In the daily functioning of society, people implement actions and strategies aimed at problem solving. Usually they incur in difficulties related to the practical feasibility of solutions, such as lack of technical expertise and unavailability of funds and resources, or conceptual and knowledge-related problems.

When the world of objects and places will have a wider digital representation, the represented part of real-world problems can be solved by digital means: for example, with processing of data, rendering of images, organization of databases, etc.. This is a job for modern processors, hardware, and networks.

On the side of processors, voluntary computing projects like BOINC allow research centers to achieve important results in humanitarian research, using a distributed network of more than a million of computers sharing their processing power [see PDF]

On the side of networks, IBM's Smarter Planet initiative addresses the millions of devices that are in our production system and which can be interfaced on a wider Internet of Things.

MRU's interest is that the challenges of problem solving will be suitably met by computing resources and by the new concept of object-based networking. At the scale of the individual this requires technologies that fit into common daily operations.

We monitor computer software and hardware releases that define the level of our tools, and we consider technologies like digital signage and kiosks in the light of their place-enhancing characteristics, a specific and geographical form of problem solving.