Special challenges for models and patterns in smart environments

Abstract

Smart environments aim at inferring the intention of the user and based on that information, they offer optimal assistance for the users while performing their tasks. This paper discusses the role of supportive user interfaces for explicitly interacting with the environment in such cases where implicit interactions of the users fail or the users want to get informed about the state of the environment. It will be shown by small examples how patterns help to specify the intended support with implicit and explicit interactions. A notation for presentation patterns will be introduced that allows users dynamically to change the presentation style. It will be discussed how extended task models can be combined with presentation patterns and how this information can be used in supportive user interfaces on mobile devices. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.