Ambient intelligence and the organization

The origins and basis of technology acceptance and resistance in a grassroots organization becomes complex when examined in the light of how technology has been used in the past, how it may be seen as a tool of oppression (stealing jobs, creating monotony, etc.) and how these experiences affect staff emotions and attitudes about new technology in the workplace (collaboration tools, blogs, anonymous feedback).

Beyond the features and characteristics of the technology and the usability issues that are normally babbled about when developing or introducing new technology, a deeper look shows that there were many issues of power, organizational dysfunction, and experience with past technological transitions that affected staffs' vision of themselves and their workplace.

It not the same as it use to be.

Research and just plain experience suggested that change associated with new technology often is carefully planned but with little or no consideration of the ways the change will affect people in their everyday work lives.

IT department, please note - avoid value judgments about the apparently irrational behavior of workers: don't construed their espoused attitudes and behavior as skillful maneuvers to maintain orderly situations and processes in the workplace (read\status quo).

Seemingly irrational negativity about the new corporate blog or the new intranet becomes more understandable when examined in light of the history of IT departments within organizations and specifically at how earlier experiences challenged the professional relationship between IT and the rest of the organization.

Let's face it - we have all worked at organizations where IT-ers are considered to be short thinkers and one of the main barriers to change.

But ladies and gentlemen, all is not a failure

Ambient intelligence appears poised to cause remarkable changes in the way people live. With digital information, the ease of interaction between humans and computers can be greatly increased by broadening the interface media available and allowing for mobile and portable communication free of inhibiting wires and stationary units.

Additionally, new forms of ambient intelligence will allow computers to adapt to their user's preferences. The result of ambient intelligence is ultimately a more empowered user with the benefits of added convenience, time and cost savings, and possibilities for increased safety, security, and entertainment.

As I have said, technology has the potential to significantly impact business and government influence, as well as our own private lives. There are huge gaps ready and waiting to be filled.

User adaptive interfaces, a very important integral part of AmI, are also referred to as 'Intelligent social user interfaces' (ISUIs). These interfaces go beyond the traditional keyboard and mouse to improve human interaction with technology by making it more intuitive, efficient, and secure. They allow the computer to know and sense far more about a person, the situation the person is in, the environment, and related objects than traditional interfaces can.

IBM's Pervasive Computing Lab, MIT's Media Laboratory, Accenture's Technology Labs and Microsoft's Hardware Devices Group are some of the organizations working with AmI/pervasive computing.

Keep an eye on them ...