FollowMe: enhancing mobile applications with open infrastructure sensing

Abstract

Despite context-rich smartphone applications being adopted at an unprecedented rate, few use the data produced by the numerous cameras and microphones on walls and other fixed infrastructure. We present a system design called FollowMe aimed at letting mobile applications use these sensors for richer context and better applications. We discuss the benefits of such a system and the new applications it can support. We then describe the key challenges, including establishing relationships between users and sensors that meet the privacy and security requirements of different settings (e.g., a bedroom vs. a public park) with minimal setup overhead, and improving awareness of and control over how data about a person is used by other people.