive Online
26
building real-life systems Computing Systems-II notes
Note: Lectures / Topics 1-12 would be considered for the Mid-Semester Examination.

Evaluation Scheme:

Evaluation Component Type Duration Weight Date, Time

Mid-Semester Test Closed Book Two 40%
Hours
Comprehensive Exam. Open Book Three 60%
Hours

[7]. Notices:
All notices shall be displayed electronically only at the Home Page of the portal of the Work-
Integrated Learning Programmes.

All discussion threads and doubt clarification etc. shall be handled via Discussion Forum at the
Nalanda portal, Email exchanges and live sessions.

[8]. Make-up Policy:

As announced by the Dean: Work-Integrated Learning Programmes at the official portal.

[9]. Live Interactive Lecture Hours:

To be announced shortly at the BITS Virtual University Portal and the Course Page.

Lead Instructor