2. Background of UbiComp

Mark Weiser, the father of UbiComp, is the head of Ubiquitous Computing Project at PARC. UbiComp was irst discussed as we know it, in 1988, at the Computer Science Lab at PARC where Mark worked. Weiser states that ubiquitous computing, though currently using portable devices, does not mean that portable equals ubiquitous. He also states his belief that UbiComp is the exact opposite of virtual reality. "Ubiquitous computing is roughly the opposite of virtual reality. Where virtual reality puts people inside a computer-generated world, ubiquitous computing forces the computer to live out here in the world with people. Virtual reality is primarily a horse power problem; ubiquitous computing is a very difficult integration of human factors, computer science, engineering, and social sciences. "6 Some developers will disagree on this issue and prefer to think of VR as a helpful way in augmenting reality that can be hybrided with UbiComp7

Mark Weiser, playing drums for Severe Tire Damage. I drank beers with this guy in San Francisco... who knew?

Nick Negroponte

Nicholas Negroponte, founder and director of the Media Lab at MIT, is also credited with the start of the UbiComp paradigm.8 His writings in the 1970's largely started a path toward the way Weiser and others are implementing ubiquitous computing as a new paradigm.