Posted: 05 April 2006
UCD installs largest ever real-time locator system in Ireland to support research into pervasive computing
Ubisense, the leading provider of precise, real-time location
technology, and University College Dublin have deployed the
largest ever real-time location system (RTLS) in Ireland.
The Ubisense system has been installed in the UCD Computer Science and Informatics building to support the university’s research into pervasive computing and the efficiencies of wireless applications. By leveraging the Ubisense RTLS platform that is capable of locating people and assets within 30 cm in 3D, developers will be able to build context aware applications and manage sensor-based systems in pervasive computing environments.
“Ubisense is the only wireless platform that provides in real-time the precise location accuracy needed to meet our requirements,” said Paddy Nixon, professor of distributed systems and head of the Systems Research Group, UCD. “We are relying on the Ubisense system to track staff and students so we can build a log of all the data, and identify patterns of movement and associations with their context. This data will help us realize existing issues and limitations associated with current and future wireless applications. For example, the data can be used to locate staff, patients and equipment in hospitals, or create physically interactive multiplayer games to help tackle childhood obesity.”
Using the Ubisense platform, UCD is able to precisely monitor and record interactions between people, and between people and devices, such as cell phones or handheld devices. This level of detail will allow UCD to develop pervasive computing systems that can be customized to respond to the smallest changes in a user’s movement or location.
“The blending of real and virtual worlds is becoming possible through technologies such as Ubisense, and as early adopters we have the opportunity to push the boundaries of what has been achieved to date,” said Dr. Steve Neely, Research Fellow in the Systems Research Group, UCD. “Having the Ubisense platform at our disposal opens up lines of research about pervasive computing that would otherwise be difficult, perhaps impossible, to pursue. Ubiquitous computing is a vision of the future in which we are surrounded by computationally aware devices that have disappeared into the fabric of our lives.”
“The cutting-edge research UCD is conducting will help evolve new applications in pervasive computing that will improve usability and efficiency of work and social environments,” said Richard Green, CEO, Ubisense. “We are extremely proud of our involvement with this research and believe the results of UCD’s findings will have a significant and positive impact on how wireless and pervasive computing applications are deployed around the world.”
About UCD Systems Research Group
The Systems Research Group is based in the UCD School of Computer Science
and Informatics. The SRG was founded by Professor Paddy Nixon
after he was awarded significant funding from Science Foundation
Ireland, funding which has made this work possible. For more
information, visit http://srg.cs.ucd.ie
About Ubisense
Ubisense delivers a precise, real-time location system (RTLS) utilizing
ultra-wideband (UWB) technology that locates people and assets within
30 cm in 3D. Customers spanning logistics and manufacturing,
workplace, military, healthcare and hazardous environments rely on the
innovative Ubisense system to analyze and dramatically improve complex
processes resulting in significant operational savings. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, England with offices in Denver, Colorado;
Dortmund, Germany; and Singapore. For more information, visit http://www.ubisense.net.