Cultural Dimension in the Future of Pervasive Computing

The future of pervasive computers largely depends upon culture studies of human societies. This forms a challenging field of social research because cultural differences exist across societies for a varied acceptability of ubiquitous computing in everyday lives. Hence, it is highly necessary to study various cultures and cultural phenomena that can demonstrate human need patterns, individual experiences, as well as orientations for the use of various pervasive computers. The chapter emphasizes culture as the centerpiece for the advancement of pervasive computing technology in the coming days; as culture is the key determinant of any tool necessary for human development. The study of culture in this context is highly essential, whose meaning in the anthropological perspective has been explained. Technological growth as a cultural activity has been highlighted with a necessity of a cultural approach for its sustenance. A culture-centric methodology has been presented, which will enable manufacturers at local, as well as global levels, for the design of culture-specific appliances based on such technology; depending upon of the need and choice of consumers in various cultural segments which are largely influenced by the forces of globalization.