In 2006 Intel Research and Motorola Labs* began a joint effort to explore new research directions for mobile computing and communication. This is a relationship brokered by Roy Want and the Ubiquity Group within Intel Research, to expand the scope of research into mobile systems. The focus of the collaboration is on integrating sensors into the cell phone platform.

For some time, Intel had been interested in adding sensor capabilities to cell phones and other Ultra Mobile Devices (UMDs), to make use of context information available in the local environment, such as motion, light and sound. Such contextual data can be used to simplify the user interfaces of UMD's by automatically selecting the appropriate applications for the context and filtering application data, in order to minimize the need for user interaction. The result is that users can carry out tasks more effectively, and all forms of mobile platform have the potential to become more useful.

For instance, an accelerometer embedded in a UMD could be used to interpret gestures. Shaking the device hard might delete a poorly taken photo. Raising the device might signal a photo application to add the photo just taken to the "vacation" category; lowering the device could mean that the photo belongs in the "family" category. Such simple gestures could automatically tag the photo with that metadata, which would remain with the photo wherever it's stored.

In addition to adding sensors to UMD's, Intel researchers wanted to incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. This wireless technology enables devices to communicate over very short ranges (typically five centimeters, compared to ten meters for Bluetooth** wireless technology). The technology also can read RFID tags that are compatible with the NFC standard. Integrating NFC technology would enable devices to read each other's RFID tags and quickly learn how to connect, even if one device is turned off. These capabilities streamline the process of device discovery. In addition, NFC technology enables devices to exchange long encryption keys-too tedious and error prone to enter manually-making the communication channel even more secure. Motorola was also interested in the potential for integrating sensors into cell phones. Through its MOTOHEALTH research, the company has explored the use of sensors in combination with cell phones for health monitoring applications. Motorola researchers have combined cell phones with peripherals that sense Bluetooth** wireless technology in order to provide remote healthcare services and connected people carrying mobile phones to enterprise servers in a hospital through a wireless GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) connection. The system could be used for a range of additional health applications, such as sending alerts in response to a life-threatening event, and supporting personal fitness goals. Beyond health-related applications, Motorola Labs* sees many other domains where sensors can expand the capability of mobile phones, such as enabling sophisticated gaming applications that rely on motion sensing.

Both Intel and Motorola saw the opportunity for building a rapid prototyping sensor interface that could be attached to a mobile phone. In June 2006 the two companies signed an agreement to pursue this new avenue of research.

Under the agreement, Intel Research provided Motorola with a custom peripheral called the Phone System Interface (PSI - Fig. 1a). Inserting the PSI board into the SD card slot of the e680 and ROKR E2 phones (Fig. 2a and 2b) and makes it easy to plug in a variety of additional small-form-factor sensor peripherals, such as an NFC module (Fig. 1b). PSI also supports its own SD card slot, enabling a phone to switch between sensing functions and the SD card, thus preserving the original function of the interface.
To support development of the sensor interface, Motorola provided Intel with access to its internal development kit for the EZx class of phones--a system that is not available to the general developer community, allowing native applications to be written and executed on the phone. The result has been a mutually beneficial relationship that enables both companies to explore new mobile applications—process that would have been far more difficult for either company to pursue by itself. Through collaboration, Intel and Motorola are expanding the capabilities of the cell phone platform, and helping to transform the promise of easy, ubiquitous computing on-the-go into reality.