The separated user interface in ambient computing environments: A holistic framework-based approach for design, infrastructures and tools

In a world of ambient services, the technology disappears into the surroundings until only the user interface remains perceivable by users. In highly computerised environments, the application of mouse or keyboard is not feasible for interacting with complex services. Powerful mobile computers and high speed wireless networking enable enhanced interaction with services from a distance, e.g. by employing a mobile phone, using gestures, or observing body movements. The arising heterogeneity of the user interface and the service to control prevents from enhanced interaction methods. The heterogeneity of interaction styles, technology and developmener teams narrows interoperability and complicates the development process. A common understanding of a solution and a detailed description of the components and their relationships are necessary. Available patterns for software architectures are rather unspecific, in particular with respect to addressing physical distribution of components. This thesis facilitates interoperability and describes the design of a general solution to enable input devices to control environmental computing services. The approach extends the idea of separating the user interface from the application logic by defining virtual or logical input devices physically separated from the services to control. The achievement of uniformity of the design and development processes supports a common understanding, and builds a solid ground to deliver tools and auto-generation of source code. The development process, the architectural design, and the usefulness of the tools were verified in two technical reviews. The complexity of development and the required programming effort were reduced by applying the software artefacts developed in the thesis. An application example was implemented and evaluated with 42 users. The analysis of the source code using software measures confirmed improvements in efficiency of development