IPAC · Integrated Platform for Autonomic Computing

The IPAC (Integrated Platform for Autonomic Computing) proposal aims at delivering a middleware and service creation environment for developing embedded, intelligent, collaborative, context-aware services in mobile nodes. IPAC relies on short range communications for the ad hoc realization of dialogs among collaborating nodes. Advanced sensing components leverage the context-awareness attributes of IPAC, thus rendering it capable of delivering highly innovative applications for mobile and pervasive computing. IPAC networking capabilities are based on rumour spreading techniques, a stateless and resilient approach, and information dissemination among embedded nodes. Spreading of information is subject to certain rules (e.g., space, time, price). IPAC nodes may receive, store, assess and possibly relay the incoming content to other nodes. The same distribution channel is followed for the dissemination of new applications and application components that join the IPAC world".<br/>IPAC aims at providing all the communication functionality, relying on flexible components: the Sensing Elements Component, the Short Range Communication Component, and the IPAC core middleware itself. An important feature of IPAC is the embedded intelligence which relies on emerging knowledge representation and reasoning schemes, allowing behaviour self-adjustment, seamless interoperation at the messaging level and software integration. An Application Creation Component will also be designed, implemented and tested. This component refers to all tools, APIs and libraries, which assist the rapid application development for IPAC.<br/>Target applications include manufacturing plant control, traffic management, localized advertising, as well as crisis management. . Three well thought trials of different scales will be conducted to demonstrate the validity, viability, versatility and soundness of the IPAC embedded framework."