Complex adaptive socio-technical systems theory view of ubiquitous computing systems research

Ubiquitous computing (Ubicomp) researchers have been struggling to realize global ubiquitous computing environment (GUCE). Although Ubicomp systems are studied broadly, there are only a few attempts to study Ubicomp systems based on GUCE especially from theories and high-level abstractions models. To bridge the research gap and provide an appropriate theory and model to underlie Ubicomp systems research, this paper describes the Ubicomp systems from socio-technical systems theory and complex adaptive systems theory perspective. This study gives a set of properties for Ubicomp systems as complex adaptive socio-technical systems which is subsequently used to compare three modeling approaches for Ubicomp systems modeling. Three modeling approaches are system dynamics modeling, discrete-even modeling and agent-based modeling respectively. This explorative and comparative study conclude that understanding Ubicomp systems through the complex adaptive socio-technical system theory and modeling Ubicomp systems through agent-based modeling methodology offer insight into the current complexity of Ubicomp systems. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.