ubiquitous computing

The idea of ubiquitous or invisible computing was coined by Mark Weiser in his vision paper 'The computer for the 21st century'. The term refers to digital systems that are embedded into the environment rather than in an identifiable 'computer' such as a laptop or mobile phone. This includes computers that have little or no visible interface but use other types of sensors, such as those controlling a smart home, as well as those with displays ranging from inch-scale control panels, to yard-scale wall-mounted or projected screens. These displays are not invisible, but, in Weiser's words, may "vanish into the background", when they are designed around true human needs and activities.

The terms is still widely used in research circles including the annual ACM UbiComp conference, but in commercial systems one is more likely to hear the phrase Internet of Things (IoT) or simply 'smart' things (home/office/city), although the terms are not completely equivalent.