The digital divide in a world of AmI

1. The digital divide in a world of AmI

2. Structure of the session: • Presentations (Chair: Michael Rader) • Jeffrey Burke: Discovery, expression and responsibility: • Design dimensions for ambient intelligence • Lutz Kubitschke: Policies for an inclusive Europe • Panel Discussion • Dimitris Gritzalis: AmI: The Promise, the Price and the Social Disruption • Michael Huch: Ambient Assisted Living: Preparing a European RTD • Programme • Rob v. Kranenberg: Distributing insecurity

3. Jeff Burke • Discovery, responsibility and expression: Design dimensions for AmI • Basis of work on "networked sensing" at UCLA: multidisciplinary collaboration of artists, engineers, citizens applying a broad range of AmI technologies. • Idea: exploration of the possibilities for art work enabled by technology

4. Four divides have been encountered: • Access: If the claim of ubiquity is not fulfilled, are we still speaking of ubiquitous computing? • Relevance: Whose ubiquity for which ends? • Design: Who defines the services? • Transparency: How should technology make obvious how it actually collects sensor data?

5. Problems and possible solutions: • Task efficiency should not be the only design priority, especially for applications with expressive purposes • Alternative: discovery as a design priority (without possibilities for exploration of possibilities self-reflexiveness suffers) • Visualisation: making apparent how systems work could improve understanding of technology

6. Lutz Kubitschke • Policies for an inclusive Europe • Differentiation between 1st and 2nd order digital divide • Debate today centres not so much on reducing the number of "outs", but increasingly on enabling users to take advantage of technology • Policy perspective • Countering exclusion, exploiting opportunities, and promoting inclusive developments • Large number of activities at all levels of government in numerous policy fields (complex policy area) • Most of today's policies also relevant for AmI future – but more emphasis on "2nd order divide" & promotion of "participatory shaping" of AmI environment

7. Dimitris Gritzalis – discussed EU, Japan, US approaches to AmI (pervasive computing, ubiquitous networking) • Some differences in approaches & rationales, but some similar concerns re national security, benefits to civil society, industrial competitiveness • EU should adopt a holistic view of AmI research. • A focus of FP 7 will be on security and ensuring fundamental rights of European citizens

8. Michael Huch – addressed Ambient Assisted Living project, a preparatory action for European RTD programme. • Idea is to initiate an Art 169 research programme in 2007, with budget of €700 m budget over 7 years, with funding from Member States, EC and industry. • Calls for proposals will be based on strong user involvement (a safeguard) in defining objectives & projects. • AAL aims at prolonging time people can live in a decent way in their home environment • At which level in the value chain are SWAMI issues best dealt with?

9. Rob van Kranenburg – distributed insecurity • RFID – perhaps first time a measure of success is extent to which it disappears • We need to let go the idea of control, make the EU a patent-free zone. • Discussion – in AmI world, a new business model may be needed where focus is on provision of service based on competition, rather than development of proprietary technologies. Cultural issues need to be considered. Who will pay for AmI infrastructure? • Comment – that the digital divide panel had smallest room shows that the issue needs a higher priority • Some interesting presentations and discussion but not much focus on digital divide issues as conventionally understood. • Question remains: can AmI help overcome digital divide – or will AmI deployment broaden the digital divide?