ABSTRACT
Information is undergoing a paradigm shift that is radically changing how it is sensed, transmitted, processed, and utilized. The new mobile device user is an amazingly capable hybrid system of human senses, cognitive powers, and physical capabilities along with a suite of powerful physical sensors including high-definition video/still camera, global positioning satellite (GPS) positioning, and multi-axis accelerometers. The paradigm of service-oriented architecture is evolving in exciting and largely unanticipated ways due to the convergence of these factors. The MobileSense campaign conducted by researchers at the University of Washington attempted to gather GPS, barometric pressure, and accelerometer data and use it to infer the type of activity that the subject is currently performing. As sensors and networking capability improve in both performance and affordability, the interconnected network of sensors, or sensor web, is proving invaluable for tasks ranging from weather prediction to tracking the behavior of endangered species.
