Exposing position uncertainty in middleware

Traditionally, the goal for positioning middleware is to provide developers with seamless position transparency, i.e., providing a connection between the application domain and the positioning sensors while hiding the complexity of the positioning technologies in use. A key part of the hidden complexity is the uncertainty associated to positions caused by inherent limitations when using sensors to convert physical phenomena to digital representations. We propose to use the notion of seamful design for developers to design a positioning middleware that provides transparent positioning and still allows developers some control of the uncertainty aspects of the positioning process. The design presented in this paper shows how uncertainty of positioning can be conceptualized and internalized into a positioning middleware. Furthermore, we argue that a developer who is interacting with uncertainty concepts is best supported when provided with a programming method with declarative constructs.