Guest Editors' Introduction: Urban Computing

Abstract

Only recently have researchers focused on the integration of computing,sensing, and actuation technologies in everyday urban settings andlifestyles. Pervasive computing has largely been applied either inrelatively homogeneous unpopulated areas--for example, sensor networksin forests--or in small-scale well-defined built environments, suchas smart houses. Urban settings pose many research and deploymentchallenges: ownership issues are complex as are the dynamics anddensity of system participation. Despite the complexities, urbancomputing is, in a limited sense, already a mass phenomenon. Roughlyhalf the world's population lives in urban environments, and connectivityis extensive through short- and long-range communication networks.This special issue looks at urban uses of familiar mobile technologiesbut focuses mainly on how to produce fully integrated designs specificallyfor urban settings and how to overcome the deployment challenges.