The Solar project has contributed a new approach for the distributed collection, processing, and dissemination of sensor information for context-aware pervasive-computing applications. We list specific contributions in the Findings section above.
We are now adapting and applying the Solar middleware to a new application domain: situational awareness for emergency responders in large-scale disaster areas. In this project funded by the Department of Homeland Security through Dartmouth's Institute for Security Technology Studies, we are working with two other groups. One group, led by Daniela Rus, is developing sensor-network technology for environmental monitoring in a disaster area; these sensor networks provide critical input to the Solar middleware. Another group, led by Sue McGrath, is developing physiological sensors for monitoring the health of both responders and victims (providing more data into Solar); her group also develops the command-and-control interfaces and applications as clients of the Solar system. We believe that this transfer of Solar technology to emergency response applications will be directly beneficial to society, as well as leading to new scientific insight.