Pervasive and Grid Computing Merging

Nowadays, we are experiencing an increasing use of mobile and embedded devices. These devices, aided by the emergence of new wireless technologies and software paradigms, among other technological conquests, are providing means to accomplish the vision of a new era in computer science. In this vision, the way we create and use computational systems changes drastically for a model where computers loose their “computer appearance.” Their sizes were reduced, cables were substituted by wireless connections, and they are becoming part of everyday objects, such as clothes, automobiles, and domestic equipments. Initially called ubiquitous computing, this paradigm of computation is also known as pervasive computing (Weiser, 1991). It is mainly characterized by the use of portable devices that interact with other portable devices and resources from wired networks to offer personalized services to the users. While leveraging pervasive computing, these portable devices also bring new challenges to the research in this area. The major problems arise from the limitations of the devices. At the same time that pervasive computing was at-