SOA and wearable computing? While a bit of a leap, this has me thinking more about wearable computing. I mean, we have the technology to place a small screen on my glasses as well, perhaps put a keyboard on my arm and all connected through a satellite or cellular network. There are applications for this kind of technology today, including outfitting war fighters with complete information systems strapped to t  SOA and wearable computing? While a bit of a leap, this has me thinking more about wearable computing. I mean, we have the technology to place a small screen on my glasses as well, perhaps put a keyboard on my arm and all connected through a satellite or cellular network. There are applications for this kind of technology today, including outfitting war fighters with complete information systems strapped to their bodies for use in combat. I mean, it can’t be much more expensive than the Diesel Jeans I just purchased. Also, you got to love a technology where you can check your stocks, e-mail, update your blog, and fire a round at somebody, all while running from building to building in some far off land. At the essence of this, is the notion of ubiquitous computing. Or, as Wikipedia defines it: “Ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) integrates computation into the environment, rather than having computers which are distinct objects. Other terms for ubiquitous computing include pervasive computing, calm technology, things that think and everyware. Promoters of this idea hope that embedding computation into the environment and everyday objects would enable people to interact with information-processing devices more naturally and casually than they currently do, and in whatever location or circumstance they find themselves.” You have to admit this day is coming quickly, if not already upon us, including cell phones that are now really small PCs, Microwaves that can set their own time and calculate the cooking time for 3 potatoes, and information systems in the cars we drive that not only tell us when the oil needs changing, but schedules the appointment at the dealer, and calls somebody, providing a location, when your airbag deploys to remove you from the wreckage. Considering the notion of ubiquitous computing, the larger question is the paradigm for communications in and between all of these different devices that no longer look like traditional computers. I’m asserting that the basic principles behind SOA are the most applicable here. If you consider all of these new devices as a collection of services and abstracted data, then the level of service use between them will be the next logical step. Considering this architecture, we simple deal with each device as a system until itself with a physical data structure, abstracted data, services, composite services, and perhaps some processes as well. From there the services existing in the device are available to other devices, computer systems, or most importantly to an orchestration or process layer where the interaction with all of these devices and computer systems can be defined in terms of business solutions. Thus, an inventory system showing the lack of a specific product can reach out and invoke a service on the logistics system to figure out how to get that product back in the warehouse. Then, the logistics system can schedule a pick up by invoking services inside the computer systems of the company’s fleet of trucks. In turn, you can track the progress of the pickup, and estimate to the customers when the product will be back in stock, and thus when you can ship, bill, and when the money will reportable as income to the accounting system. You get the idea, including all computing power in your SOA to make your architecture that much more valuable. This not science fiction, this is doable today. Companies just need to step up and learn how to leverage all of the computing power that is already at their finger tips, traditional and non-traditional.   Software Development