On the one hand, smartphones are increasingly getting
closer to the Internet-of-Things, encompassing at the same
time an impressive range of integrated sensors: accelerometers,
cameras, gyroscopes, microphones, thermistors, proximity
sensors, etc., while also adopting novel technologies
like Near Field Communications (NFC). Also, the latest
smartphone operating systems also offer enough flexibility
for adding external sensing units directly or communicating
wirelessly with them. Furthermore, additional functionality
and more potent hardware is bridging the gap in capabilities
with traditional computing systems.