The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging network superstructure that will connect physical resources and actual users. It will support an ecosystem of smart applications and services bringing hyper-connectivity to our society by using augmented and rich interfaces. Whereas in the beginning IoT referred to the advent of barcodes and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), which helped to automate inventory, tracking and basic identification, today IoT is characterized by a dynamic trend toward connecting smart sensors, objects, devices, data and applications. The next step will be cognitive IoT, facilitating object and data re-use across application domains and leveraging hyper-connectivity, interoperability solutions and semantically enriched information distribution.

The Architectural Reference Model (ARM), presented in this book by the members of the IoT-A project team driving this harmonization effort, makes it possible to connect vertically closed systems, architectures and application areas so as to create open interoperable systems and integrated environments and platforms. It constitutes a foundation from which software companies can capitalize on the benefits of developing consumer-oriented platforms including hardware, software and services.

The material is structured in two parts. Part A introduces the general concepts developed for and applied in the ARM. It is aimed at end users who want to use IoT technologies, managers interested in understanding the opportunities generated by these novel technologies, and system architects who are interested in an overview of the underlying basic models. It also includes several case studies to illustrate how the ARM has been used in real-life scenarios. Part B then addresses the topic at a more detailed technical level and is targeted at readers with a more scientific or technical background. It provides in-depth guidance on the ARM, including a detailed description of a process for generating concrete architectures, as well as reference manuals with guidelines on how to use the various models and perspectives presented to create a concrete architecture. Furthermore, best practices and tips on how system engineers can use the ARM to develop specific IoT architectures for dedicated IoT solutions are illustrated and exemplified in reverse mapping exercises of existing standards and platforms."

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging network superstructure that will connect physical resources and actual users. It will support an ecosystem of smart applications and services bringing hyper-connectivity to our society by using augmented and rich interfaces. Whereas in the beginning IoT referred to the advent of barcodes and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), which helped to automate inventory, tracking and basic identification, today IoT is characterized by a dynamic trend toward connecting smart sensors, objects, devices, data and applications. The next step will be "cognitive IoT," facilitating object and data re-use across application domains and leveraging hyper-connectivity, interoperability solutions and semantically enriched information distribution. The Architectural Reference Model (ARM), presented in this book by the members of the IoT-A project team driving this harmonization effort, makes it possible to connect vertically closed systems, architectures and application areas so as to create open interoperable systems and integrated environments and platforms. It constitutes a foundation from which software companies can capitalize on the benefits of developing consumer-oriented platforms including hardware, software and services. The material is structured in two parts. Part A introduces the general concepts developed for and applied in the ARM. It is aimed at end users who want to use IoT technologies, managers interested in understanding the opportunities generated by these novel technologies, and system architects who are interested in an overview of the underlying basic models. It also includes several case studies to illustrate how the ARM has been used in real-life scenarios. Part B then addresses the topic at a more detailed technical level and is targeted at readers with a more scientific or technical background. It provides in-depth guidance on the ARM, including a detailed description of a process for generating concrete architectures, as well as reference manuals with guidelines on how to use the various models and perspectives presented to create a concrete architecture. Furthermore, best practices and tips on how system engineers can use the ARM to develop specific IoT architectures for dedicated IoT solutions are illustrated and exemplified in reverse mapping exercises of existing standards and platforms.

Welcome to the proceedings of the 4th European Conference on Smart Se- ing and Context hosted by the Centre for Communication Systems Research, University of Surrey, in Guildford, UK. Smart sensing and context are the key enablers for e?ective autonomous systems, providing transparent technologies to realize the vision of ubiquitous computing, intelligent services and networking. (Wireless) Sensor and actuator networks,tightly integratedinto the structure of the Internet provide the und- lying manifestation of the physical world into the Internet of Things. Networked sensorscaninfercontextfromrawdataandcaptureuserandapplicationneedsto provide smart adaptive services. Higher-level context can be deducted locally or remotelybycombining andabstractinginformationfromsmartsensors. The 4th European Conference on Smart Sensing and Context explored new techniques, algorithmsandarchitectures onutilizing contextandcontext-awareservicesand their applications. The conference builds on the success of the past editions held in Zu ..rich, Switzerland in 2008, in Kendal, UK in 2007 and in Enschede, The Netherlands in 2006. EuroSSC is a forum to exchange ideas and to discuss the most recent developments in smart sensing and context ?eld. It explores the latest ?ndings and state-of-the-art developments in technology, covering human and user aspects. The main topics discussed this year focused on embedded - plications, context-aware platforms, context processing, semantic technologies, mobile platforms and real-worlddeployment and exploitation scenarios. The - velopment of integrating sensor and actuator networks and context-platforms in a wider scale setting has added a new dimension to global networks and has - abled users and applications to interact with the physical world more e?ciently.

Das vorliegende Buch stellt die Ergebnisse einer ethnografischen Studie zu Formen des Zusammenarbeitens in mittelstandischen Unternehmen dar und entwickelt daraus das theoretische Konzept der Techniken des Sozialen. Die Studie zeigt, dass gegenwartiges Zusammenarbeiten durch gestaltete dirigierende Handlungsfestlegungen geformt wird. Das Konzept der Techniken des Sozialen beschreibt diese Form als eine technische Zurichtung des Sozialen und unterscheidet dabei zwischen einfachen und reflexiven Sozialtechniken. Es ist ein Vorschlag fur das Erfassen der gegenwartigen, technisierten Lebenswirklichkeiten, dessen analytisches Potenzial am Schluss anhand aktueller Phanomene digitaler Kultur aufgezeigt wird. Die UEberlegungen munden in die These, dass Convenience gegenwartig zum Gestaltungsimperativ der Organisation sozialer Beziehungen wird.