Höök says dramatic changes are on the way within mobile usage. The environment for mobile application development – which so far has been quite closed – is starting to open up, something required in order to boost new innovative services, she says.
“We joke about the arrival of mobile glasnost, thanks to solutions and products such as IP Multimedia Subsystem and the iPhone,” she says. “Until now, many of the opportunities and advantages of the mobile phone have been unexploited. We want to change that and take better advantage of its unique characteristics. The obvious benefit is of course mobility but the fact that it has become a true multimedia machine is also exciting, as well as GPS capabilities and the way it can, for example, interact with sensors.”
The work with sensors has resulted in a behavior-analyzing mobile phone. Höök says she is interested in exploring the interaction between the phone and the body. The phone uses sensors and Bluetooth, collecting data and patterns such as pulse, sweat, and feelings of happiness or shock.
“It can be an excellent tool for helping people learn more about themselves, about why they react the way they do and maybe improve their lives a bit,” Höök says.
