Novel ubiquitous computing systems and applications which inevitably requires prototyping physical components are explored. Smart-Its are hardware and software components that augment physical objects with embedded processing and interaction to address the need. Smart-Its addresses the need to create embedded interactive systems that disappear from the foreground to become secondary to the physical objects with which people interact during everyday activities. The Smart-Its project aims to develop a platform for context-aware embedded systems and augmented artifacts.@en

The development of Smart-Its for building smart environments is discussed. Smart-Its are small, self-contained, stick-on computers that attach to everyday objects. These augmented objects become soft media, enabling dynamic digital relationships with users and each other. A Smart-Its consists of a core board with a wireless transceiver to let the device communicate with other Smart-Its, plus a sensor board that gives the Smart-Its data about its sorroundings. The major advantage of the system is that it allows designers and researchers to construct responsive or intelligent environments.@en