Gloss is an europeen project on the topic of Disappearing Computer (DC). Official web site is www.gloss.cis.strath.ac.uk.

In the context of the disappearing computer initiative we specifically address the issue of consistency of experience over time and location. Our view of essential infrastructure for ambient systems focuses on the need to support individual interaction in a global context; configuring the infrastructure to support personalised interactions.

Our investigation is to underlying computational models for Ambient Systems on a global scale, which allow appropriate information to pass freely around the underlying infrastructure, allowing devices to be modular and communicative with other devices, in networks that keep recollection of use and user's characteristics while respecting privacy. Our models take explicit descriptions of context (physical and computational) and use these to drive the underlying infrastructures.

Gloss members are:

• University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (contact: Prof. Paddy Nixon)
• Trinity College, Dublin (contact: Dr. Siobhan clarke)
• University of St Andrews, St Andrews (contact: Prof. Al Dearle)
• Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble (contact: Prof. Joëlle Coutaz)
  
  

• The precise understanding of how services (physical and information) are used and how users interleave various contexts (home life, work life, tec.) during usage;
• Novel programming and systems support for the narrative representations and execution;
• The development of essential middleware infrastructures for hybrid mobile ad hoc, peer-to-peer and hierarchical systems;
• The development of an abstract interaction machine (I-AM) for plastic user interfaces.
  
  

• Jamboree year one at Zurich (2001)
• Jamboree year two at Gothenburg (2002)
• Jamboree year three at Ivrea (2003)
  
  

• Interaction archetypes (D4)
• Design guidelines for integrated spaces (D5)
• Raw observation data on spatial usage (D6)
• Gloss ontology and narratives (D7)
  Authors: G. Kirby, A.Dearle, K.Mullen, J.Coutaz, J.L.Crowley, G.Rey, C.Lachenal, M.Dunlop, D.Lievens
• First smart spaces (D8)
• Scenario analysis (D9.1)
• Gloss ontology (D9.2)
  Authors: J. Coutaz, A. Dearle, S. Dupuy-Chessa, G.N.C. Kirby, C. Lachenal, R. Morrison, G.
  Rey, E. Zirrintsis
• Analysis of experiences (D10)
• Second set of spaces (D11)
• Construction guidelines: hardware infrastructure design (D12)
• Model of space and movement (D13)
• Proximity based group communications (D14)
• An information flow architecture for global smart spaces (D15)
• Initial common langage implementation (D16)
• Initial reference framework for multi-surface interaction (D17)
  Authors: J.Coutaz, C.Lachenal, G.Rey
• Initial design of interaction techniques using multiple interaction surfaces (D18)
  Authors: J.Coutaz, C.Lachenal, N.Barralon, G.Rey
• Final reference framework for interaction surfaces (D19)
  Authors: J.Coutaz, C.Lachenal, N.Barralon, G.Rey
• Final examples of interaction techniques using multiple interaction surfaces (D20)
  Authors: J.Coutaz, C.Lachenal, N.Barralon, G.Rey
• Training course: global smart spaces (D21)
  Authors: All partner