Abstract. In this position paper we introduce Cooperative Artefacts, physical objects that embed sensing, communication, computation and actuation in physical objects. In contrast to many other approaches, Cooperative Artefacts do not require any external infrastructure but cooperate by sharing knowledge. They are programmable with application rules abstracting from low level system aspects. We present an instance of our framework in connection with a scenario from the chemicals industry in which appropriate storage of chemicals is critical for safety reasons. We conclude this paper by discussing potential future research directions for Smart Object Systems.