The-computer-as-we-know-it will have no role in our future everyday lives. This is the position taken in this book which elaborates how it will be replaced by a new generation of technologies, moving computing off the desktop and ultimately integrating it with real world objects and everyday environments. Computing becomes thus an inseparable part of our everyday activities while simultaneously disappearing into the background. It becomes a ubiquitous utility taking on a role similar to electricity - an enabling but invisible and pervasive medium revealing its functionality on request in an unobtrusive way and supporting people's everyday activities. As members of the Steering Group of the EU-funded Disappearing Computer research initiative, the editors of this book successfully assembled a collection of 13 elaborate chapters and three forewords that address the issues and challenges in this area. All authors are prominent researchers who set out investigating, developing and deploying future, people-centred smart environments. This book provides a unique combination of concepts, methods and prototypes of ubiquitous and pervasive computing reflecting the current interest in smart environments and ambient intelligence. Excerpts from the three forewords for the book: Thierry van der Pyl and Thomas Skordas from the European Commission state that: The Disappearing Computer initiative anticipated and pioneered the concept of ambient intelligence ... and allowed to advance the boundaries of what is possible with the computer today. Gregory Abowd from GeorgiaTech in the US writes about this research: While substantial progress was shown on the creation of information artefacts, it is the new behaviors and user experiences that promise long-term impact. Finally, Emile Aarts from Philips Research comments on the relationship of ambient technology and people's behavior: This current volume undoubtedly provides a major contribution to fill up this gap of knowledge. Examines how the computer will be replaced by a new generation of technologies, moving computing off the desktop and ultimately integrating it with real world objects and everyday environments. This book provides a combination of concepts, methods and prototypes of ubiquitous and pervasive computing. Part I. Interacting within Smart Spaces Smart Artefacts as Affordances for Awareness in Distributed Teams 3(27) Norbert Streitz Thorsten Prante Carsten Rocker Daniel van Alphen Richard Stenzel Carsten Magerkurth Saadi Lahlou Valery Nosulenko Francois Jegou Frank Sonder Daniela Plewe From the Disappearing Computer to Living Exhibitions: Shaping Interactivity in Museum Settings 30(20) John Bowers Liam Bannon Mike Fraser Jon Hindmarsh Steve Benford Christian Heath Gustav Taxen Luigina Ciolft Opening the Digital Box for Design Work: Supporting Performative Interactions, Using Inspirational Materials and Configuring of Place 50(27) Pelle Ehn Thomas Binder Mette Agger Eriksen Giulio Jacucci Kari Kuutti Per Linde Giorgio De Michelis Simon Niedenthal Bo Petterson Andreas Rumpfhuber Ina Wagner Spatial Computing and Spatial Practices 77(22) Anders Brodersen Monika Buscher Michael Christensen Mette Agger Eriksen Kaj Grønbæk Jannie Friis Kristensen Gunnar Kramp Peter Krogh Martin Ludvigsen Preben Holst Mogensen Michael Bang Nielsen Dan Shapiro Peter Ørbæk Part II. Designing for the Home and Social Activities Co-designing Communication Technology with and for Families - Methods, Experience, Results and Impact 99(21) Sinna Lindquist Bo Westerlund Yngve Sundblad Helena Tobiasson Michel Beaudouin-Lafon Wendy Mackay Assembling Connected Cooperative Residential Domains 120(23) Tom Rodden Andy Crabtree Terry Hemmings Boriana Koleva Jan Humble Karl-Petter Akesson Par Hansson Intrusiveness Management for Focused, Efficient, and Enjoyable Activities 143(18) Fredrik Espinoza David De Roure Ola Hamfors Lucas Hinz Jesper Holmberg Carl-Gustaf Jansson Nick Jennings Mike Luck Peter Lonnqvist Gopal Ramchurn Anna Sandin Mark Thompson Markus Bylund Part III. System Architecture and Infrastructures Towards Ubiquitous Computing Applications Composed from Functionally Autonomous Hybrid Artifacts 161(21) Nicolas Drossos Irene Mavrommati Achilles Kameas Towards Dynamic and Cooperative Multi-device Personal Computing 182(23) Spyros Lalis Anthony Savidis Alexandros Karypidis Jurg Gutknecht Constantine Stephanides An Attention-Based Architecture for Context Switch Detection 205(28) Nicolas Tsapatsoulis Stathis Kasderidis John G. Taylor Part IV. Augmenting Physical Artefacts Emerging Sounds for Disappearing Computers 233(22) Davide Rocchesso Roberto Bresin Electronically Functional Fibre Technology Development for Ambient Intelligence 255(20) Thomas Healy Constantin Papadas Nikos Venios Frank Clemens Markus Wegmann Doerte Winkler Astrid Ullsperger Wolf Hartmann Brendan O'Neill Julie Donnelly Anne-Marie Kelleher John Alderman Alan Mathewson Augmented Paper: Developing Relationships Between Digital Content and Paper 275(24) Paul Luff Guy Adams Wolfgang Bock Adam Drazin David Frohlich Christian Heath Peter Herdman Heather King Nadja Linketscher Rachel Murphy Moira Norrie Abigail Sellen Beat Signer Ella Tallyn Emil Zeller Author Index 299(2) Subject Index 301