Dependability Issues of Pervasive Computing in a Healthcare Environment 

Juergen Bohn, Felix Gaertner, and Harald Vogt 


Abstract 

This paper proposes that the healthcare domain can serve as an archetypical 
field of research in pervasive computing. We present this area from a 
technological perspective, arguing that it provides a wide range of possible 
applications of pervasive computing technology. We further recognize that 
pervasive computing technology is likely to create concerns about the security 
of healthcare systems, due to increased data aggregation, ubiquitous access, 
and increasing dependency on technical solutions. But we also justify why the 
same technology can help building more robust, more dependable systems that 
increase the quality of healthcare. We identify building blocks that are 
necessary to achieve this goal: a pervasive middleware, appropriate handling 
of exceptional situations, and dependability assertions for small devices.