Interoperability and Standardization of e‐Government Ubiquitous Systems in the EU Member States
Anna Sołtysik‐Piorunkiewicz and Janina Banasikowska University of Economics in Katowice, Faculty of Informatics and Communication, Department of Informatics, Katowice, Poland anna. soltysik‐piorunkiewicz @ ue. katowice. pl janina. banasikowsk @ ue. katowice. pl
Abstract: The ability of public administration to perform public tasks by electronic means is an important factor in the assessment of the quality of its operation and a condition of achieving progress in building the information society. This can be achieved only by a close collaboration between information systems of public administration bodies in mutual relations and in relations with natural persons and businesses. The prerequisite is achieving the interoperability between the systems. Interoperable, basic infrastructural services( secure communication between administration bodies, cross‐border access to files), common specifications, guidelines for interoperability and reusable software are the basic factors in an effective electronic administration. Works are underway to adopt an updated version of European interoperability framework, support and popularize interoperable services of electronic administration, based on standards, open specifications and interfaces. The paper presents the conception of interoperability and standardization of ubiquitous systems e‐Government in the European Union member states. It defines the term“ interoperability”. It discusses three levels of assessing interoperability: technology, systems and tasks. The interoperability standards are considered in three aspects: technical, organizational and semantic. Examples of the European Union countries with the most developed interoperability frameworks are provided. There is an overview of e‐services in e‐Government ubiquitous systems in Poland as well as examples of using interoperability to deliver e‐services online. In order to examine the functionality of e‐ Government ubiquitous information systems, we reviewed the systems offered by the public administration sector in Poland for delivering e‐services in e‐Administration. The examination covered: ePUAP as a selected example of a ubiquitous system in public administration in Poland, OST 112 ‐ emergency call system, SI PR ‐ integration of services for assistance delivery, Prezydencja ‐ Polish Presidency information system, SIS and VIS ‐ Schengen information and visa system, ePosterunek ‐ Police management system.
Keywords: interoperability, standardization, e‐Government ubiquitous systems, e‐services
1. Introduction
The vision of computerization of the environment of a human being is constantly changing due to a variety of available information and communication technologies. The capability of computer devices to store, process and make data available is developing and increasing. The conception of ubiquitous systems, originated by Mark Weiser, assumes that computer devices will be present in every area of human life so as to operate in the so called background, i. e. in the environment of a human being, and aid him / her. The first time that Mark Weiser proposed his conception „ ubiquitous computing” was in 1988( Ubiquitous Computing, [ online ]), and in the years 1991‐1993 he published the assumptions of this conception( Weiser 1991; Weiser 1993; Weiser Oct. 1993).
Characterizing his conception, M. Weiser presented a few principles of building a ubiquitous system. First of all, such a computer system should be used to solve problems of a human being, and more specifically allow them to do things that otherwise they could not have done. Moreover, a ubiquitous system for a man is one that works alongside them, not causing additional disruptions, as a quiet or invisible worker isn’ t. The use of human intuition by a computer system allows the possibilities of human activity to be increased. Technology should help a human being to easily achieve this, working in a way that is invisible to them( Weiser 1991).
This conception is evolving and now we are also talking about ubiquitous systems in terms of „ ubiquitous communication” and „ intelligent user interface”. These technologies underlie the research on „ ambient intelligence”. In 1999, ISTAG( the European Community’ s Information Society Technology), i. e. an advisory group for Information Society Technology, in a document concerning lines of research proposed the term „ ambient intelligence” as a vision of computerization of the human being’ s environment, according to which the human being will be surrounded by computationally and networkingly advanced technology that is aware of their presence, personality and needs, and capable of intelligently responding to indications of desires expressed by gesture or speech, and even of engaging in an intelligent dialog.( Weyrich 1999) Currently we can name a lot of areas where the conception „ ambient intelligence” could find practical application, i. e. medicine,
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