Design of a context aware object model for smart spaces, things, and people

In this paper, we propose a new model for smart spaces, things, and people contained within them. Our model is inspired by the document object model (DOM) that underpins the dynamic web. Like the DOM that enables programs attached to elements of a web document to manipulate portions of the document, we develop a physical object model (POM) that enables programs attached to things to manipulate other things or the smart space containing the thing. We describe the important pieces of the model and explain how it could enable interactions in smart spaces. Two important concerns with smart spaces are security and privacy. We discuss how POM facilitates the inclusion of policies to manage these concerns at the model level.