We are beginning to see the future of mobile devices with information coming out of research labs. With location awareness, accelerometers and orientation sensors, plus increased storage and processing power, the devices we carry have powerful capabilities to improve our lives. Much of this research can also be applied to learning at the point of need.

An article in MIT's Technology Review showcases Palo Alto Research Center's (PARC) mobile software, Magitti, which suggests things to do based upon the location and behavior of the user. The software "uses a combination of cues--including the time of day, a person's location, her past behaviors, and even her text messages--to infer her interests."  Screen shots and further details are available here.

Researchers at Intel Labs Seattle have developed mobile device software to detect and record conversations to learn about the person's situation, mood, and social network -- not the

specific words being spoken. This technology could be used in the future to determine interruptability or situational awareness for coaching or mentoring.

At Accenture Technology Labs a device in your pocket lets you know whether you are managing your time well. "Imagine that device being used to deliver on-the-job learning at the point of need - helping to develop employees by allowing them to set specific goals, then giving them objective measures of whether their behaviour patterns match the goals they've set."

Outside the labs and moving into products is the work of Philippe Kahn (founder of Borland International and inventor of the camera phone) at fullpower.com. (See 3 November blog entry.) Philippe is working directly with manufacturers and holds patents in this area. According to the web site "Fullpower's all-in-one complete solution allows multiple applications to concurrently take advantage of motion, imaging, and other sensors such as proximity, ambient light, pressure, compass, GPS, heart rate, and blood glucose. The Fullpower solution is designed to minimize integration efforts for the device manufacturer and maximize benefits to the end-user."