In this paper we introduce an experimental application to demonstrate the usage of context-based awareness cues in status updates, especially in SNS’s (Social Networking Services). The presented application allows users to add different descriptions of context information to their Twitter messages and Facebook status updates in a narrative format. We have also developed an adapted version of the system including conference-specific context-types such as the timetable of the presentations and indoor-location detection using Bluetooth beacons. One goal for the demonstrator is to explore the practical use of context abstractions in a conference setup and synthesize interesting insight based on the usage patterns during the event.

1. ContextCapture: Using Context-based Awareness Cues
to Create Narrative Events for Status Updates
Ville Antila Jussi Polet
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
Kaitoväylä 1, Oulu, Finland Kaitoväylä 1, Oulu, Finland
ville.antila@vtt.fi jussi.polet@vtt.fi
ABSTRACT learning capabilities and to motivate the user to label
In this paper we introduce an experimental application to activities [2]. In the work of Miluzzo et al. they propose a
demonstrate the usage of context-based awareness cues in system, which is capable of sensing various activities
status updates, especially in SNS’s (Social Networking (location, physical activity, social and physical
Services). The presented application allows users to add surroundings) and share this information on various social
different descriptions of context information to their Twitter networking platforms [4]. We propose a similar approach,
messages and Facebook status updates in a narrative but give even more freedom for the user to select the
format. We have also developed an adapted version of the message to convey (including different abstractions), thus
system including conference-specific context-types such as giving the system possibility to gather more nuanced data
the timetable of the presentations and indoor-location from the activities and learn more abstract associations to
detection using Bluetooth beacons. One goal for the label the contexts. The application concept is built around
demonstrator is to explore the practical use of context three main design goals, adapted from [5]: we wanted to
abstractions in a conference setup and synthesize interesting explore the relevance of different context types in informal
insight based on the usage patterns during the event. information sharing. Another goal was to explore the
Author Keywords meaningfulness of the different abstraction levels of context
Context-awareness, computer-mediated communication, information (i.e. labeling). In addition, the application was
mobile applications, sensing, social media. designed to provide mechanisms to control the disclosure
of the overall information or message.
ACM Classification Keywords
H.5.2 [Information Interfaces and Presentation]: The developed application allows people to include
Miscellaneous. contextual information to their status updates they send to
Facebook 1 and Twitter 2 . In addition to the selection of
General Terms different context types, the user can also decide the desired
Design, Experimentation, Human Factors. abstraction level (e.g. coordinates, address or semantic label
INTRODUCTION such as “conference venue”). We hypothesize that in many
There are two main goals we addressed with the cases, rather than using exact terms provided by context
ContextCapture application. First, the application recognition modules, people would like to add semantic
demonstrates technical aspects of collaborative context, for meaning by using more abstract notions for describing the
example, how the contextual information can be exchanged situation. As Benford et al. argue: “declaring one’s position
between different devices and how surrounding devices can is perhaps as much about deixis (pointing at and
be used as context sources. Secondly, with the application referencing features of the environment) as it is about
we are able to test and analyze the user experience of telling someone exactly where you are” [1].
context-aware systems, e.g. about the privacy concerns APPLICATION
related to the context sharing, understandability of the The prototype consists of a mobile application and a server-
contextually adaptive applications and the meaningfulness side application, which is integrated with Facebook and
of different abstractions. Furthermore, the stored Twitter. The mobile application gathers context data from
information can also be used for future purposes, such as the device itself, available sensors and by using Bluetooth
the basis for situation-aware recommendations. to collect data from nearby devices. The application
Mobile devices can be used to recognize social patterns, presents the sensed context information to the user along
infer relationships, identify socially significant locations, with proposals for other semantic abstractions which have
and model organizational rhythms [3]. These life patterns been used to describe similar contexts earlier. This gives the
can be used as input for creating narrative events [6]. In user the opportunity to reflect any higher-level semantics,
addition, social ties can be used to both enhance the system which cannot be inferred by the system, but also gives the
Copyright is held by the author/owner(s). 1
UbiComp’11, September 17–21, 2011, Beijing, China. http://www.facebook.com/
2
ACM 978-1-4503-0630-0/11/09. http://twitter.com/

2. system the possibility to learn these new semantics given in the user as the current social context. The current
specific contexts making the recommendations smarter over ContextCapture friends’ detection is based on the Facebook
time. After selecting the context items and their friends and ContextCapture use, i.e. if the users are friends in
abstractions, the status update is sent to the server. The the Facebook and both are using ContextCapture and are
server application stores the received context data into a nearby, they are shown in the current social context
semantic model (including the raw data from the sensors abstractions.
and the associated abstraction) and creates a narrative status
SUMMARY
update, which is used to create a new status update in The motivation for the demonstrator described in this paper
Facebook and/or Twitter. is to explore the usage of different types and abstractions of
context information in informal information sharing. Our
Social Media hypothesis is that in many cases, rather than using exact
terms for describing the situation, people would like to use
ContextCapture
Server
more abstract notions. The purpose of the demonstrator is to
explore the practical use of context abstractions in informal
information sharing. In the conference setup, we would like
Web to get people using the mobile application in their daily
activities. The goal is to gather user experiences, analyze the
actual usage patterns, and eventually synthesize interesting
User WLAN
insight from these patterns, such as context tags people have
with
Mobile
connection used to refer to different talks and sessions during the
Phone conference. We plan to publish these insights after the
Bluetooth
Beacon
conference using an appropriate information channel, such as
Bluetooth
a relevant blog.
connection
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