The Ubiquitous Computing course has been designed as a space where students can reflect on the role and responsibilities of the interaction designer and how to interact with technology and the environment. The course aims to explore the design space of ubiquitous systems, that is, those interactive systems that go beyond the desktop computer and that are integrated into the fabric of our daily activities through a "embodied virtuality", with the aim to provide new possibilities for people to interact more meaningfully with their environment. The deeply multidisciplinary subject analyzes the historical journey on the development of human-computer interaction, highlighting the computer technologies and interaction techniques that make it possible for computing to "leave" the desktop computer to integrate into the physical world .
On the one hand, new devices, technologies and interaction paradigms for ubiquitous environments are addressed in a theoretical and practical way, such as API for distributed web systems, interfaces for large interactive screens and multi-touch, tangible and embodied interaction, so that students acquire knowledge about the evolution of computing and human-computer interaction from mainframes to ubiquitous computing.
On the other hand, the course wants to offer the substrate to understand the possibilities and problems that arise when designing distributed systems with new technologies and interaction techniques. Therefore, different cognitive theories, such as embodied cognition or distributed cognition, are emphasized, describing how their principles can be applied to the design of natural user interfaces. Likewise, the opportunities and technical limitations of distributed systems and computer networks to implement new interfaces and natural interactions are analyzed. Finally, new techniques for designing ubiquitous interaction systems are studied and practiced, such as rapid prototyping techniques.
To achieve these objectives, the student must acquire a series of knowledge, skills and attitudes. At a general level, the course aims to ensure that students acquire the following skills:
- General competencies
- Capability to analyze and synthesize (PO b)
- Capability to organize and plan (PO d)
- Problem solving (PO c)
- Teamwork (PO d)
- Capacity to apply theoretical concepts (PO c)
- Specific competences
- Cognitive (PO a)
- Knowledge of ubiquitous computing elements
- Knowledge of systems, architectures and applications for pervasive computing
- The impact of ubiquitous computing on the society
- Knowledge of ubiquitous computing design methods
- Procedural/Instrumental (PO a, c, e, i, k)
- Developing of user interfaces for interactions in an ubiquitous environment
- Attitudinal (PO c, d, f)
- Creativity
- Quality concerns
- Achievement motivation
- Interesting for doing research and figuring out solutions to new problems
- Communication abilities for divulging results to different audiences
The subject pursues the following general and specific competences competences
- GENERAL COMPETENCES
- Being able to generate new ideas (creativity) and anticipate new situations and adapt to teamwork and interact with others, but at the same time have the ability to work independently (CG2)
- SPECIFIC COMPETENCES COMMON TO COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING AREA
- Knowledge and application of characteristics, functionality and structure of distributed systems, computer networks and internet. Design and development of distributed applications (CECRI11)
The objectives and competences are specified in the learning outcomes of the course, corresponding to the overall learning outcomes of the program. Upon successful completion of this course, the student acquires:
- The ability to define the main ideas and concepts as well as the vocabulary of ubiquitous computing (RA1)
- The ability to describe the different interaction paradigms in ubiquitous computing (RA1)
- The ability to discuss the advantages (and disadvantages) of the different natural interaction techniques --- multitouch, tangible, embodied, etc. (RA2)
- The ability to apply different methods for the design of interfaces that integrate different devices and techniques of natural interaction (RA3)
- The ability to use the appropriate tools to create interactive systems that integrate different interaction devices and techniques (RA5)
- The ability to cooperate in a team and distribute the workload to face complex problems (RA6)
- The ability to communicate effectively both orally, in writing or graphically throughout the development of the activities proposed in the subject (exercises, debates, practices, etc.) (RA6)
