Middleware for pervasive and ad hoc computing

More than a decade ago, Mark Weiser articulated his vision of a world of pervasive devices. Over the past two years, the workshops on Middleware for Pervasive and Ad-Hoc Computing (MPAC) have provided a forum for stimulating discussion on core middleware challenges with the aim of articulating a research roadmap to address large-scale, real-world problems in such environments. The discussion focused on three important issues: the functionality that middleware should provide to pervasive and ad hoc computing systems; security and privacy issues; and the assessment of progress towards Weiser's vision. For the 2004 MPAC workshops, papers presented serve as good examples of how the community tries to address the middleware challenges posed by Weiser's vision.