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The overall objective of the research work presented in this paper is to investigate models, methods and architectures to replace fixed, pre-packaged applications with flexible composition environments that make interactive environments “emerge” at run-time, based on composition actions performed by non-technical users. The approach aims at the lightweight construction of integrated, situational workspaces pervasively accessible and sharable through a variety of devices.

Based on a meta-design approach, we designed and implemented a platform that allows end users, not necessarily experts of technologies, to extract contents from heterogeneous sources and compose Personal Information Spaces (PISs) that satisfy their information needs. Specific emphasis is posed on the adoption of a composition paradigm that abstracts from technical details and can thus be used by non-technical users …