Mobile functionality in a pervasive world

K. Eustice et al. (1999) presented the concept of a universal information appliance (UIA), a device capable of dynamically hosting tailored interfaces to the pervasive computing environment. The paper extends this concept by allowing the user to change, modify or improve the tailored interfaces available. This will enable an individual to dynamically create a user interface on the fly and to use it to interact with myriad devices. Alternatively, users will be able to create, also on the fly, mobile agent-like entities that will roam around the network to obtain specified data for the individual. Interactions between multiple UIAs will also be possible. Thus, we can envisage a scenario where an individual will create an agent-like entity tasked to roam around the network, delegating work to different devices, to achieve a desired goal.