ETH Zurich : Computer Science : Pervasive Computing : Distributed Systems : Research : UbiComp Implications

Implications of Ubiquitous Computing

A Research Topic of the Distributed Systems Group

While developments in information technology never had the explicit goal of changing society, but rather did so as a side effect, the visions of pervasive and ubiquitous computing expressly propose to transform society by fully computerizing it. It is therefore likely that this will have far-reaching consequences for our everyday lives and ethical values. With its orientation towards the public as well as the private, the personal as well as the commercial, the vision of ubiquitous computing aspires to create technology that will accompany us throughout our entire lives, day in and day out. And if Mark Weiser's vision of "invisible computing" actually materializes, we won't even notice any of it.

It is easy to see how these technical developments could soon set unanticipated (if not unacceptable) defacto standards for a long time to come, especially regarding areas such as consumer privacy, reliability, security, health, and economy. Of course, the potential of ubiquitous computing for positively improving not only business margins but also our social life and our economic and physical well-being, cannot be denied: people will be able to stay in contact with far-away family members more easily through context-aware homes, and those with physical or mental disabilities will have the chance to lead a more independent life with the help of smart infrastructures and intelligent clothings. Reflecting on these issues is an important research topic in the Distributed Systems Group, where we try to analyse the possible long-term implications of ubiquitous computing through both scenario building and prototype development.

See also the following related items:

• Privacy (topic)
• Security (topic)

Participating Researchers

Iulia Ion (until 2012), Marc Langheinrich (until 2008), Michael Rohs (until 2005)

Selected Publications

See the Publications of the Distributed Systems Group page for a full listing of our publications.

• Jan C.T. Bieser, Vlad Coroama
  Direkte und indirekte Umwelteffekte der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie.
  NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Vol. 29, No. 1, Springer, pp. 1-11, March 2021
  doi: 10.1007/s00550-020-00502-4
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Pernilla Bergmark, Mattias Höjer, Jens Malmodin
  A Methodology for Assessing the Environmental Effects Induced by ICT Services. Part I: Single Services.
  Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on ICT for Sustainability (ICT4S). ACM, Bristol, UK, June 2020
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Pernilla Bergmark, Vlad Coroama, Mattias Höjer, Jens Malmodin
  A Methodology for Assessing the Environmental Effects Induced by ICT Services. Part II: Multiple Services and Companies.
  Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on ICT for Sustainability (ICT4S). ACM, Bristol, UK, June 2020
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Daniel Pargman
  Skill rebound: On an unintended effect of digitalization.
  Proceedings of the ACM Computing within Limits Workshop. ACM, Bristol, UK, June 2020
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Ralph Hintemann, Simon Hinterholzer, Stefan Arbanowski
  Nachhaltigkeit von Streaming & Co. Energiebedarf und CO2-Ausstoß der Videonutzung im Netz.
  Bundesverband Informationswirtschaft, Telekommunikation und neue Medien (Bitkom) e.V. Berlin, Germany, June 2020
  BibTeX, Paper (.pdf). See also: https://www.bitkom.org/sites/default/files/2020-06/200618_lf_nachhaltigkeit-von-streaming.pdf
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Can Türk, Friedemann Mattern
  Poster: Exploring the Usefulness of Bluetooth and WiFi Proximity for Transportation Mode Recognition.
  Adjunct Proceedings of the 2019 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing and the 2019 International Symposium on Wearable Computers (UbiComp/ISWC ’19 Adjunct). ACM, London, UK, September 2019
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Friedemann Mattern
  Zielkonflikte zwischen Umwelt- und Datenschutz: Von der Möglichkeit, Daten preiszugeben, um die Umwelt zu retten.
  In: Anja Höfner, Vivian Frick (Eds.): Was Bits und Bäume verbindet: Digitalisierung nachhaltig gestalten. oekom, ISBN 978-3-96238-149-3, pp. 58-60, München, Germany, July 2019
  BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Friedemann Mattern
  Digital Rebound – Why Digitalization Will Not Redeem Us Our Environmental Sins.
  Proceedings of the 6th international conference on ICT for Sustainability (ICT4S 2019). Lappeenranta, Finland, June 2019
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Jack Townsend, Vlad Coroama
  Digital Acceleration of Sustainability Transition: The Paradox of Push Impacts.
  Sustainability, Vol. 10, No. 8, MDPI, August 2018
  doi: 10.3390/su10082816
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Iulia Ion, Niharika Sachdeva, Ponnurangam Kumaraguru, Srdjan Capkun
  Home is Safer than the Cloud! Privacy Concerns for Consumer Cloud Storage.
  Proceedings of the Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS 2011). Pittsburgh, PA, USA, July 2011
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Iulia Ion, Marc Langheinrich, Ponnurangam Kumaraguru and Srdjan Capkun
  Influence of User Perception, Security Needs, and Social Factors on Device Pairing Method Choices.
  Proceedings of the Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS 2010). Redmond, WA, July 2010
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• David H. Nguyen, Gabriela Marcu, Gillian R. Hayes, Khai N. Truong, James Scott, Marc Langheinrich, Christof Roduner
  Encountering SenseCam: Personal Recording Technologies in Everyday Life.
  Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp 2009), Orlando, FL, USA. ACM Press, pp. 165-174, New York, NY, USA, October 2009
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Sarah Spiekermann, Marc Langheinrich (Eds.)
  An Update on Privacy in Ubiquitous Computing.
  Personal and Ubiquitous Computing (Special Issue), Vol. 13, No. 6, June 2009
  BibTeX
  
  
• David Wright, Serge Gutwirth, Michael Friedewald, Paul De Hert, Marc Langheinrich, Anna Moscibroda
  Privacy, Trust and Policy-Making: Challenges and Responses.
  Computer Law & Security Report, Vol. 25, No. 1, February 2009
  BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Friedemann Mattern (Ed.)
  Wie arbeiten die Suchmaschinen von morgen? Informationstechnische, politische und ökonomische Perspektiven.
  acatech / Fraunhofer IRB Verlag, 2008
  Abstract, BibTeX
  
  
• Friedemann Mattern
  Allgegenwärtige Datenverarbeitung – Trends, Visionen, Auswirkungen.
  In: Alexander Rossnagel, Tom Sommerlatte, Udo Winand (Eds.): Digitale Visionen – Zur Gestaltung allgegenwärtiger Informationstechnologien. Springer, pp. 3-29, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2008
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Marc Langheinrich, Günter Karjoth
  Das "persönliche" Internet.
  digma - Zeitschrift für Datenrecht und Informationssicherheit, Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 134-138, December 2007
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Matthias Handy
  Wohin verschwindet der Computer? Ein kontroverser E-Mail-Wechsel.
  In: Friedemann Mattern (Ed.): Die Informatisierung des Alltags – Leben in smarten Umgebungen. Springer, pp. 329-350, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2007
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Marc Langheinrich
  Gibt es in einer total informatisierten Welt noch eine Privatsphäre?
  In: Friedemann Mattern (Ed.): Die Informatisierung des Alltags – Leben in smarten Umgebungen. Springer, pp. 233-264, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2007
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama
  Pervasive Computing im Alltag – Realistische Zukunftsanwendungen zur Untersuchung von Chancen und Risiken autonomer, intelligenter Objekte.
  digma - Zeitschrift für Datenrecht und Informationssicherheit, Vol. 6, No. 03, pp. 106-109, September 2006
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama
  The Smart Tachograph – Individual Accounting of Traffic Costs and its Implications.
  Proceedings of Pervasive 2006. pp. 135-152, Dublin, Ireland, May 07-10, 2006
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Jürgen Bohn
  User-Centric Dependability Concepts for Ubiquitous Computing.
  PhD thesis No. 16653, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, May 2006
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  Published by dissertation.de, March 2007, ISBN 978-3-86624-214-2
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Marc Langheinrich
  Personalized Vehicle Insurance Rates – A Case for Client-Side Personalization in Ubiquitous Computing.
  Workshop on Privacy-Enhanced Personalization at CHI 2006. Montréal, Canada, April 22, 2006
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Marc Langheinrich
  The Smart Tachograph.
  Video submission abstract. Adjunct Proceedings of UbiComp 2005, Tokyo, Japan, September 2005
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Friedemann Mattern
  Ubiquitous Computing: Eine Einführung mit Anmerkungen zu den sozialen und rechtlichen Folgen.
  In: Jürgen Taeger, Andreas Wiebe (Eds.): Mobilität, Telematik, Recht. Verlag Dr. Otto Schmidt, pp. 1-34, 2005
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Jürgen Bohn, Friedemann Mattern
  Living in a Smart Environment – Implications for the Coming Ubiquitous Information Society.
  Proceedings of the International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics 2004 (IEEE SMC 2004). Vol. 6, pp. 5633-5638, The Hague, The Netherlands, October 10-13, 2004
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Jürgen Bohn, Vlad Coroama, Marc Langheinrich, Friedemann Mattern, Michael Rohs
  Living in a World of Smart Everyday Objects – Social, Economic, and Ethical Implications.
  Journal of Human and Ecological Risk Assessment, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 763-785, October 2004
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Tarik Kapic, Felix Röthenbacher
  Improving the Reality Perception of Visually Impaired through Pervasive Computing.
  In: Alois Ferscha, Horst Hoertner, Gabriele Kotsis (Eds.): Advances in Pervasive Computing. Austrian Computer Society (OCG), ISBN 3-85403-176-9, pp. 369-376, Vienna, Austria, 2004
  BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Jörg Hähner, Matthias Handy, Patricia Rudolph-Kuhn, Carsten Magerkurth, Jürgen Müller, Moritz Strasser, Tobias Zimmer
  Leben in einer smarten Umgebung: Ubiquitous-Computing-Szenarien und -Auswirkungen.
  Technical Report No. 431, ETH Zurich, December 2003
  BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Marc Langheinrich, Friedemann Mattern
  Digitalisierung des Alltags. Was ist Pervasive Computing?
  Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte (B 42/2003), pp. 6-12, October 13, 2003
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  See also Online-Version at www.bpb.de
  
  
• Vlad Coroama, Felix Röthenbacher
  The Chatty Environment – Providing Everyday Independence to the Visually Impaired.
  Workshop on Ubiquitous Computing for Pervasive Healthcare Applications at Ubicomp 2003, Seattle, Washington, October 2003
  BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  
• Jürgen Bohn, Vlad Coroama, Marc Langheinrich, Friedemann Mattern, Michael Rohs
  Allgegenwart und Verschwinden des Computers – Leben in einer Welt smarter Alltagsdinge.
  In: Ralf Grötker (Ed.): Privat! Kontrollierte Freiheit in einer vernetzten Welt. Heise-Verlag, ISBN 3-936931-01-1, pp. 195-245, 2003
  Abstract, BibTeX, Paper (.pdf)
  
  

Related Student Projects

The following table lists corresponding student projects in our group. Note that some descriptions will be in German.