DHPC Adelaide

DHPC Technical Report DHPC-113

Personal Communications and Mobile Decision Support

K.A.Hawick and H.A.James

Archived 18 August 2002.

Abstract

The rapidly improving computational power of mobile devices allows for a rich set of communications and processing capabilities for mobile decision support applications. We are investigating the use of high-level middleware and communications protocols on wireless mobile devices such as the Compaq iPAQ. Commercial software for using PDAs as networked web browsers already exists. We believe there are considerable advantages for a mobile device to act as a server as well as a client. Such an approach allows active data-push between mobile users. This capability can address some of the problems facing mobile decision support applications in military and civilian arenas. We describe our use of a high-level Java middleware to implement client and server components that can communicate using a peer-to-peer architecture. We are also investigating both short- and medium-range wireless scenarios using Bluetooth and WaveLAN technologies. We discuss some of the broader ramifications for mobile and nomadic users.

Keywords: wireless; mobile computing; middleware; decision support; application protocol; Bluetooth; WaveLAN.

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