FOKUS Mobile Widget Runtime

Web 2.0 flexes up the world of mobile, location-dependent services and apps. Cutting-edge research is now developing the kind of applications that can do anything from help you find your feet in the urban jungle of a strange city to help you locate a lift-share when you’re already on the move. Fraunhofer FOKUS now presents a software solution that turns the Web into a platform for mobile Web 2 apps, and harmonizes tried-and-tested Web tools with the strengths and weaknesses of mobile telephony.

The basic building blocks are compact, self-contained Web applications, better known as Widgets. One of the special features of such Web applications is that they can provide users with useful services without the need for permanent Internet connectivity.Fraunhofer FOKUS now brings these widgets to the mobile phone while also integrating the functions of modern telephony. This can turn a little Web application into a savvy tourist guide or telephone conference manager.

FOKUS Mobile Widget Runtime supports mobile Web 2.0 solutions in a wide variety of ways. It can equally be used as a stand-alone platform for full applications or embedded in existing ones as a means for small extensions so that mobile Web 2.0 services can now be enriched with new functions whilst still operating. Or that third parties can now offer their own extensions without any prior knowledge of the technical details of the base application!

FOKUS Mobile Widget Runtime is realized for J2ME CLDC and CDC and currently supports the following features:

• Scalable Vector Graphic (SVG) rendering
• DOM Scripting (ECMAScript aka. JavaScript)
• Asynchronous server requests (Ajax)
• JSON
• Server event notification (via SIP)
• Satellite-based positioning (via GPS)
• Packaged deployment
• Credit-based cost control
• Keypad and Touchscreen access
• Telecommunication services via NGN/IMS – call setup, messaging, rich presence, etc. (experimental)

Some of the envisioned extensions and future work directions are:

• W3C Widget 1.0 Working Draft compliance
• HTML/CSS rendering and HTML DOM scripting
• Extensions of the hardware API (e.g. support for Bluetooth, Built-In-Camera)
• Mashup support (e.g. Google Maps Web APIs)
• Digital signing of widgets as a trust and quality assurance mechanism
• Integration of a security model for secure personal information access
• Support of additional platforms like e.g. Android

We offer:

• Research and prototype implementations of experimental extensions
• Licenses for: evaluation of the runtime, embedding into existing applications, or as a code base for customized extensions

FOKUS Mobile Widget Runtime as Extension Plattform for existing applications: