Essential Computing: Simplifying And Enriching Our Work And Daily Life

Ensemble Computing: Opportunities And Challenges

Article Description

Since the advent of the first practical mobile computers more than 20 years ago, advances in the underlying technology have moved out of research and development into both the enterprise and consumer electronics. Today, mobile networked computers are ubiquitous. Trends that have enabled this revolution include improved processor performance, exponentially increasing storage density, and high-bandwidth standardized radios: using technologies that consume less power and are packaged in smaller form-factors than their predecessors. However, the formation of mobile collections of devices, or ensembles, can further build on the network effect to amplify an ensemble's usefulness, a property first observed with telephony, and later the Internet. Ensembles can be created by using now commonly available wireless and wired standards, providing an aggregate value to a user that is greater than the sum of the component parts. In this article, we examine the opportunities for ensemble computing; classify the main usages and application domains; review enabling component technologies, and point out the research challenges that need to be addressed to realize the full potential of the ensemble concept. (Filetype/Size: PDF 730 KB)

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