Sm@rtLibrary - an infrastructure for ubiquitous technologies and applications

The paper presents our ongoing research on the potentials of ubiquitous technologies for future workspaces. The Sm@rtLibrary serves as a test and demonstration environment for ubiquitous technologies and their application. In this area we are currently concentrating on localization and location management technologies, context-dependent services, platform and device independent access to the services and information provided in such environments. In Sm@rtLibrary, an employee or visitor enters the library. This is automatically sensed by the room. The library user takes one of the freely available Sm@rtAssistants, which is a flexible Webpad with an integrated radio based identification device (so-called RFID-reader) and has wireless access to the local network (by using wireless LAN or Bluetooth). By approaching the Sm@rtAssistant with his/her digital office ID card, the Webpad´s user interface is personalized automatically to the needs and preferences of the user and his possibilities based on his current location. Within the Sm@rtLibrary, the user might want the library to meet one of various requirements which are outlined