Sample set of questions for the UBICOMP written examination

Sample set of questions for the UBICOMP written examination
Ubiquitous/Pervasive Computing
1. Discuss about the 3 Phases of Computer use. (1.5P)
2. Who is said to be the Founder of Ubiquitous Computing? (0.5P)
3. What is the Vision of Ubiquitous Computing? (1P)
4. What is Invisibility within the context of ubiquitous computing? (1P)
5. What is Localized Scalability? (1P)
6. What is Uneven Conditioning? (1P)
7. What is Cyber Foraging? (1P)
8. Why is User Intent important to consider in designing UBICOMP systems? (1P)
9. Discuss about Client Thickness within the context of ubiquitous computing. (1P)
10. Discuss about the following 4 challenges within ubiquitous computing namely:
Proactivity, Transparency, Privacy and Trust. (2P)
11. Why is High-Level Energy Management important in designing UBICOMP
systems? (1P)
12. Discuss about Adaptation Strategy from a UBICOMP perspective. (1P)
Context-Aware Computing
1. What is Context? When is a system Context-Aware? (1P)
2. Mention any 2 Features of Context-Aware applications. (1P)
3. Why do Context-Aware systems have difficult decisions to make? (2P)
4. Discuss about Context-Awareness as a response to: a) the Environment; b)
People; and c) the Interpersonal (Social Context). (1.5P)
5. Discuss any 3 Design Principles for building Context-Aware systems. (1.5P)
Location-Aware Computing
1. What is Location Aware Computing? (0.5P)
2. What are the 3 Approaches for Automatic Location Sensing? (1.5P)
3. Discuss about Triangulation based Location Tracking. (2P)
4. Discuss about Scene Analysis as an approach for Location Tracking. (1P)
5. Discuss about Proximity based Location Tracking. (1P)

8. Describe any 4 Location Tracking System Properties. (2P)
9. What is the difference between Physical and Symbolic Locations? (1P).
10. Describe any 2 Location Tracking Systems. (2P)
11. Discuss any 4 Applications of Location Tracking Systems. (2P)
Activity-Aware Computing
1. Discuss about Complex Sensors based Activity Recognition. (1P)
2. Discuss about Body-Worn Sensors based Activity Recognition. (1P)
3. Discuss about RFID based Activity Recognition. (1P)
4. Discuss about State Change Sensors based Activity Recognition. (1P)
5. What are the Challenges (mention any 4) within the field of Activity Recognition?
(2P)
6. What are the Advantages (mention any 2) of VR simulation for building activity
recognition systems? (1P)
7. What is Information Channel Fusion within the context of activity recognition?
How is it useful? (2P)
Graspable/Tangible Interfaces
1. What is a Token and what is a Constraint within Tangible User Interfaces? (1P)
2. Discuss about the following 2 Phases of Interaction within tangible interfaces
namely: a) Association and b) Manipulation. (1P)
3. Describe any 2 Application areas for Tangible Interfaces. Discuss their
Advantages over traditional WIMP Interfaces. (2P)
4. What are Tangible Interfaces? (1P)
5. Imagine and describe a future application where tangible interfaces could be used
to support human activities. (1P)
Smart Homes and Smart Object Systems
1. What are Smart Homes? What are their Features? (1P)
2. Discuss about Smart Homes for Elderly or Disabled with examples. (1P)
3. What is Home Automation? How is it different to Semi-automated Approaches?
Provide examples and discuss further. (2P)
4. Describe and discuss about any 4 Challenges in deploying ubiquitous computing
technologies in a Home Environment. (2P)
5. What are Smart Objects? Describe the 3 Types of Smart Object Systems with
examples (2P)
6. What are Smart Objects? Discuss the differences between Standalone and Cooperative
Smart Objects. (1.5 P)
Wearable Computing
1. What is a Wearable Computer? How is it different to a PDA? (1P)
2. What is Licklider's Vision of "Man-Computer Symbiosis"? (1P)

3. Discuss any 4 Application areas where Wearable Computers could be useful. (2P)
4. Discuss about the following 4 Challenges within Wearable Computing research:
User Interface, Power Use, Heat Dissipation, and Networking (2P)
5. Describe the Common Parts of a Wearable Computer. (1P)
Augmented/Mixed Reality
1. What is Augmented Reality? How is it different to Mixed Reality? (1P)
2. Describe Milgram's Reality-Virtuality Continuum with examples. (1P)
3. What is Augmented Reality? How is it different to Virtual Reality? (1P)
4. Describe any 4 Application areas for Augmented Reality. Provide suitable
examples and discuss how Augmented Reality technologies can improve the
mentioned application areas. (2P)
5. What are the differences between Optical see-through HMD and Video seethrough
HMD? (2P)
6. What is Registration Problem? Discuss and compare Static Registration Errors
with Dynamic Registration Errors. (2P)
UBICOMP Applications
1. What is Vineyard Computing? (0.5P)
2. Why are Ethnographical Studies important for Vineyard Computing? Describe
and discuss its influence on Vineyard Computing. (2P)
3. Describe the 3 Important Factors to consider within Vineyard Computing. (1.5P)
4. Discuss about Proactive Computing within the context of Vineyard Computing.
(1P)
5. Discuss with an example how understanding the Vineyard Work could influence
the System Design. (1P)
6. You are supposed to design a UBICOMP system for Fire Fighters. What are the 3
Methods that you might consider to obtain more information about this domain?
(1.5P)
7. Discuss the following 4 Design Challenges namely Accountability, Assessment,
Resource Allocation and Communication in designing a UBICOMP system for
fire-fighters (2P).
Evaluation Techniques
1. Why do we need an Evaluation Framework for UBICOMP applications? (2P)
2. Discuss about any 4 Evaluation Areas. (2P)
3. Discuss about Attention, Adoption and Trust as Evaluation Areas for UBICOMP
applications (1.5P)
4. Discuss about Interaction, Invisibility and Conceptual Models as Evaluation
Areas for UBICOMP applications (1.5P)
5. Discuss about VR Simulation based Evaluation, Live-in Laboratory Evaluation
and In-Situ Evaluation. (1.5P)