Personalization and context-aware applications have attracted increasing amounts of attention over recent years due to the emergence of pervasive computing applications. Nevertheless, it still remains a challenge to meet the needs of users while they are on the move. This paper introduces a novel approach for providing personalized, context-aware assistance services for users in mobile environments. Central to the approach is the use of ontological user profile modeling which captures various characteristics of a user in order to create a unique set of profile information. In addition, user profiles can adapt to changing user behavior, thus enabling services to respond to evolving user needs and preferences. We describe the overall system architecture of the proposed approach with special emphasis being placed on the user profile modelling and its expected utility based on a typical use case scenario, i.e., using a smart-phone to address the problem of the outdoor mobility of a person with Dementia. A prototype based on the Android OS is used to illustrate the application. The use of everyday technology for a real world problem highlights the potential and utility of our approach.
People with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) cope with a lifelong condition that can affect communication skills and social interaction. This can lead to feelings of social anxiety, depression and isolation, especially among young adults with ASD. One strategy to support the needs of people with ASD is to facilitate proper structure and organization in the person's daily life. This paper presents a technology solution that promotes a self-management paradigm towards empowering people with ASD to enhance their independence and life skills. 'LifePal' is a smartphone App that provides users with task management, life-logging, reminding, and travel support. The App is supported via a dedicated web portal that promotes collaboration between caregivers and their dependents, towards defining obtainable life goals. The paper presents implementation details of the core platform services and discusses the results from a two-stage evaluation, conducted over a period of 6 months. Based on the feedback from 20 participants (4 parents (Phase one), 8 child-parent groupings (Phase two)), the findings positively support the potential utility of LifePal, however, highlight the importance of delivering sufficient user training to support adoption.
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