A Platform to Support Context-Aware Mobile Applications

Today smartphones and tablet PCs are gaining more popularity due to cutting edge technology added on top of wearability, thus creating the scene for context-aware applications that are capable to sense and actively use context to provide the user with valuable information whenever and wherever is needed, even while on the move. In this paper we describe CAPIM, a platform designed to support the construction of such context-aware mobile applications. The platform provides capabilities for sensing and collecting data from sensors and external sources. It includes a layer where the raw context data is aggregated and derived into higher-level information. A dedicated rule execution engine is offered to support context-aware workflows. CAPIM integrates context-aware services that are dynamically configurable and use the user's location, identity, preferences, profile, and relations with individuals, as well as capabilities of the mobile devices to aggregate and semantically organize the context data. They react based on dynamically defined context-oriented workflows. We present the platform's architecture, implementation details, and present case study scenarios which show its potential to handle a variety of context-aware situations. CAPIM is fully functional and can be used in a variety of context-aware situations.