An architecture for sentient GPRS-enabled MicroBots

Ambient intelligence is a user-centered concept which combines several computing disciplines with the purpose of enhancing/facilitating the user´s daily activities. We deem that autonomous or semiautonomous (remotely controlled) sentient MicroBots may also be first-class citizens within ambient intelligence. Those MicroBots would interact with their surrounding environment assisted by their built-in sensors, effectors and communication facilities, on behalf of the users they serve. In essence, they would also profit as users do from Ambient Intelligence to achieve their programmed goals. In this paper, we contribute with a solution to enable the realtime remote control of GPRS-accessible semiautonomous sentient MicroBots. Moreover, we discuss the extensions necessary to convert those MicroBots into care assistants for disabled and elderly people.