The elderly experience their health getting significantly deteriorated as they age. They suffer not only from chronic diseases but from various geriatric diseases such as high blood pressure, arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Their mental health also retreats creating challenges for the elderly from the loss of short term memory to dementia. Furthermore, after they retire, the elderly’s social network decreases as their social activities are inevitably limited to a small group of people like families and friends. With the face of such impairments in their physical, mental and social health, many elderly cannot help but are being institutionalized or sent to specialized places like nursing homes, which provide them professional care. However, a study indicates that most Americans prefer to stay in their homes as they get older since they can maintain their social connections to neighbors and friends, be close to their medical caregivers in town as well as attain emotional comfort and security with familiar surrounding and environments. On top of that, Americans of all ages value on keeping their ability of independence and autonomy by controlling their lives in general. Various health care-aid devices and services appear to offer specific support to health care activities for the elderly in their homes. However, such aids have more focused only on when the elderly’s health is degraded or on very specific areas such as tracking health data like blood pressure, blood sugar and calorie intakes. The elderly need comprehensive understanding about their health problems, healthy daily habits and timely interactions with their families and caregivers, in order to keep independent living safely in their places. Smart Home technology has much potential to support the elderly’s independent living as well as interactions with others. To better understand this, we conducted a user-centered design project which looks at the management of the elderly’s health enabled by Smart Home technology.

Several researchers have successfully developed realistic models of real world objects/ phenomena and then have simulated them in the virtual world. In this thesis, we propose the opposite: instantiating virtual world events in the real world. The interactive 3D virtual environment provides a useful, realistic 3D world that resembles objects/phenomena of a real world, but it has limited capability to communicate with the physical environment. We argue that new and intuitive 3D user interfaces, such as 3D virtual environment interfaces, may provide an alternative form of media for communicating with the real environment. We propose a 3D virtual world-based add-on architecture that achieves a synchronized virtual-real communication. In this framework, we explored the possibilities of integrating haptic and real world object interactions with Linden Lab's multiuser online 3D virtual world, Second Life. We enhanced the open source Second Life viewer client in order to facilitate communications between the real and virtual world. Moreover, we analyzed the suitability of such an approach in terms of user perception, intuition and other common parameters. Our experiments suggest that the proposed approach not only demonstrates a more intuitive mode of communication system, but also is appealing and useful to the user. Some of the potential applications of the proposed approach include remote child-care, communication between distant lovers, stress recovery, and home automation.

This paper discusses the average energy savings of various smart devices in connection with their average price. By calculating the devices' payback times, a ranking of the tools can be given. The whole study focuses on the average household within the EU-28 in terms of climate as well as in terms of user behaviour. The purpose of the research was to provide a win-win situation for users' wallets and the environment by showing the device which suits both players best. As a result of the research, it was found that the greatest reduction in energy consumption can be reached by an interaction of the smart device and the inhabitants of a smart home. By giving users feedback on their energy consumption through smart meters, average savings of 7.5% are reached. As a smart meter is available for about Euro 80, it has a payback time of only 4.24 months.

The topic of this thesis is usability control of smart homes. The thesis conducted user research for understanding the end-users of smart homes. It is also conducted user testing of today's mobile applications, of smart homes. Gained knowledge from testing are used to create custom user interface prototype mobile application for smart home. Created prototype is conducted user testing.

O reconhecimento de atividaes é vital no contexto dos ambientes inteligentes. Mesmo com a facilidade de acesso a sensores móveis baratos, reconhecer atividades continua sendo um problema difícil devido à incerteza nas leituras dos sensores e à complexidade das atividades. A teoria da evidência provê um modelo de reconhecimento de atividades que detecta atividades mesmo na presença de incerteza nas leituras dos sensores, mas ainda não é capaz de modelar atividades complexas ou mudanças na configuração dos sensores ou do ambiente. Este trabalho propõe combinar abordagens baseadas em modelagem de conhecimento com a teoria da evidência, melhorando assim a construção dos modelos da última trazendo a reusabilidade, flexibilidade e semântica rica da primeira. / Activity recognition is a vital need in the field of ambient intelligence. It is essential for many internet of things applications including energy management, healthcare systems and home automation. But, even with the many cheap mobile sensors envisioned by the internet of things, activity recognition remains a hard problem. This is due to uncertainty in sensor readings and the complexity of activities themselves. Evidence theory models provide activity recognition even in the presence of uncertain sensor readings, but cannot yet model complex activities or dynamic changes in sensor and environment configurations. This work proposes combining knowledge-based approaches with evidence theory, improving the construction of evidence theory models for activity recognition by bringing reusability, flexibility and rich semantics.

Ces dernières années, les réseaux de capteurs sans fil ont vu leurs champs d'applications s'élargir pour toucher plusieurs domaines dont celui de surveillance. En parallèle, le domaine à vocation médicale pour l'assistance aux personnes n’a pas manqué de s'intéresser lui aussi à cette technologie émergente face aux nombreux attraits qu'elle représente. C'est dans ce contexte que se situe notre travail de thèse. Nous nous intéressons à l'utilisation des réseaux de capteurs de type vidéo non intrusif pour la surveillance continue de personnes âgées évoluant dans leur environnement naturel. L’objectif est la proposition d’un système associant capteur vidéo et analyse intelligente locale, à un système de communication sans fil permettant la surveillance de personnes dans son habitat ou en milieu spécialisé. Nous désirons avant tout être capable d’identifier la personne surveillée et détecter son comportement, ses actions, ses mouvements afin d’agir sur son environnement via un système de communication sans fil et domotique, détecter une chute et émettre une alerte à travers le réseau. Une telle proposition, représente une solution avantageuse pour plusieurs raisons. Sur le plan économique, surveiller une personne âgée tout en la gardant dans son environnement normal permettrait de diminuer les charges d'assistance aux personnes en les traitant par un personnel spécialisé à l'hôpital ou à une maison de retraite. Un apport non négligeable est celui lié aux aspects psychiques et sociaux de la personne âgée, à qui cette surveillance discrète et imperceptible lui assure à la fois le sentiment de sécurité, de respect de la vie privée et d'autonomie. / In recent years, wireless sensor networks have seen their fields of application expand to affect several areas, including monitoring. In parallel, the field medical projects to assist people did not fail to be interested in this emerging technology thanks to the attractions it represents. It is in this context that our thesis is subscribed. We are interested in the use of a non-intrusive video sensors network to monitor elderly people continuously in their natural environment. The objective is the proposal of a video sensor system combining local and intelligent analysis, a wireless communication system for monitoring people in their habitat or specialized environment. We want above all, to be able to identify and detect the monitored person's behavior as well as his actions and his movements to act on his environment via a wireless communication system and home automation. Then we aim to detect a fall and communicate an alert through the network. This proposal represents an advantageous solution for several reasons. Economically, monitor an elderly person while keeping it in his normal environment would reduce the charges of assistance to people by treating them with specialized staff at the hospital or a nursing home. A significant contribution is the one related to the psychological and social aspects of the elderly, to whom this discreet and invisible monitoring ensures both the feeling of security, respect for privacy and autonomy.

O reconhecimento de atividaes é vital no contexto dos ambientes inteligentes. Mesmo com a facilidade de acesso a sensores móveis baratos, reconhecer atividades continua sendo um problema difícil devido à incerteza nas leituras dos sensores e à complexidade das atividades. A teoria da evidência provê um modelo de reconhecimento de atividades que detecta atividades mesmo na presença de incerteza nas leituras dos sensores, mas ainda não é capaz de modelar atividades complexas ou mudanças na configuração dos sensores ou do ambiente. Este trabalho propõe combinar abordagens baseadas em modelagem de conhecimento com a teoria da evidência, melhorando assim a construção dos modelos da última trazendo a reusabilidade, flexibilidade e semântica rica da primeira. / Activity recognition is a vital need in the field of ambient intelligence. It is essential for many internet of things applications including energy management, healthcare systems and home automation. But, even with the many cheap mobile sensors envisioned by the internet of things, activity recognition remains a hard problem. This is due to uncertainty in sensor readings and the complexity of activities themselves. Evidence theory models provide activity recognition even in the presence of uncertain sensor readings, but cannot yet model complex activities or dynamic changes in sensor and environment configurations. This work proposes combining knowledge-based approaches with evidence theory, improving the construction of evidence theory models for activity recognition by bringing reusability, flexibility and rich semantics.

O reconhecimento de atividaes é vital no contexto dos ambientes inteligentes. Mesmo com a facilidade de acesso a sensores móveis baratos, reconhecer atividades continua sendo um problema difícil devido à incerteza nas leituras dos sensores e à complexidade das atividades. A teoria da evidência provê um modelo de reconhecimento de atividades que detecta atividades mesmo na presença de incerteza nas leituras dos sensores, mas ainda não é capaz de modelar atividades complexas ou mudanças na configuração dos sensores ou do ambiente. Este trabalho propõe combinar abordagens baseadas em modelagem de conhecimento com a teoria da evidência, melhorando assim a construção dos modelos da última trazendo a reusabilidade, flexibilidade e semântica rica da primeira. / Activity recognition is a vital need in the field of ambient intelligence. It is essential for many internet of things applications including energy management, healthcare systems and home automation. But, even with the many cheap mobile sensors envisioned by the internet of things, activity recognition remains a hard problem. This is due to uncertainty in sensor readings and the complexity of activities themselves. Evidence theory models provide activity recognition even in the presence of uncertain sensor readings, but cannot yet model complex activities or dynamic changes in sensor and environment configurations. This work proposes combining knowledge-based approaches with evidence theory, improving the construction of evidence theory models for activity recognition by bringing reusability, flexibility and rich semantics.

The interest and demand for smart home technologies has increased rapidly during the past few years. Due to factors such as convenience, innovation, flexibility, and security, these products are becoming a bigger part of our everyday life. With the increased demand and need for this technology, companies are working quickly to try to meet this demand and need of their customers. The development is becoming faster and faster, and therefore the risk of security being overlooked has increased. Companies want to meet the demand, and by trying to get the products on the market faster, other aspects might be compromised. A country which is often looked to for development and production of products is China. China is believed to be one of the countries with the most promising future for smart technologies and Internet of Things due to the immense investment put into telecommunications, development of technologies, and supporting infrastructure. The research of this thesis sought to investigate what effects the increased interest and demand for smart technologies has had on companies who are working with smart home technology by conducting a multiple case study on three companies in China which are in the smart home technology industry. With this case study, the perspective from the three companies has been gathered and analyzed. The research resulted in finding out the perception which these three companies have on the rapid development of smart home technologies, and the firsthand effects it has had on their individual company.

Several researchers have successfully developed realistic models of real world objects/ phenomena and then have simulated them in the virtual world. In this thesis, we propose the opposite: instantiating virtual world events in the real world. The interactive 3D virtual environment provides a useful, realistic 3D world that resembles objects/phenomena of a real world, but it has limited capability to communicate with the physical environment. We argue that new and intuitive 3D user interfaces, such as 3D virtual environment interfaces, may provide an alternative form of media for communicating with the real environment. We propose a 3D virtual world-based add-on architecture that achieves a synchronized virtual-real communication. In this framework, we explored the possibilities of integrating haptic and real world object interactions with Linden Lab's multiuser online 3D virtual world, Second Life. We enhanced the open source Second Life viewer client in order to facilitate communications between the real and virtual world. Moreover, we analyzed the suitability of such an approach in terms of user perception, intuition and other common parameters. Our experiments suggest that the proposed approach not only demonstrates a more intuitive mode of communication system, but also is appealing and useful to the user. Some of the potential applications of the proposed approach include remote child-care, communication between distant lovers, stress recovery, and home automation.