Centralized Data Acquisition Unit for the Empathic Space

This paper describes a unit of collective structures that is being used to acquire and access data throughout the empathic space. The data include but is not limited to the output of sensors (ambient, context, and user location) and multimedia content (audio and video) which serves as input for various empathic computing activities or processes. The system tailors both high level (e.g. host applications, web service) and low level (e.g. hardware interfacing, microprocessor) structures to facilitate data handling with the best possible throughput, scalability, extensibility, and interoperability.