Aims and Fit of Module

• This module aims to provide guidelines, design principles and experience in developing applications for small, mobile devices, including an appreciation of context and location aware services.

• This module will let students develop an appreciation of interaction modalities with small, mobile devices (including interface design for non-standard display surfaces) through the implementation of simple applications and use cases.

• This module aims to introduce wireless communication and networking principles, that support connectivity to cellular networks, wireless internet and sensor devices.

• This module aims to let students understand the use of transaction and e-commerce principles over such devices to support mobile business concepts.

• This module aims to let students appreciate the social and ethical issues of mobile computing, including privacy.

Learning outcomes

A. identify the characteristics and limitations of mobile hardware devices including their user-interface modalities; B. develop applications that are mobile-device specific and demonstrate current practice in mobile computing contexts; C. analyze and evaluate the design and development of context-aware solutions for mobile devices; and D. Recognize and address professional, legal, social and ethical issues, in particular those relating to security and privacy of user data and user behavior.

Method of teaching and learning

The delivery of material will be through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and lab classes. Regular tutorial and lab assignments will focus on the design and implementation of applications that exploit and utilise the approaches discussed in the lectures, and their use demonstrated though actual deployment onto small devices, or on device simulators.
Continuous Assessment (60%) will take the form of assignment and a programming project. The assignment will assess students' ability to critically analyze existing mobile computing techniques. The project will necessitate the development of novel solutions to problems that are mobile-device specific. A written examination (40%) at the end of the module will be used to assess the comprehension and academic application of the material taught.