Sentient computing is a form of ubiquitous computing which uses sensors to perceive its environment and react accordingly. A common use of the sensors is to construct a world model which allows location-aware or context-aware applications to be constructed.
One famous research prototype of a sentient computing system was the work at AT&T Laboratories, Cambridge (now defunct). It consisted of an ultrasonic indoor location system called the "Active Bats" which provided a location accuracy of about 3 cm. The world model was managed via the SPIRIT database, using CORBA to access information and spatial indexing to deliver high-level events such as "Alice has entered the kitchen" to listening context-aware applications. The research continues at the Digital Technology Group at the University of Cambridge.
Some example applications of the system include:
- A "follow-me phone" which would cause the telephone nearest the recipient to ring.
- Teleporting desktops via VNC just by clicking their Active Bat near the computer.
- Spatial buttons which were activated by clicking the Active Bat at a particular spot (such as a poster).
- Measuring and surveying buildings.
- Location-based games
Read more about Sentient Computing: Context Adaptation
Famous quotes containing the word sentient:
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—Shoshana Zuboff (b. 1951)