Presentation given at SERVE 2016, International Workshop on Smart Ecosystems cReation by Visual dEsign, Bari, Italy, June 2016 ABSTRACT: Context awareness plays an important role in smart environments and embedded interactions. In order to increase user satisfaction and acceptance, context-aware solutions should be controllable by end users. Over the last few years we have therefore witnessed an emerging trend of visual programming tools for context-aware applications based on simple "if this then that" rules. Unfortunately, existing solutions do not support the easy reuse of the "this" part in other rules. Further, the desired level of control varies among individuals. In order to let users choose the right level of automation and control, we propose a multi-layered context modelling approach distinguishing between end users, expert users and programmers. We report on our ongoing development of the Context Modelling Toolkit (CMT) consisting of the necessary context modelling concepts as well as a rule-based context processing engine. We further discuss an initial design of the graphical user interface for the presented multi-layered context modelling approach. Paper: https://www.academia.edu/24777723/A_Multi-layered_Context_Modelling_Approach_for_End_Users_Expert_Users_and_Programmers

1. A Multi-layered Context Modelling
Approach for End Users, Expert
Users and Programmers
Sandra Trullemans and Beat Signer
05/06/2016

2. IF situation THEN action
Smart Homes
Digital Homes
IF THENI Sleep
IF THENMessage in meeting
Situation
Situation

3. Where We Can do Better
• Sensor-level knowledge required
• Hard for complex situations

4. Rules in Practise
End User
Programmer

5. Multi-layered Modelling Approach
End User Expert User Programmer

6. Collaboration
+
Reusing Situations Templates

7. Reuse of Situations
IF THEN
I Sleep
IF THEN
I Sleep
Situation
Situation

8. Situation Rules
IF THEN
I Sleep
IF THEN
Situation
Situation
I Sleep

9. Collaboration
+
Reusing Situations Templates

10. Templates
IF THENSomeone is Sleeping
A Time A Bed A Room A State
Situation

11. Filling In a Template
IF THEN
Someone is Sleeping
A Time A Bed A Room A State20:00 Her Bed Her Bedroom ON

12. Multi-Layered Context Modelling
Facts Actions
Situations
Rules
Tool Rule
Templates
Functions
Filled in
Template
Situations
End User
Expert User
Programmer

13. Creation of a Template

14. Adding IF Statements

15. To Fill In by End User

16. Situations on the IF side

17. New Situation on THEN side

18. Filling In a Template

19. Selecting the Bed

20. Entering the Hour

21. Labelling the New Situation

22. Reuse the Template

23. Making Context Rules

24. Adding an Action

25. Lessons Learned
• Level of abstraction is too high
• Importance of intelligibility

26. Takeaway Message
Reusing Situations
Templates
End User
Expert User
Programmer

27. Open Questions
• Level of abstraction and intelligibility
• Managing situations
• Guiding end users

28. References
• S. Trullemans and B. Signer, A Multi-layered
Context Modelling Approach for End Users,
Expert Users and Programmers, Proceedings
of the International Workshop on Smart
Ecosystems cReation by Visual dEsign (SERVE
2016), Bari, Italy, June 2016
– http://beatsigner.com/publications/trullemans_SE
RVE2016.pdf