[agents] Call for Book Chapters: Agent- Based Ubiquitous Computing

[Javier Carbo]

CALL FOR BOOK CHAPTERS
BOOK TITLE: Agent- Based Ubiquitous Computing
Book Chapters Submission Deadline: 31st August 2008
Edited by Dr. Eleni Mangina Phelan (Univ. College Dublin), Dr Javier 
Carbo & Dr  Jose M. Molina (Univ. Carlos III Madrid)

Introduction
Ubiquitous computing names the third wave in computing, where the 
personal computing era appears when technology recedes into the 
background of our lives. The widespread use of new mobile technology 
implementing wireless communications such as personal digital assistants 
(PDAs) and smart phones enables a new type of advanced applications. In 
the past years, the main focus of research in mobile services has aimed 
at the anytime-anywhere principle (ubiquitous computing). However, there 
is more to it. The increasing demand for distributed problem solving led 
to the development of multi-agent systems. The latter are formed from a 
collection of independent software entities whose collective skills can 
be applied in complex and real-time domains. The target of such systems 
is to demonstrate how goal directed, robust and optimal behavior can 
arise from interactions between individual autonomous intelligent 
software agents. These software entities exhibit characteristics like 
autonomy, responsiveness, pro-activeness and social ability. Their 
functionality and effectiveness has proven to be highly depended on the 
design and development and the application domain. In fact, in several 
cases, the design and development of effective services should take into 
account the characteristics of the context from which a service is 
requested. Context is the set of suitable environmental states and 
settings concerning a user, which are relevant for a situation sensitive 
application in the process of adapting the services and information 
offered to the user. Agent technology seems to be the right technology 
to offer the possibility of exploring the dynamic context of the user in 
order to provide added-value services or to execute more and complex 
tasks. In this respect, agent-based ubiquitous computing can benefit 
from marrying the agent-based technology for the extensive usage of 
distributed functionality, to be deployed for lightweight devices and 
enable to combine ubiquity and intelligence in different application 
areas and challenge with questions the research communities in computer 
science, artificial intelligence and engineering.
The Overall Objective of the Book
Although a number of other books have been published in the area of 
agent-based technology, none of these has focused on the area of 
agent-based ubiquitous computing. The primary objective of the book will 
be to assist its readers and gather input and feedback concerning the 
research challenges, through the collection of the high-quality 
contributions that reflect and advance the state-of-the art in 
agent-based ubiquitous application systems. Secondary objective of the 
book will be to assist its readers in implementing agent-based 
ubiquitous systems, coming from many disciplines, with the target to 
discuss the different fundamental principles for construction and design 
of agents for specific applications, how they co-operate and 
communicate. Specifically, the book is focused on the different 
disciplines contributing to the design, cooperation, coordination and 
implementation problems of ubiquitous computing applications and how 
these can be solved through the utilization of agents. Submissions are 
invited that address theoretical, technical and practical issues of 
agent-based ubiquitous computing.
The Target Audience
It is intended the book to reflect the contributions of researchers, 
agent-based software developers, users and practitioners involved in the 
area of agent-based ubiquitous systems, coming from many disciplines, 
with the target to present the different fundamental principles for 
construction and design of agents for specific applications, how they 
co-operate and communicate, what tasks can be set and how different 
properties like coordination and communication have been implemented, 
and which are the different problems they had to cope with. Existing 
perspectives of ubiquitous agents within different application domains 
will be welcome for submission, as well as the different mechanisms for 
design and cooperation that can be used within different agent building 
environments. Specifically, the book is focused on the different 
disciplines contributing to the design, cooperation, coordination and 
implementation problems of ubiquitous computing applications and how 
these can be solved through the utilization of agents. Submissions are 
invited that address theoretical, technical and practical issues of 
agent-based ubiquitous computing. Contents of the book may include, but 
are not limited to the following examples:
	• Methodologies for agent-based ubiquitous computing
	• Interfaces for agent-based ubiquitous computing devices
	• Applications of agent-based ubiquitous computing
	o Education
	o Surveillance and Monitoring Control Systems
	o Virtual Environments and Games
	o User Services in Real Domains as Airports, Museums, etc.
	o Traffic Applications etc.
	• Evaluation techniques for agent-based ubiquitous computing
	• Security issues for agent-based ubiquitous applications
	• Visions for future agent-based ubiquitous computing

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before May 15, 
2008, a 2-5 page manuscript proposal clearly explaining the mission and 
concerns of the proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be 
notified by May 31, 2008 about the status of their proposals and sent 
chapter organizational guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be 
submitted by August 31, 2008. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on 
a double-blind review basis. We have carefully prepared detailed 
instructions for authors and editors as well as style files for the 
formatting of your chapters, Instructions package and style files can be 
found at:
http://www.atlantis-press.com/publications/books/AP-book-instructions.zip
http://www.atlantis-press.com/publications/books/AP-book-stylefiles.zip

Inquiries and Submissions can be forwarded electronically by email to:
Dr. Javier Carbó (Assistant Professor)
University Carlos III de Madrid
Av. Universidad 30, 28911 Leganes Madrid
email: jcarbo at inf.uc3m.es