A quantitative approach to non-intrusive computing

One important characteristic of pervasive computing, which is how to make it non-intrusive so that users can focus on their tasks, has received little formal attention. Nowadays, many computing entities, including smart devices and software applications, are involved in our daily lives, and users need to deal with them as well as with other people. People are easy to reach with multiple devices. We believe that there should be a systematic way to help users avoid intrusive interactions. This paper analyzes the intrusion problem for generic interactions and presents a model for posing and answering two questions: will an interaction intrude on its receiver if delivered, and given that the interaction is deliverable, how can it be delivered effectively and not too overtly? The essential factors in the model are quantified for comparison and computation. We also show how a non-intrusive-computing system can be implemented based on the model.