n that Oxygen's tech- nology must live in the real world, sensing it and affecting it. Users shouldn't have to learn how to use the system; the system should be able to automati- cally adapt itself to its users' needs. Natural, perceptive interfaces, including voice and facial recognition and realistic graphics, will make it easy for people to perform tasks. Just as people don't have to read a thick instruction manual PROJECT OXYGEN in order to turn on a new desk lamp, Oxygen users won't have to plow through pages of detailed and cryptic information whenever they acquire a new piece of technology. "Nomadic computing"-the ability to access information and people anytime, any place-is another key Project Oxygen goal. Easy roaming will allow people to move around according to their needs instead of placing them- selves at specific locations in order to handle information-related tasks. Finally, the Oxygen environment must be eternal. Like power or phone services, the system should never shut down. While individual devices and software components may come and go in response to glitches and upgrades, the Oxygen system as a whole must operate nonstop and forever. Project Oxygen relies on an infrastructure of mobile and stationary devices that are linked together by an intelligent, self-configuring network. The network will sit above the Internet and automatically adapt itself, depending on what device a user needs and the individual's location anywhere in the world. Unlike conventional computers and mobile devices, which rely on key- board, mouse, and touch input, Project Oxygen will use highly accurate speech recognition technology for more natural system interaction. Down the road, Oxygen researchers are planning to add vision-augmented speech recognition that will allow Oxygen devices to understand a user's intentions by recogniz- ing facial expressions, lip movements, and even a user's gaze. Project Oxygen's software environment will be designed to accommodate rapid changes, in both technology and user needs. The s