Fujitsu and Xerox PARC announced a partnership to study ubiquitous computing (story). Researchers from both organizations will initially focus efforts on developing interoperability standards and protocols based on PARC’s Obje architecture.

“The Obje software architecture is an interconnection technology that enables digital devices and services to easily interoperate over both wired and wireless networks. It provides a simple “meta standard” for interoperation that enables people to access information and services from anywhere, in a completely hassle-free, ad hoc manner.”

Researchers will also work to develop simpler and more secure wireless technologies and also incorporate social science to create new business opportunities, both at the business-to-business and business-to-customer levels.

Researchers at PARC, led by Mark Weiser, did much of the seminal work on ubiquitous computing. Weiser’s 1993 Scientific American article The Computer for the 21st Century is still a good read. After moving on to other things, I wonder if PARC can regain the lead in pervasive computing? A lot has happened in the mean time and many people are working on the vision.

Categories: Pervasive Computing, , Related posts: • MobiQuitous 2005;  • Fujitsu’s semantic web search tool;  • British Computer Society Grand Gallenges;   Trackback: link, Comments: