FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE ■ T-Engine: Japan’s Ubiquitous Computing News Architecture Is Ready for Prime Time News contact: Shani Murray ■
[email protected] ■ Virtual Displays and the Future of Mobile and Portable Devices T-Engine: Japan’s Ubiquitous Computing Architecture Is Ready for Prime Time Jan Krikke apan is quietly positioning itself for the • Standard T-Engine (75 mm ´ 120 mm) available for T-Engine. According to J next phase in digital technology: ubiq- for portable information devices with the T-Engine Forum Web site (www. uitous computing. A sign of things to comparatively advanced user interface t-engine.org), it includes network pro- come is T-Engine, arguably the most features, such as smart phones; tocol stacks, filing systems, Japanese advanced ubiquitous computing platform • Micro T-Engine (60 mm ´ 80 mm) for language processing, eTRON-specified in the world. T-Engine enables the dis- devices with relatively basic user inter- security software, a GUI, and audio pro- tribution of software resources, includ- face features, such as home electronic cessing. Other middleware will soon be ing middleware developed on T-Kernel, appliances and musical instruments; added to support speech recognition, its compact, real-time operating system. • Nano T-Engine (coin-sized) for small MP3, and digital watermarks. The plat- The platform also features standardized home electronic appliances; and form has also attracted support from hardware and tamper-resistant network • Pico T-Engine for the smallest units in American software makers. Sun Micro- security. a ubiquitous computing environment, systems ported Java to T-Engine, Mon- Ubiquitous computing (one person, such as switches, lighting equipment, taVista did the same with its real-time many computers) is the third era in com- sensors, and valves.