Uploaded November 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Early in the rise of pervasive computing one of the pioneers of the field—Mark Weiser—outlined a vision for what he called calm computing. In calm computing, pervasive devices fade into the background of our lives. Even with computing surrounding us, and aiding us, we spend less time interacting with our devices and more time going out our lives. Unfortunately, while Weiser’s vision has earned a persistent place in the mindset of technologists work on pervasive computing, today it remains much more myth than reality. Our interactions with our devices are frequently anything but calm, and we spent a growing amount of time fiddling with them to get them to do what we want.
Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo).
Part of the internet-class.org online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (https://blue.cse.buffalo.edu) production.
Early in the rise of pervasive computing one of the pioneers of the field—Mark Weiser—outlined a vision for what he called calm computing. In calm computing, pervasive devices fade into the background of our lives. Even with computing surrounding us, and aiding us, we spend less time interacting with our devices and more time going out our lives. Unfortunately, while Weiser’s vision has earned a persistent place in the mindset of technologists work on pervasive computing, today it remains much more myth than reality. Our interactions with our devices are frequently anything but calm, and we spent a growing amount of time fiddling with them to get them to do what we want.
Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo).
Part of the internet-class.org online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (https://blue.cse.buffalo.edu) production.
