O fenômeno global de envelhecimento populacional está sendo acompanhado pelo rápido crescimento do número de pessoas com algum tipo de deficiência mental ou física, assim como diversas doenças crônicas relacionadas à idade. Devido ao fato de que a maioria dos idosos prefere ficar no conforto de suas residências, é essencial o desenvolvimento de tecnologias que auxiliem os idosos a terem uma vida independente e confortável em seus lares. Em especial, Ambientes Assistidos buscam agir proativamente de forma a auxilar de maneira correta o usuário na execução das suas Atividades de Vida Diária. Devido à grande variabilidade nos níveis de deficiência dos usuários, é fundamental que o Ambiente Assistido seja capaz de fornecer a assistência levando em consideração diversos aspectos relacionados ao usuário, como suas dificuldades, limitações e atividade sendo realizada. Este trabalho propõe um sistema que utiliza uma abordagem baseada nas tecnologias da Web Semântica e no paradigma multiagentes com o objetivo de fornecer assistência personalizada a pessoas idosas e com diversidades funcionais. As características do usuário foram modeladas por uma ontologia OWL, enquanto o mecanismo de reasoning responsável por inferir as preferências relacionadas aos serviços do ambiente foi implementada utilizando a linguagem SWRL. Ainda, os componentes presentes na arquitetura proposta são implementados na forma de agentes com funções específicas. Entre as característica inovadoras da proposta estão a incorporação de um modelo padronizado e internacionalmente conhecido para representar as deficiências, dificuldades e limitações dos usuários e a utilização de uma arquitetura distribuída que possui as características inerentes ao paradigma multiagentes, tais como escalabilidade, flexibilidade e dinamismo. A validação do sistema foi realizada através de sua integração com uma Arquitetura Orientada a Serviços que utiliza uma solução comercial de automação residencial e um simulador de Ambientes Inteligentes, e da sua utilização em três casos de usos definidos pelo projeto AAL Joint Programme. / The global phenomenon of population aging has been followed by the fast growth in the number of people with some kind of mental or physical disability and chronic illnesses associated with old age. Given the fact that the majority of older adults prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes, it is crucial to develop technologies that help the elderly to live independently and comfortably in their homes. Specifically, Ambient Assisted Living environments aims to act proactively in order to properly assist the elderly and people with functional diversity to perform their Activities of Daily Living. Since these users tend to be greatly variable in regards to functioning and disability levels, it is essential that the ambient provides personalized assistance based on the user’s unique requirements, limitations, preferences, and activity being performed. This work proposes a system that uses an approach based on the Web Semantic technologies and the multiagent paradigm with the goal of providing personalized assistance to the elderly and people with functional diversity. The user’s characteristics were modeled using an OWL ontology and a reasoning mechanism responsible to infer the preferences related to the ambient services was implemented using SWRL rules. Furthermore, the proposed architecture components were implemented as agents with specific roles. Among the proposed system innovative features are the incorporation of a standardized and international model used to represent the user’s functional and disability information, and the use of a distributed architecture having the multiagent paradigm features, such as scalability, flexibility, and dynamism. The system’s validation was accomplished by its integration with a Service Oriented Architecture that uses a commercial automation solution and a smart environment simulator, and by its use in three use cases developed by the AAL Joint Programme.

O fenômeno global de envelhecimento populacional está sendo acompanhado pelo rápido crescimento do número de pessoas com algum tipo de deficiência mental ou física, assim como diversas doenças crônicas relacionadas à idade. Devido ao fato de que a maioria dos idosos prefere ficar no conforto de suas residências, é essencial o desenvolvimento de tecnologias que auxiliem os idosos a terem uma vida independente e confortável em seus lares. Em especial, Ambientes Assistidos buscam agir proativamente de forma a auxilar de maneira correta o usuário na execução das suas Atividades de Vida Diária. Devido à grande variabilidade nos níveis de deficiência dos usuários, é fundamental que o Ambiente Assistido seja capaz de fornecer a assistência levando em consideração diversos aspectos relacionados ao usuário, como suas dificuldades, limitações e atividade sendo realizada. Este trabalho propõe um sistema que utiliza uma abordagem baseada nas tecnologias da Web Semântica e no paradigma multiagentes com o objetivo de fornecer assistência personalizada a pessoas idosas e com diversidades funcionais. As características do usuário foram modeladas por uma ontologia OWL, enquanto o mecanismo de reasoning responsável por inferir as preferências relacionadas aos serviços do ambiente foi implementada utilizando a linguagem SWRL. Ainda, os componentes presentes na arquitetura proposta são implementados na forma de agentes com funções específicas. Entre as característica inovadoras da proposta estão a incorporação de um modelo padronizado e internacionalmente conhecido para representar as deficiências, dificuldades e limitações dos usuários e a utilização de uma arquitetura distribuída que possui as características inerentes ao paradigma multiagentes, tais como escalabilidade, flexibilidade e dinamismo. A validação do sistema foi realizada através de sua integração com uma Arquitetura Orientada a Serviços que utiliza uma solução comercial de automação residencial e um simulador de Ambientes Inteligentes, e da sua utilização em três casos de usos definidos pelo projeto AAL Joint Programme. / The global phenomenon of population aging has been followed by the fast growth in the number of people with some kind of mental or physical disability and chronic illnesses associated with old age. Given the fact that the majority of older adults prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes, it is crucial to develop technologies that help the elderly to live independently and comfortably in their homes. Specifically, Ambient Assisted Living environments aims to act proactively in order to properly assist the elderly and people with functional diversity to perform their Activities of Daily Living. Since these users tend to be greatly variable in regards to functioning and disability levels, it is essential that the ambient provides personalized assistance based on the user’s unique requirements, limitations, preferences, and activity being performed. This work proposes a system that uses an approach based on the Web Semantic technologies and the multiagent paradigm with the goal of providing personalized assistance to the elderly and people with functional diversity. The user’s characteristics were modeled using an OWL ontology and a reasoning mechanism responsible to infer the preferences related to the ambient services was implemented using SWRL rules. Furthermore, the proposed architecture components were implemented as agents with specific roles. Among the proposed system innovative features are the incorporation of a standardized and international model used to represent the user’s functional and disability information, and the use of a distributed architecture having the multiagent paradigm features, such as scalability, flexibility, and dynamism. The system’s validation was accomplished by its integration with a Service Oriented Architecture that uses a commercial automation solution and a smart environment simulator, and by its use in three use cases developed by the AAL Joint Programme.

O fenômeno global de envelhecimento populacional está sendo acompanhado pelo rápido crescimento do número de pessoas com algum tipo de deficiência mental ou física, assim como diversas doenças crônicas relacionadas à idade. Devido ao fato de que a maioria dos idosos prefere ficar no conforto de suas residências, é essencial o desenvolvimento de tecnologias que auxiliem os idosos a terem uma vida independente e confortável em seus lares. Em especial, Ambientes Assistidos buscam agir proativamente de forma a auxilar de maneira correta o usuário na execução das suas Atividades de Vida Diária. Devido à grande variabilidade nos níveis de deficiência dos usuários, é fundamental que o Ambiente Assistido seja capaz de fornecer a assistência levando em consideração diversos aspectos relacionados ao usuário, como suas dificuldades, limitações e atividade sendo realizada. Este trabalho propõe um sistema que utiliza uma abordagem baseada nas tecnologias da Web Semântica e no paradigma multiagentes com o objetivo de fornecer assistência personalizada a pessoas idosas e com diversidades funcionais. As características do usuário foram modeladas por uma ontologia OWL, enquanto o mecanismo de reasoning responsável por inferir as preferências relacionadas aos serviços do ambiente foi implementada utilizando a linguagem SWRL. Ainda, os componentes presentes na arquitetura proposta são implementados na forma de agentes com funções específicas. Entre as característica inovadoras da proposta estão a incorporação de um modelo padronizado e internacionalmente conhecido para representar as deficiências, dificuldades e limitações dos usuários e a utilização de uma arquitetura distribuída que possui as características inerentes ao paradigma multiagentes, tais como escalabilidade, flexibilidade e dinamismo. A validação do sistema foi realizada através de sua integração com uma Arquitetura Orientada a Serviços que utiliza uma solução comercial de automação residencial e um simulador de Ambientes Inteligentes, e da sua utilização em três casos de usos definidos pelo projeto AAL Joint Programme. / The global phenomenon of population aging has been followed by the fast growth in the number of people with some kind of mental or physical disability and chronic illnesses associated with old age. Given the fact that the majority of older adults prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes, it is crucial to develop technologies that help the elderly to live independently and comfortably in their homes. Specifically, Ambient Assisted Living environments aims to act proactively in order to properly assist the elderly and people with functional diversity to perform their Activities of Daily Living. Since these users tend to be greatly variable in regards to functioning and disability levels, it is essential that the ambient provides personalized assistance based on the user’s unique requirements, limitations, preferences, and activity being performed. This work proposes a system that uses an approach based on the Web Semantic technologies and the multiagent paradigm with the goal of providing personalized assistance to the elderly and people with functional diversity. The user’s characteristics were modeled using an OWL ontology and a reasoning mechanism responsible to infer the preferences related to the ambient services was implemented using SWRL rules. Furthermore, the proposed architecture components were implemented as agents with specific roles. Among the proposed system innovative features are the incorporation of a standardized and international model used to represent the user’s functional and disability information, and the use of a distributed architecture having the multiagent paradigm features, such as scalability, flexibility, and dynamism. The system’s validation was accomplished by its integration with a Service Oriented Architecture that uses a commercial automation solution and a smart environment simulator, and by its use in three use cases developed by the AAL Joint Programme.

Σήμερα, βρισκόμαστε ήδη στο στάδιο μετάβασης από τις παραδοσιακές επιτραπέζιες υπολογιστικές τεχνολογίες στα διάχυτα (ubiquitous) υπολογιστικά περιβάλλοντα που θα μας υποστηρίζουν σχεδόν σε κάθε καθημερινή μας λειτουργία ή δραστηριότητα. Παράλληλα, υπάρχει μία αυξανόμενη τάση για τοποθέτηση του χρήστη στο κέντρο των υπηρεσιών. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι οι υπηρεσίες θα προσαρμόζονται με βάση το στενό και ευρύτερο περιβάλλον διαβίωσης (context), τις ανάγκες και τις προτιμήσεις των χρηστών. Δύο από τις βασικότερες έννοιες στις οποίες βασίζεται η προσφορά διάχυτων εξατομικευμένων υπηρεσιών είναι η γνώση πλαισίου (context awareness) και η μοντελοποίηση χρηστών (user modeling). Η έλευση του διάχυτου υπολογισμού και η χρησιμοποίηση της διάχυτης μοντελοποίησης χρηστών (ubiquitous user modeling) έχει δημιουργήσει νέες προσδοκίες και προκλήσεις για την παροχή εξατομικευμένων υπηρεσιών σε πολλούς τομείς εφαρμογών μεταξύ των οποίων είναι και ο τομέας της υγείας. Η ιατρική αντιμετώπιση αλλάζει πλέον κατεύθυνση και γίνεται προστατευτική, προληπτική και εύκολα προσεγγίσιμη (π.χ. στη δουλειά, στο σπίτι, κλπ.), συνοδευόμενη από συνεχή και εμμένουσα παροχή υψηλής ποιότητας εξατομικευμένης ιατρικής συμβουλής και υποστήριξης. Οι σύγχρονες ιατρικές υπηρεσίες αναμένονται να είναι διαθέσιμες κάθε στιγμή, 7 ημέρες την εβδομάδα και να παρέχονται με έναν εξατομικευμένο τρόπο ώστε να απευθύνονται στις ιδιαίτερες ανάγκες και απαιτήσεις κάθε ατόμου. Η παρούσα διατριβή πραγματεύεται μία μεθοδολογία παροχής διάχυτων υπηρεσιών σε εξελιγμένα τηλεπικοινωνιακά δίκτυα που συνδυάζει τη γνώση πλαισίου, τη μοντελοποίηση χρηστών και τα κοινωνικά δίκτυα (social networks). Η μεθοδολογία αυτή εφαρμόστηκε στον ιατρικό χώρο και ειδικότερα στις διαταραχές άγχους. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, στη διατριβή καθορίστηκαν πλήρως οι παράμετροι πλαισίου που σχετίζονται άμεσα με τις διαταραχές άγχους και προτάθηκε ένα μοντέλο πλαισίου που βασίζεται σε οντολογίες. Επίσης, μελετήθηκε η δομή και οι τεχνικές κατασκευής και ανανέωσης των μοντέλων χρηστών, ενώ μελετήθηκε η χρήση των κοινωνικών δικτύων για την παροχή ιατρικής φροντίδας και οι ρόλοι των μελών τους στις διαταραχές άγχους. Τέλος, προτάθηκε η αρχιτεκτονική ενός συστήματος γνώσης πλαισίου που ενσωματώνει τις ανωτέρω τεχνολογίες, τμήμα του οποίου αναπτύχθηκε, υλοποιήθηκε και αξιολογήθηκε από επαγγελματίες ιατρούς. Κατά την εφαρμογή της παραπάνω μεθοδολογίας στις διαταραχές άγχους αναπτύχθηκε η εφαρμογή PerMed που αποτελεί ένα εργαλείο αρχειοθέτησης και επεξεργασίας των προσωπικών πληροφοριών των ασθενών και τέσσερις υπηρεσίες που στοχεύουν στην υποστήριξη της θεραπείας των διαταραχών άγχους. Οι τρεις εστιάζουν στην ανακάλυψη πιθανών συσχετίσεων στα δεδομένα πλαισίου, ενώ η τέταρτη στοχεύει στην πρόβλεψη του άγχους που θα παρουσιάσει ένας ασθενής σε ένα δεδομένο πλαίσιο. Τα σχόλια που λάβαμε από επαγγελματίες ψυχιάτρους είναι αρκετά ενθαρρυντικά και ευελπιστούμε ότι η προτεινόμενη προσέγγιση θα αποτελέσει ένα ισχυρό εργαλείο υποστήριξης της θεραπείας των διαταραχών άγχους. / Today, we are already on the transition from the traditional desktop-based computing technologies towards ubiquitous computing environments that will enfold us in almost all our daily situations and activities. Simultaneously, there exists an increased tendency of putting the user into the center of service delivery. This means that the services in the ubiquitous environments should be adapted to the context, the needs and the preferences of users. Two of the key-concepts, based on which the delivery of ubiquitous personalized services is realized, are context-awareness and user modeling. The emergence of ubiquitous computing and ubiquitous user modeling has created new expectations and challenges for the delivery of personalized services in a considerable amount of application domains, among which is the healthcare domain. Healthcare provision changes direction becoming protective, proactive and more reachable (e.g. at home or at work), accompanied by continuous and persistent provision of personalized high-quality health advice and assistance. Modern healthcare services are expected to be available around the clock, seven days a week and delivered in a personalized manner addressing the specific needs and preferences of each individual. The present dissertation presents a methodology of providing ubiquitous services at advanced telecommunication networks, which combines context-awareness, user modeling and social networks. This methodology was implemented in the healthcare domain and more specifically in anxiety disorders. In particular, in this dissertation, the contextual aspects that are directly associated with anxiety disorders were defined and an ontology-based context model was proposed. In addition, the user models’ structure was determined and the techniques for the processing of their content were developed. Furthermore, the use of social networks in anxiety disorders and the role of their members were studied. Finally, the architecture of a context-aware system that integrates all the above technologies was proposed, a part of which was developed, implemented and evaluated by professional psychiatrists. During the implementation of the proposed methodology in anxiety disorders, the PerMed application that provides medical experts with a tool for archiving and processing the patient’s personal data and four treatment supportive services were developed. The three of them focus on the discovery of possible associations between the patient’s contextual data and the last service aims at predicting the stress level a patient might suffer from, in a given context. The feedback received from expertized psychiatrists was very encouraging and we hope that the proposed approach will constitute a powerful treatment supportive tool for anxiety disorders.