MAIS Multichannel Adaptive Information Systems

The Vision

The current fast evolution in the ICT world suggests that it will be possible to offer access to information systems, in a ubiquitous way, through various kinds of interaction devices (PCs, laptops, palmtops, cellular phones, TV sets, and so on).

The MAIS project main research goal is to provide a flexible environment to adapt the interaction and provided information and services according to ever changing requirements, execution contexts, and user needs.

The Approach

The MAIS project is a three year project, ending in November 2005, funded by Basic Research Funds (FIRB Program) of the Italian Department of Education (MIUR).

The project approaches the main research theme from a multi-disciplinary perspective, coordinated within a general framework defined in the project. The involved research areas are information systems, database systems, human computer interaction, computer networks and telecommunication, hardware design, middleware, management engineering.

The goal is to develop reference models, new architectures, and prototypes to validate the theoretical proposals developed in the project.

The project involves research teams from six Italian Universities, two research centers, and two industries.

The Product

The project research activities are organized in workpackages:

• general framework: to develop a reference model, an e-service ontology, and e-service cost models
• e-service: to develop models, languages, and architectures for supporting flexible interorganizational information systems through e-services
• recommendation system: to analyze user profiles and actively recommend e-services according to the profile
• methodologies and tools for interface generation and web-based access: to provide all categories of users with an easy and flexible access to e-services through portable devices and develop data intensive context aware web applications
• middleware: to develop a model and prototypes of a reflective architecture able to represent and act on hardware and software component properties
• hardware design: to design low power computers and very small databases for adaptive portable devices
• network design: design and validation of protocols and services
  for flexible and adaptive networks

The prototype applications are being developed in the areas of tourism, university and education, and risk management in archeology.

MAIS Today

In the first two years of the project the theoretical basis for the different activities in the project have been developed, and published at international level (journals and conferences) as well as in technical reports – a list is available in the Available documents section.

A reference model has been developed for the project, including both quality and user profile detailed models.

Prototypes are available in the following areas:

• web design
• user interface generation and adaptive interfaces for mobile devices
• e-service ontology and extended UDDI registry
• very small databases
• wireless ad hoc networks

Further information can be requested to the project leader (see contacts) and to the authors of papers and technical documents.