Theme issue: “ubiquitous computing and ambient intelligence”

The ubiquitous computing (UC) idea envisioned by Weiser in 1991 has recently evolved to a more general paradigm known as Ambient Intelligence (AmI). This vision represents a new generation of user-centred computing environments aiming to find new ways to obtain a better integration of the information technology in everyday life devices and activities. AmI environments are integrated by several autonomous computational devices of modern life ranging from consumer electronics to mobile phones. Ideally, people in an AmI environment will not notice these devices, but they will benefit from the services they provide them. Such devices are aware of the people present in those environments by reacting to their gestures, actions and context. Recently, the interest in Ambient Intelligence Environments has grown considerably due to new challenges posed by society, giving place to new interesting associated research disciplines such as vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET), Ambient Assisted Living (AAL), e-Health, Internet of Things and Home Automation among others. This theme issue focuses on gathering research results coming from Ambient Intelligence and probably its most promising, socially and commercially speaking, application domain, namely Ambient Assisted Living (AAL). The papers in this issue have been selected from two international conferences held in Valencia in September 2010, namely UCAmI and IWAAL, respectively. The Symposium of Ubiquitous Computing and Ambient Intelligence (UCAmI) has consolidated, in its four editions, as a reference event in Europe and South America, and it is one of the two oldest Ambient Intelligence-specific events. On the other hand, the International Workshop of Ambient Assisted Living (IWAAL) is one of the few specific conferences on the topic of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL). AAL is, without doubt, one of the most clear targets of Ubiquitous Computing/Ambient Intelligence since it attempts to solve a real problem, i.e. how the seamless integration of infocommunication technologies within homes and residences can enhance elderly people’s quality of life and autonomy, thus reducing their need for being institutionalized or aiding them when it happens. In what follows, a short overview of the papers included classified by their specific topic within AmI is given. Notice that contributions from researchers from Belgium, France, Mexico, Chile and Spain have been compiled in this issue. Firstly, several works have centred on the application of novel software engineering techniques and middleware to make reality the Ubiquitous Computing vision: