CENS Abstracts

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CENS Intel Scholar Poster Session

Title: The Cell Phone and the Future of Mobile Computing

Invited Speaker: Roy Want, Intel Research
Date: May 18, 2007
Time: 1pm - 3pm
Venue: 3551 Boelter Hall, UCLA

Abstract:

In the last 10 years we have seen cell phones evolve from the most basic of communication devices to "Smart Phones', providing processing capabilities that blur with traditional PDAs. While these devices only have the performance of an office PC in the early 1990's, they are running at much lower power and with modern operating systems, such as Embedded Linux, or Windows Mobile 6.0. As a result cell phones can support sophisticated applications, which are being created by a large, mature developer community. Furthermore, the revolution in memory density has enabled miniature storage for software and data, and the bulky disks from 10 years ago have been replaced by either postage-stamp flashcards, or remarkably, smaller magnetic storage devices such as the 4GB Toshiba microdrive, occupying a coin-sized footprint. Another important trend is the multi-radio capability of these devices. Many support GPRS connectivity because it is packaged with the GSM voice service, thus providing anywhere Internet access, and are already ahead of today's Notebooks, with respect to ubiquitous communication, which must search out localized WiFi hotspots. Moreover, standardized short-range wireless is also available in the modern handset. Bluetooth is the most common, with credible forecasts of 75% availability on new cell-phones by 2009, and many of the high-end devices are also including a WiFi option.

The trend is clear; Smart Phones already have most of the processing capability to support the needs of basic office applications. In another 5 years they may rival more sophisticated capabilities in notebook computers. Furthermore, these devices are small enough to drop into a pocket, providing mobile users with 'anytime access', and represent a truly ubiquitous computing technology (global sales in 2006 are at 1B+ units). The only real limitation for this platform is the small size of the cell phone display and keyboard which prevent users from effectively creating and viewing office documents such as MSword and PowerPoint files. However, even this limitation can be mitigated by using short-range wireless technologies to connect to displays and computers in the locality e.g. walk up to a desktop computer, connect to your cell phone wirelessly, and start using the desktop as if it were your own computer. This presentation describes Intel's Personal Server project, a practical example of a system that can overcome some of these limitations, and how sensing technologies can further revolutionize the mobile user experience.

Event Agenda

1:00pm-2:00pm
Technical Seminar
with Roy Want, Intel in the big conference room in Boelter Hall 3551

2:00pm-3:00pm
Poster Symposium and Recognition Event in the CENS Courtyard (Boelter Hall 3551)

Join us in celebrating our CENS Intel Scholars Program! Lunch and refreshments will be served.
RSVP

Biography:

Roy Want is a Principal Engineer at Intel Research in Santa Clara, California, and leader of the Ubiquity group. His interests include mobile & ubiquitous computing, wireless protocols, hardware design, embedded systems, distributed systems, automatic identification and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). Want received his BA in computer science from Churchill College, Cambridge University, UK in 1983 and continued research at Cambridge into reliable distributed multimedia-systems. He earned a PhD in 1988. While at Olivetti Research (1988-91) he developed the Active Badge, a system for automatically locating people in a building. He joined Xerox PARC's Ubiquitous Computing program in 1991 and led a project called PARCTab, one of the first context-aware computer systems. At PARC Want managed the Embedded Systems area and earned the title of Principal Scientist. He joined Intel Research in 2000. Want is also the author, or co-author, of more than 50 publications in the area of mobile and distributed systems; and has over 50 patents issued in these areas. Want is very involved in the research community through program committees, editorials, and invited talks. He is a Fellow of both the IEEE and ACM.

You may contact Want at Intel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95052, USA, e-mail roy.want@intel.com