ETH Zurich : Computer Science : Pervasive Computing : Distributed Systems : Education : Student Projects : Abstract

SmartMOM: Smart mobile object management (M)

Status: Abgeschlossen

The goal of the SmartMOM project is to develop methods and systems for intuitively associating personal items in order to facilitate data exchange between them. This could for example be a credit card that is associated with the owner's wrist-watch so that it only functions when both are close to each other. Another example might be the digital camera of a friend that needs to access my wide-screen TV at home in order to show us pictures from his last family trip.

The challenge of this project is twofold: Firstly, it is necessary to conceive and implement a number of interaction metaphors that are suited to associate a wide range of personal appliances in an easy and intuitive manner. Secondly, security considerations must be taken into account early enough, in order to find robust algorithms that both prevent unwanted chance associations, as well as protect from reasonable attacks, while not impeding usage.

Previous student projects have separately explored the design space and prepared initial prototypes. The objective is now to thoroughly analyse both the interaction and algorithm space, and to implement at least two different prototypical scenarios that visualize the challenges and the potential of such association methods.