DEMOs and PILOTs

The UBI program materializes as two types of urban computing “proof of concept” prototypes, DEMOs and PILOTs.

DEMO is a short-lived small-scale evaluation of new technology, service concept or user interface paradigm. A DEMO is often implemented using rapid development process, and empirically evaluated in form of small user test either in laboratory or real-world setting. Successful functionalities from the demos are integrated into PILOTs.

PILOT is a functional large-scale prototypes of the future ubiquitous city. They are subjected to longitudinal evaluation by the general public in real world settings.

The empirical evaluation of DEMOs and PILOTs quantifies the benefits brought to the chosen application domain. The evaluation generates feedback and requirements to the technology-led research and the computing infrastructure to be taken into account in the next iterative design cycle. The DEMOs and PILOTs also play a very important role in showing in a very concrete manner to the people and to the community what can be done with leading-edge technology.