Virtual User in the IoT: Definition, Technologies and Experiments

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Cyber-Physical Systems
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Virtualization is a key enabler for the Internet of Things (IoT), creating interconnected cyber-physical systems.
• Current IoT systems often require complex user involvement for setup, configuration, and updates.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce the concept of the Virtual User (VU) as a novel approach to manage IoT interactions.
• Define the functionalities and implications of VUs in the IoT ecosystem.
• Explore the potential benefits of VUs for both users and IoT service providers.

Main Methods:

• Conceptualization of the Virtual User (VU) as a user proxy within IoT environments.
• Identification and definition of core VU functionalities: user profiling, authorization, Quality of Experience (QoE) management, social networking, and context management.
• Analysis of legal considerations and implementation details for VUs.

Main Results:

• The paper defines the Virtual User (VU) and outlines its essential functionalities.
• Performance analysis focuses on the VU's ability to accurately identify user profiles and context.
• Legal and implementation aspects of VU introduction are discussed.

Conclusions:

• The Virtual User (VU) concept offers a promising solution to simplify user engagement with complex IoT systems.
• VUs can act as intelligent proxies, managing IoT services and optimizing user experience.
• Further research into performance and legal frameworks is essential for widespread VU adoption.