The APEX framework: prototyping of ubiquitous environments based on Petri nets

1. UNIVERSITY OF MINHO NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY The APEX framework: prototyping of ubiquitous environments based on Petri nets José Luís Silva, José C. Campos and Michael Harrison June 2011 Supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal)

2. Summary • Introduction and Objectives • Background • Proposed Approach • Library Case Study • Synopsis • Usage • Application

3. Introduction • Context-aware applications • Personalized services to users through the integration of environmental information (context) • spatially located using sensors • New evaluation challenges

4. Introduction • Types of Ubiquitous Environments • Spaces enhanced with sensors and dynamic objects • Smart spaces (e.g. Library, Aware Home, Match system, etc.) • Explicit and implicit interactions • Aware Home at GaTech

5. Introduction • Prototyping • Reduce development costs • Assessment and simulation of alternative solutions • Experience • Prototyping difficulties • Different sensors • Many ways of interaction • Adequate level of abstraction

6. Objectives • Rapid prototyping and evaluation of ambient intelligence systems through • Modeling • Simulation

7. Framework

8. Modelling approach • Focus on the interaction between the user and the system • Ubiquitous system models • Property checking and simulation • CPN (Colored Petri Nets) • Other approaches possible

9. Prototyping approach • Uses a 3D Application Server • OpenSimulator(opensimulator.org) • Simulation • Models virtually a situation that can be studied to see how the system works • Explores the experience of using virtual systems as feedback about the proposed design • Comparable with • Topiary • UbiWorld • 3DSim • workofO’Neilletal. • Integrates formal analysis with experience of virtual environments

10. Proposed Approach

11. Architecture

12. Architecture • Behavior modeling approach • CPN modeling guidelines • Modular (device based) • Easy to setup • Virtual environment • Viewers + server • Graphical editing of environments (viewers) • Concurrent user access (server) • Communication/Execution module • Main purpose built component • Coordinates model and virtual environment • Multi-user support

13. Library Case Study

14. Modelling

15. APEX framework

16. APEX framework

17. APEX framework

18. Summary • An environment for ubiquitous systems analysis and simulation • Simulation allows navigation, and interaction, both explicitly and implicitly, with (virtual) devices • Analysis using CPN tools • Supports evaluation of usability and social impact of the design

19. ? Questions

20. APEX Usage • User Mode • No needs of modelling • Developper Mode • Generic CPN model • Add behavioural models of the dynamic objects presented in the VE • The generic model has information about the context which can be used in the developed models • Construct the interaction with the VE (e.g. start of the object behaviour, sendOpenGate)

21. APEX Usage – User mode • Download a viewer to connect to the virtual environment via the web; • Hippo OpenSim Viewer • Linden Lab's Second Life viewer • Project Viewer - Mesh • Run the viewer with the option -loginuri http://A.B.C.D:9000/, • A.B.C.D is the IP address of server machine • Connect to the server machine using a provided user account • (command: create user)

22. APEX Usage – User mode • Command execution achieved using the viewer tool: • “load oar filename“ – load an environment or object from an oar file; • “save oar filename” - save an environment or object from an oar file; • “clear” – remove all objects from the scene. Optionally, to remove only one object a “!” must be added to the beginning of its name before using the delete option provided by the viewer; • “objini” – send the dynamic objects values (ID, type and position) to the CPN model; • “sensors ini” – makes the sensors initialization with the values provided; • “addList:X” – add the value X to the user list (e.g. X is the book which the user wants); • “remList:Y” – remove the value Y of the user list. • Sensors insertion in the VE: • Command: load oar filename • Sensor’s properties access (on viewer): • Object’s field description (right click on sensor) • Object script association (on viewer): • Request Admin Status: Ctrl+Alt+G • Force the owner of the object to be me: Admin/Object/Force Owner To Me • Add the script: Select the object/Edit/Content/New Script/Add the script/Save

23. APEX Usage - viewer Command execution Sensor attributes Object movement: select + arrows Object scale: select + ctrl + shift Object rotation: select + ctrl Object creation: construct-> select object type -> apply in the VE Object insertion (Mesh Viewer): Construct -> upload -> model Object duplication: Select object -> take a copy (Look for it in the inventory then drag and drop)

24. CPN behavioural models

25. APEX process execution

26. Instalation - steps • Download and install CPN Tools • Download and install Opensimulator (standalone mode) • Create user account – create user command • Put in /bin folder • APEX.dll, awareHome.oar, sensors.oar, vazio • Download viewer • Linden Lab's Second Life viewer • Modify Viewer target with the option -loginuri http://A.B.C.D:9000/, where A.B.C.D is the IP address of the server machine

27. Execution • Load awareHome.cpn model into CPN Tools • Execute model (toolBox simulation): • delay:1ms (right click on play option) • number of steps: 1000000 (right click on play option) • Start opensimulator server • /bin/opensimulator.exe • Connect to the VE • Start viewer (using user and password created) • Load VE • Write Load oar awareHome.oar on chat textbox • Wait the loading of the Home • Delete sensors and objects considered dynamics • They will be automatically re-added and be made accessible by APEX

28. Execution • Configure the VE • Dynamic object behaviour • Add the script: Select the object/Edit/Content/New Script/Add the script/Save • Sensor features configuration • menu associated (right click on object) • Synchronization with the CPN Tools • Dynamic Objects: command obj ini on chat textbox • Sensors: command sensors ini on chat textbox

29. Objects and Sensors specifications • Each dynamic object must: • have a unique ID present in the field Name; • indicate its object type using the field Description (e.g. object type = gate); • Each sensor must be loaded from the pre-defined sensors provided (OAR files); • The fields Name and Description must be changed to reflect the desired values; • The objectIDs list present in the Description field of the Presence Sensors represents the Ids of the objects which the sensor affects. The elements of this list must be separated by commas ‘,’; • The threshold present in the Description field of the Presence Sensors represents the distance from which the sensor is sensible;

30. ? Questions