Lars Erik Holmquist, Friedemann Mattern, Bernt Schiele, Petteri Alahuhta, Michael Beigl, Hans-W. Gellersen
Ubiquitous computing is associated with a vision of everything being connected to everything. However, for successful applications to emerge, not the quantity but the quality and usefulness of connections will matter. Our concern is how qualitative relations and more selective connections can be established between smart artefacts, and how users can retain control over artefact interconnection. We propose context proximity for selective artefact communication, using the context of artefacts for matchmaking. We further suggest to empower users with simple but effective means to impose the same context on a number of artefacts. To prove our point we have implemented Smart-Its Friends, small embedded devices that become connected when a user holds them together and shakes them.