Ubiquitous computing: A business perspective

This paper identifies and analyses potential business benefits of ubiquitous computing (ubi-comp). Its aim is to challenge whether the growing visibility of topics such as ubiquitous or pervasive computing, automatic identification (Auto-ID) and radio frequency identification (RFID) can be justified from a business perspective. To do so it analyses the business contribution of existing ubicomp applications, reconstructs their development phases, introduces the business relevant base-functionalities and discusses implications on the design of products, processes and services using ubicomp applications. The creation of an alternative and rather cost efficient machine-machine-relation between already established information systems and the real world things they try to manage has been identified as-the main source of business benefit. However, before businesses can systematically leverage all potential benefits, some technical and political questions, such as creating robust solutions and solving privacy issues, have to be answered.