Middleware for pervasive and ad-hoc computing

More than a decade has passed since Mark Weiser articulated his vision of a world of pervasive devices, leveraging contextual information, to provide an increasingly interactive and responsive environment to users, to aid them in their everyday activities [1]. However, despite considerable progress, the promise of pervasive computing still remains elusive. The diversity in currently available devices, networking infrastructure and information content has complicated Weiser's vision, forcing many current research and development projects to focus only on point-examples of this technology. The organisation of the workshop on Middleware for Pervasive and Ad-Hoc Computing (MPAC) has been motivated by our belief that underpinning middleware mechanisms are central in weaving together the multitude of computing, communication and information technologies. Middleware for pervasive computing and ad hoc networking provide two core research areas in this respect. In particular, pervasive computing middleware will allow you to take advantage of the resources in your environment to tailor your services and applications for seamless access and unrestricted mobility. Ad hoc networking middleware will permit the formation of ad hoc communities for new applications. However, existing middleware technologies do not fully exploit the potential of such pervasive and ad hoc environments.