Implementing Entertainment Devices into a Smart Environment
Desmond Eskridge
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Summer REU 2009 Smart Environments EECS
Introduction
When discussing smart environments the first
concern of course is privacy. People hold privacy
in high regard. Being in familiar surroundings and
in your comfort zone goes along with privacy
concerns. The more seamless the technology is
the more widely it is accepted by the older
community which is the target group for the
smart community. The older community is often
distrustful of modern technology and its security
and privacy concerns.
Purpose
The purpose of this project proposal is to do a
number of things concerning the older
community’s comfort level with a smart
environment and also to provide detailed subject
data relay:
•Provide Seamless Smart Environment Transition
•Provide Minimally evasive data relay and
collecting
•Have more flexible and detailed data relay
through the use of entertainment devices
•List Future Ideas for the Smart Environment in
the realm of electronic entertainment devices
Examples
Some ideas and/or examples of implementing
smart devices in electronic entertainment
devices.
•Reminders and command prompts on cellular
device or televisions
•GPS and location trend learning using sensors
when away from the smart environment
•Activity recognition through the use of mobile
sensors in particular the Sony AIBO
Entertainment Robot
•House monitoring through mobile device
applications
Sony AIBO Entertainment Robot in AIBO Explorer and Environment Learning Mode
Sony AIBO Implementation into Smart Environment
The Sony AIBO is described as an evolving autonomous
entertainment robot since they are able to learn and
mature through stimuli from their owner and environment.
With its ability to recognize owner trends such as sleep and
activity pattern it seems natural that the AIBO can be used
in the Smart Environment. Also, the older community who
may be alone may find a sort of companion in the AIBO
since older adult live by their self which increases comfort
level of the user. Some of the features of the AIBO that
makes it attractive to the smart community are as follows:
•Ability to learn the environment
•Activity Recognition and trend of Owner
•Wireless capabilities
•A speaker that understands voice recognition and can be
used to give command prompts and reminders
•Fully programmable through a special Sony R-Code
•Its ability to have a sensor which is mobile can therefore
give more detailed data of activity in relation to location in
the house
•Ability to serve as a companion is very valuable in making
the transition for older adults into a Smart Home seamless
Mobile Device Implementing
The use of mobile devices such as cell phones, cell
phone applications for reminders, activity prompts,
schedule keeping, house and security monitoring when
away from the home could also be implemented in the
near future for smart environments. When the subjects
are away from the home activities of daily living still
occur so why can’t the smart environment travel with
people through their daily lives? Some examples of this
might include the following:
•PDA and Cell Phone apps with reminders to take
medicine or eat
•Mobile house monitoring
•Track travel and movement trends when away from
the home
•Have a database of common activities on a PDA and
the user can reference back to the instructions
Home Based Entertainment Devices
Home based entertainment devices such as televisions
and stereos can be a useful tool in the smart
environment community. Some examples of how
televisions and stereos can be implemented into a
smart home environment:
•Televisions can also be used to give text, video, audio,
or a combination of all three types for command
prompts and reminders
•When the television is first turned on it can be a
schedule for the activities to do for that day
•Stereo systems can also be used to give audio cues and
instructions
Human element of smart environment
When discussing smart environments the human
element is more important than all of the technological
advances in the world. Helping those who wouldn’t
regularly live at home by their self and empowering
them to be as independent as they can be for as long as
they can be is the basis of smart environment research.
Seamless non evasive assistance and data relay is the
aim of the future and the use of entertainment devices
is a worth vehicle.
Sony AIBO Entertainment Robot in Voice Training and Recognition Mode
This work was supported by the National Science
Foundation’s REU program under grant number
IIS-0647705