Ubiquitous Smart home

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Abstract:
The smart home offers a new opportunity to augment people's lives with ubiquitous computing technology that provides increased communications, awareness, and functionality. Recently, a number of trends have increased the likelihood that the aware home can soon become a reality. If simple plug-and- play tools for controlling lights are included (e.g. X10 tools) or the computer network in houses are accounted for as smart home technology, hundred thousands of homes all over the world may be called smart homes as well. Only recently, some dozens of projects with smart technology in the houses of older people have been realised or started. Applications are focused on safety and security, care and comfort.


Key factors in the further technical development of smart homes are the proper electrotechnical infrastructure, flexible solutions in infrastructure and applications because of shifting needs and wishes, acceptable user interfaces, and costs. Even more important for acceptance and breakthrough will be the content and services that can be delivered to the home. A wide range of companies is developing business models to serve the end consumer. Reference will be made to The Smartest House of the Netherlands, a new demonstration house of the Smart Homes Foundation, where both consumers and companies give feedback on the current market developments. The Internet and mobile telephony have been keen drivers to stimulate the interest of technology in the household. But also several economic and socio-cultural factors will cause changes in society in which smart home technology will really break through. The ageing western societies and the clearly expressed needs of older people have raised particular awareness of the several parties in the building process for the opportunities of smart home technology. Finally, based on expected product launches and technical developments at major international companies, as well as based on the feedback of older people currently living in smart homes, some expectations for the near future will be given.