The document discusses the concept of context awareness in computing systems and the differences between sensor context and people context. Sensor context refers to machine-readable data like GPS coordinates and accelerometer readings, while people context refers to meanings derived from social and cultural practices. The document argues that a focus only on sensor context can lead to spurious connections and misses important aspects of how people understand and interact with technology in their lives. Understanding both sensor context and people context is important for designing context-aware systems that are useful and meaningful to users.

1. Dawn Nafus Tye Rattenbury Ken Anderson Add GPS and Stir? Some Context for Context Awareness

7. Think very, very carefully about the following question.

10. Spurious connections between Sensor Context and People Context are fantastic for art, but cloud ‘prediction’ “ Home Health Horoscope” Gaver et al, 2007 Sensor Context: Condensation on windows + pattern of doors + weight of the coffeepot + … = home health People Context: Sensors mash up horoscopes and give them back to perplexed dwellers who infer their meaning (i.e., do the real ‘sensing’ work) Inferencing that involves more than 10 variables will deliver spurious connections. What will people make of these?

16. An eComm 2008 presentation – http://eCommMedia.com for more