The SMARCOS newsletter aims to provide updates on the consortium activities surrounding the interconnected embedded systems project. The initiative focuses on enhancing interusability among devices and services, ultimately improving user interaction through several work packages covering usability, personal systems, and complex control systems. The project's kick-off took place in March 2010, bringing together various partners to collaborate on developing practical applications, including trials at major events like the 2012 London Olympics.

1. ISSUE 1 March 2010
IN THIS ISSUE: The purpose of the Smarcos newsletter is to cover the
consortium activities around the project. The main objective of
this first issue is to give a global view of the whole project.
Abstract
Objectives
Work Packages Abstract
Partners
March Kick-off Smarcos project aims to help users of interconnected embedded
systems by ensuring their interusability.
Nowadays, many products connect with web services(media
players, refrigerators). This distributed computing is becoming the
norm in embedded systems.
Smarcos allows devices and services to communicate in UI level
terms and symbols, exchange context information, user actions,
and semantic data. It allows applications to follow the user’s
actions, predict needs, and react appropriately to unexpected
actions.
The use cases would be constructed around three complementary
domains: attentive personal systems, interusable devices and
complex systems control. Several pilots would be carried out to
implement the use cases, including one large trial in a major public
event (2012 London Olympics). Along the project, several smaller
prototypes will be implemented.
Our results will be applicable to all embedded systems that interact
with their users, which is a substantial fraction of today’s market.
www.smarcos-project.eu
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2. ISSUE 1 March 2010
the seamless utilisation of the composition
of user interface components located in
Objectives different types of devices within an
environment during interaction tasks.
Technical excellence. We seek to extend
usability research and user interface WP3: Tools for Runtime UI & Context
solutions to look beyond individual devices Composition. To enable successful
and services. interusability between user interface
components locating in the myriad of
Developer traction. We want our results devices with in an environment, tool and
to be spreading trough the embedded methods for processing information on
systems developer community. contexts, interaction tasks of users and UI
resources at a run-time are urgently
Market insight. To look at usability- required.
enhancing principles in several
complementary domains (health care, WP4: Attentive Personal Systems. To
personal devices, control systems). provide an intelligent system that motivates
and supports consumers in their daily life to
Academic excellence. Smarcos will carry live a balanced and healthy lifestyle using
out high quality research both by our the notion of inter-usability and task-drive
research partners and our industrial UI modelling technologies.
partners’ R&D departments.
WP5: Interusable Devices. To explores
Visibility. We plan to realise our work as a the usability of communicating embedded
number of tangible prototypes in a number devices through a combination of user
of public trials, some with very high centric research and technology
visibility (e.g. London Olympics)… developments that are validated in several
large and small scale trials.
Work Packages WP6: Complex systems control. To
develop tools facilitating control of complex
WP1: Design Methods and Concepting.
systems and perform their validation with
To develop and refine design methods for
end-users. The design of technological
interconnected embedded systems, and
components with reusability capacity is
applying the developed methods for
another primary target.
creating Smarcos application and service
concepts.
WP7: Exploitation and dissemination.
To specify the manners of dissemination of
WP2: Interface, Interaction and
project results through both scientifically
Context Modelling. To enable an
and industrially visible forums and channels.
enjoyable end-user experience provided by
www.smarcos-project.eu
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3. ISSUE 1 March 2010
Partners
Country Organisation Experiences
legal name
FI NOKIA Oyj Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the
(Coordinator) transformation and growth of the converging Internet and
communications industries.
FI Valtion Technical Research Centre of Finland is a government
Teknillinen organisation established by law and operating under the
Tutkimuskeskus auspices of the Finnish Ministry of Employment & Economy.
BE Barco A global technology company designs and develops
visualization products for a variety of selected professional
markets.
NL Philips Philips Research develops new technologies and investigates
Research potential growth areas for the globally operating Philips
Labs company. Focusing on the areas of health and well-being.
NL Philips Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is a diversified
Consumer Health and Well-being company, focused on improving
Lifestyle people’s lives through timely innovations.
IT Intecs Software Company providing leading-edge technological
Informatica e support and products to the major European organizations in
Tecnologia del the design, implementation, verification of complex electronic
Software systems.
IT Consiglio The Human Interfaces in Information System Laboratory
Nazionale delle (http://giove.isti.cnr.it) of CNR-ISTI, with expertise in user
Ricerche interface software and technologies.
ES Fundacion ESI is a member-based private “Technology Centre” located in
European Bilbao (Spain). ESI has a dual nature as SME and R&D
Software organisation.
Institute
BE Sirris Research centre for the technology industry in Belgium, is a
c.d.g. private collective research centre founded by Agoria, the
multi-sector federation for the Belgian technology industry.
www.smarcos-project.eu
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4. ISSUE 1 March 2010
Partners
Country Organisation Experiences
legal name
ES Indra Indra is the premier Information Technology company in Spain
Sistemas, and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. It
S.A is the second European company in its sector according to
stock market capitalisation, and also the second Spanish
company with the most investment in R&D.
BE Human Their aim is optimizing the usability of technology. HIG design
Interface user-friendly interfaces & technology, develop user guides &
Group documentation & realize trainings for companies of all sectors.
FI Valve Valve is a design agency with special focus on designing
Internet based multimodal services. Valve is the leading
service design and Internet consultant in Finland.
NL University The Human Media Interaction (HMI) group in the Computer
of Twente Science Department of the University of Twente.
UK Fjord Fjord was founded in 2001 in the UK. It is a creative
consultancy offering expertise in the innovation and design of
digital services for mobile, PC and interactive TV.
CZ Honeywell HON is a global company, which performs basic research,
International working closely with universities and laboratories, develop
s.r.o. advanced technology, and develop state-of-the-art products.
NL PHI-I PHIi (Personal Health Institute international), a SME, is
focused towards the development of knowledge, tools and
services to support personal health management.
NL EVALAN Evalan is a product-oriented innovation. It focuses on
applications that use state-of-the-art communications
technology and internet applications in health care.
www.smarcos-project.eu
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5. ISSUE 1 March 2010
March Kick-off
KICK OFF PROJECT MEETING This newsletter is published
16th – 17th March 2010 every six months. It informs
the members of the Smarcos
Amsterdam, Holland and the general public about
Organizer: Nokia the progress of the project.
The kick-off meeting has brought together representatives of Contact:
all seventeen SMARCOS partners for two days of discussion,
development and planning. Dr. Pertti J. Huuskonen
All seventeen partners have shared in the excitement of pertti.huuskonen@nokia.com
launching this ambitious and much-needed project to help
users of interconnected embedded systems by ensuring their
interusability. The kick-off marks the beginning of fruitful,
multi-year collaboration between partners towards a common Any questions or suggestions?
goal.
Please contact us!
http://www.smarcos-project.eu/
Kick-off meeting participants
www.smarcos-project.eu
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