Years ago I was trained as a software engineering researcher, well versed in the mathematical abstractions of programming. However, influenced by the writings and research of Mark Weiser and his Xerox PARC Ubiquitous Computing group, I started to think about a different way of doing research in computing. Computing technology, as Weiser predicted, has become so prevalent in our lives that we almost don't recognize everything that is computationally-based in our everyday world.   In this talk, I will focus on how information technologies woven into our everyday lives can address significant problems in the delivery of health care for vulnerable populations. My main experience, driven by personal necessity, is with developmental disabilities, but I hope that my story will show how the integration of the physical and digital worlds makes a real difference in our lives and the lives of others.
['Gregory D. Abowd']
Make IT matter: how computing can make a difference