Ubiquitous Computing: Potentials and Challenges

The world is witnessing the birth of a revolutionary computing paradigm that promises to have a profound effect on the way we interact with computers, devices, physical spaces, and other people. This new technology, called ubiquitous computing, envisions a world where embedded processors, computers, sensors, and digital communications are inexpensive commodities that are available everywhere. Ubiquitous computing will surround users with a comfortable and convenient information environment that merges physical and computational infrastructures into an integrated habitat. This habitat will feature a proliferation of hundreds or thousands of computing devices and sensors that will provide new functionality, offer specialized services, and boost productivity and interaction. This paper presents a comprehensive discussion on the central trends in ubiquitous computing considering them form technical, social and economic perspectives. It clearly identifies different application areas and sectors that will benefit from the potentials of ubiquitous computing. It also brings forth the challenges of ubiquitous computing that require active solutions and management.