Testing Techniques for Context-Aware Ubiquitous Systems

马克·威瑟关于无处不在计算的愿景，即计算机变得透明而无缝地融入我们日常生活的许多活动中，正在慢慢成为现实。研究人员已经创建了无处不在的计算环境的原型，比如可以自动感知特定房间内居民的存在并改变房间环境的某些方面，比如打开灯，或者可以播放参观者站在前面的博物馆文物的记录信息的“智能博物馆”。对于可以为普适计算开发的各种环境和应用程序，似乎有无限的可能性，但普适计算的本质给想要构建这些环境和应用程序的工程师带来了新的重大挑战。任何使用过计算机的人都曾经历过使用一个软件包时的极度挫败感，比如它不能正常工作，或者在运行过程中无礼地崩溃，或者运行速度极慢，或者通过不可信的网络传输信用卡号码等敏感信息。普适计算要实现与周围环境的真正透明和无缝集成，重要的是要最大限度地防止此类事故、崩溃、效率低下和不安全的情况发生。该项目将启动合理的软件测试方法的定义和实施，工程师可以使用这些方法来创建正确、高效和安全运行的无处不在的计算环境和应用程序。

Mark Weiser's vision of ubiquitous computing, in which computers become transparently and seamlessly woven into the many activities of our daily lives, is slowly becoming a reality. Researchers have created prototype ubiquitous computing environments such as 'smart homes' that can automatically sense the presence of a resident in a particular room and change some aspect of the environment of the room such as turning on the lights, or 'smart museums' that can play recorded information about the museum artefact a visitor is standing in front of. There seem to be limitless possibilities for the kinds of environments and applications that can be developed for ubiquitous computing, yet the very nature of ubiquitous computing creates new and significant challenges for engineers who would like to build these environments and applications. Anybody who has ever used a computer has experienced the extreme frustration of using a software package that doesn't work the way it's supposed to, or that unceremoniously crashes in the middle of its operation, or that runs extremely slowly, or that transmits sensitive information such as credit card numbers over untrusted networks. For ubiquitous computing to achieve true transparent and seamless integration with its surroundings, it is important to prevent such mishaps, crashes, inefficiencies and insecurities from happening to the greatest extent possible. This project will initiate the definition and implementation of sound software testing methods that engineers can use to create ubiquitous computing environments and applications that function correctly, efficiently and securely.