Assistive Technology
Environmental
Control
Systems
Reinder Bakker
INTENSIVE COURSE IN ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY/ MED.ENGINEERING
5.3.- 18.3.2001
Jyväskylä Polytechnic/Finland
Högskolan Dalarna/Sweden
Program
Introductory
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Introduction Fontys
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The Issue
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Domotics
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Autonomy of the Disabled & Elderly
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Project assignments
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Spoken dialogue with home systems
Why Assistive Technology ?
The issue (1)
Persons with disabilities
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About 50 million disabled persons in
Europe.
(ca. 6 to 7 % of the total population)
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Mobility impaired
Hearing impaired
Visually impaired
Speech and language impaired
Cognitive impaired (e.g.dyslexia)
Dexterity impaired
(reduced: function fingers-arms, strength ...)
The issue (2)
Demography of age
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Life expectancy is increasing all over the world.
Worldwide from 48 years in 1955 to an expected 73
years in 2025
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Total fertility rate is declining from 5 in 1955 to an
expected 2.3 in 2025. Larges differences : Italy =
1.2 and Yemen = 7.6 in 1995.Domotics
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Consequently the percentage elderly is growning.
(50% between now and 2025)
In Europe at this moment 1 of the 5 is over 65
That means More than 100 million
The issue (3)
Prejudice ?
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Elderly are patients (80% not).
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Ederly are afraid of technology
(techno phobia)
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Elderly are no economic factor
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Elderly are too old to function, too old to work
and maybe too old to play
The issue (4)
Concrete needs of Boba’s
(Being old but active)
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Emergency system, facilities for homecare
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Security - and anti-burglary system
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Tele-services (grocery-services, banking… )
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Entertainment, cultural, educational services
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Regulation and Control of Power consumption
Why Environmental Control ?
(Smart Homes or Domotics)
Def.: An intelligent (smart) house can be considered as
an comprehensive and intelligent aid, adaptable
to the functional possibilities of the user and to
the desired actions.
The issue (5)
Domotics

Domotics can help to continue an independandent
life of the elderly (control, communicate,
banking….)
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Handicapped can benefit from Domotics to be
more autonomous
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Domotics can contribute to a better quality of life.
(self control, entertainment, self esteem…)
Why Design for All ?
The issue (6)
Advantages Design for All
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To gain Market share
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Elderly
Disabled
Comfort seekers
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Less expensive (>market share)
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Not stigmatizing
Project setting
Intelligent Houses for the handicapped
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An intelligent house for the
handicapped and the elderly can be
considered as an comprehensive and
intelligent aid, adaptable to the
functional possibilities of the user and to
the desired actions.
Project assignment 1
Intelligent Houses for
the elderly handicapped
Devices
What devices had to be placed in an
intelligent house ?
Target group:
Project group 1 en 3: Elderly motor
handicapped
Project group 2 en 4: Elderly visually
handicapped
Domotics
Categories:
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Safety
Signalling
Communication
Switching
Closing/opening
Personal care
Housekeeping
Medical Aids
Adaptionof building plan
Services based on telematics
Domotics
Safety:
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burglar alarm
fire alarm
gas and smoke detector
safety alarm in gas stove
overflow protection
social alarm
medical alarm
Domotics
Signalling/Communication:
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video intercom
computer with programs an peripherals
speech module
recognition software
overflow protection
So on…
Domotics
Control:
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remote control of lightning
remote control of
radio/TV/Video/CD/DVD
automatic switching ligthtning
remote control of front door
remote control of curtains
other remote controls…..
Domotics
Personal Care/Housekeeping:
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adjustable bed
bathroom lift
Wash basin with high/low
adapted toilet
adjustable kitchen
adjustable cupboard
central vacuum cleaner system
……
Domotics
Adaptions of the buiding plan:
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monotoring devices
bathroom lift
washbasin with high/low
adapted toilet
adjustable kitchen
adjustable cupboard
central vacuum cleaner system
re re
Domotics
Intelligent homes gives:
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more Comfort
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more Safety
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more Communication fascilities
Intelligent Houses (1)
Comfort
Remote/automatic control of
• household equipment,
• central heating/cooling,
• lighting, etc
Intelligent Houses (2)
Safety/Alert
Alarms or "panic” buttons will be used to
signal an emergency to external public
services such as
the police, the fire brigade, a nearby
hospital, etc.
Intelligent Houses (3)
Communication
• Person-to-person communication or
• Access to various services such as teleshopping, tele-banking, etc,
• Study staying at home
• Monitoring health condition
• Access to various information services,
etc.
Domotics Technology
Program
Introductory

Introduction Fontys

The Issue

Domotics

Autonomy of the Disabled & Elderly

Project assignments

Spoken dialogue with home systems
What 's domotics
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director
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lightning
ventilation
sun-blinds
entrance-control
etc....
Construction of
a classical installation
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The switch is part of the powercircuit (230 V).
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The powersupply is via the
switch to the lightningpoint.
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The switch has only one
function.
Construction of
a domotic installation
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The switch or push-button is an
input device which is in contact
with an electonic control-module.
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That module sends a message to
a contact-unit (actuator) which
connects or disconnect the lamp
with the mains.
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The function of the switch or
push-button is programmable.
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There are two seperated circuits:
a control-line and a powerline.
The digital control of
a domotic-installation
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All control-elements are
connected to the same wiring.
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Every element has his own
specific ‘address’ . The right key
to the right lock.
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To get the right control-signal to
the right spot a protocol is
needed.
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Wire and protocol together is
called the ’bus ’ (Binary Unit
System)
Digital control of
a domotic-installation
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advantages of digital control
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Control-line is a low voltage-line
It’s easy to add switches and lights
To change the function of the switch.
One switch is able to control several circuits.
Conditions can be added to the control activities
Digitale control at
domotic-installations
Sensors and actuators
The elements which generate signals we call ‘sensors’.
The elements which are activated by the system we called
‘actuators.
Put in an other way sensors :: control and actuators :: carry
out.
Sensors : switches, temperatur-meters, infrared-cells,
motion-detectors, wind-detectors, light-cells,........
Actuators : relays/dimmers for lamps; motors for the
garagedoor, - rolling shutters, - curtains; sirenes, contactors
voor heating-devices;..........
Domotic-network
In domotic-systems sensors, actuators, supply and
communication are part of a home network.
The network is controlled by the coördinationsystem.
Network – coordination
Elektronic
module PLC,
mounted on
DIN-rail.
(PHC- De
Maegd)
Central
coördination
Output-modules and
supply on DIN-rail.
(Procontrol)
Central coördination
Each EIB-module has his own
controlunit inside
(distributed control system)
Domotic-function-diagram
of a house
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In the function-diagram the different
action are exposed.
Grouping of the actions
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Put on the light in the bedroom,
the hall, the bathroom and the
kitchen.
Put on the heating in the
bathroom.
Adjust the heating in the livingroom to comfort-temperature.
Switch on the coffee-machine and
toaster.
Switch on the radio.
Etc......
Grouping of the actions
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2. Safety-functions
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Automatic lights on by
entrance
Smoke-sensors on the
right places.
All lights on/off by one
button.
Automatic alarms to
police/fire brigade.
Automatic switch off
forgotten devices.
Grouping of the actions
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Use only energy:
• Where it ’s needed.
• When it ’s needed.
• And in the right quantity.
3. Rational use of energy
(E.g. Sensor in the
bathroom)
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Switch all off.
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SensorControl of the
amount of light.
Technical characteristics
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Domotic-installations distinct especially on
the area of :
•
•
•
•
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The
The
The
The
The
The
The
signal transport.
programmability of the functions.
user-interface
standard (use of protocols).
certainty of excecution and feedback.
certainty of communication.
integrated components.
Signal-transport
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The bus is developed to simplify the electric wiring.
All sensors and actuators are connected to the bus.
Every sensor and actuator has his own digital
‘address’.
Direct-connect-installations need bus couplers..
Sometimes manufactures gives bus coupler fixed
and unique addresses.
Powerline-modulation ; some systems modulate
the control signal on the powerline.
Wireless connection (infrared or radio) is also a
quite common use of signal-transport.
Sometimes combined systems are possible.
Signal-transport
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To get to the bus a buscoupler is needed.
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Bus coupler
(Procontrol )
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Bus coupler
(EIB-bus)
Signal-transport
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Circuit of a combined
signal modality
Radio-receiver (Niko)
Programming the functionality.
Niko-systems are
programmed by
systematicle pushing
micro-switches.
User-friendly software makes
the work of the technician
easier.
(PHC – De Maegd)
User-interface.
Touch screen (Pluscontrol)
Central controlpanel with 8
buttons, buzzer and infrared
receiver (Teletask)
User interface
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Touch screen (Siemens)
Standardisation and normalisation
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Today several domotic-systems are for
sale in Belgium and the Netherlands.
For instance:
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Domonet
Teletask
Pluscontrol
Niko
PEHA
EIB
instabus EIB
Standardisation and normalisation
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The systems are creative combinations of electronics en
computertechnology.
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Hardly compatibility between the systems.
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Most systems have closed architectures.
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Most systems are supported by only one manufacturer.
The Project
Smart House Design
Spoken dialogue with
home systems
Project setting
Intelligent Houses for the handicapped

An intelligent house for the handicapped can be considered
as an comprehensive and intelligent aid, adaptable to the
functional possibilities of the user and to the desired
actions.

The communication between the handicapped and
the ‘intelligent’ house is in this setting extremely
important.
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Up to now such communication has been almost entirely by
means of buttons, keyboards and screens.
Speech, which is by far the most widely used and natural
means of communication between people, is at first sight an
obvious substitute.
Project assignments
Intelligent Houses for the handicapped
Assign.2 Distribution
Distribute the devices of assign.1 over the
house in a way that a comprehensive
functional environment is created.
Assign.3 Speech-controlled User-Interface
Develop a set of control- and feedbacksentences to control the home-system in the
specified setting.
Program
Environmental control Systems
date/time
SUBJECT
12-03-2001
09.00
introductory
10.00
start project: assignment 1,2
11.30
lunch
13-03-2001
12.30
continuing project: assignment 3
14.00
continuing project: assignment 3
15.00
presentations
16.00
finish
Solutions for
Autonomy
of
the Disables and
Elderly
Autonomy of
the Disables and Elderly (1)
Intelligent homes gives:
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more Safety
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more Autonomy
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more Self-esteem
Autonomy of
the Disables and Elderly (2)
The role of technology:
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A friendly approach
( to obtain acceptance)
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Reliability
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Low cost
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Autonomy
Autonomy of
the Disables and Elderly (3)
User interface:
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Keyboard, mouse, touch screen ( menu-driven )
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Buttons, ‘radio’ or infra-red buttons, adapted
buttons
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Voice-based (recognition, synthesis)
Autonomy of
the Disables and Elderly (4)
Central Unit (computer based):
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TV/Teletext, Radio, Tape, CD, DVD…
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Fax -modem, Telephone services (alarm, help, telephonedirectory…)
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Local applicatons: Agenda, Word processing,
Spreadsheets, home accounting, games …
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Telecom applications: Telebanking, Internet…
Autonomy of
the Disables and Elderly (5)
Environmental interface (Home bus):
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White goods (washing machines, ovens …)
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Brown goods (conventional TV’s, air-conditioners, hifi’s…)
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Other appliances (lights, intercoms, door/window-openers,
sunroofs, ventilators, Central
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Telecom applications: Telebanking, Internet…
Smart House Design
Spoken dialogue with
home systems
Speech technologies
• Speech processing
: speech -> speech
• Speech synthesis
: text -> speech
• speech coding: for bit rate reduction e.g. (LPC)
• speech manipulation (pitch, duration)
• Automatic speech recognition : speech -> text
Typical applications (1)
• Voice command
• robots
• home systems
• voice dialling
- small vocabulary ( 10 ... 100 words)
- isolated words
- speaker independent
- robustness to noise
- real time
Typical applications (2)
• Voice access to information services
-
+ understanding
medium vocabulary ( 1000 words )
continuous ( full sentences )
speaker independent (speaker adaptive)
real time
Typical applications (3)
• Dictation
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large vocabulary ( > 10.000 )
continuous
recognition only
speaker independent ( adaptive )
off line
Typical applications (4)
• Security
•home banking
•access control
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speaker identification / verification
robustness <-> security