Chapter 5: Ambient intelligence

The term "ambient intelligence" (AmI) comes from the field of computers and refers to electronic settings that are aware of and responsive to the presence of humans. In the late 1990s, Eli Zelkha and his team at Palo Alto Ventures developed a forecast for the future of consumer electronics, telecommunications, and computing for the time frame of 2010-2020 using the term "ambient intelligence." This forecast was originally intended for the period of time between 2010 and 2020. Through the use of information and intelligence that is concealed within the network connecting these devices, ambient intelligence would make it possible for devices to collaborate in order to assist people in performing the routine activities, responsibilities, and rituals of their day-to-day lives in an unobtrusive manner (for example: The Internet of Things). As these devices became more compact, more connected, and more integrated into our surroundings, the technological framework that supported them would fade into our surroundings until only the user interface was perceivable by users. This process would continue until only the user interface was left.

The ambient intelligence paradigm is built on top of pervasive computing, ubiquitous computing, profiling, context awareness, and human-centric computer interface design, each of which is defined by systems and technologies that are pervasive, ubiquitous, and human-centric:

embedded refers to the integration of a large number of networked devices into the surroundings.

These technologies are aware of their context and can identify both you and the environment in which you find yourself.

customized; they may be adjusted to meet your specific requirements.

adaptable means that they are able to alter as a result of what you do.

anticipatory, in the sense that they are able to anticipate your wishes without your conscious mediation.

The house is a common setting for an ambient intelligence environment, but it might also be used to places of work (offices, co-working), public areas (based on technology such as smart street lighting), and hospital settings.

The primary reason for the growing interest in ambient intelligence is its connection to improvements in user experience as well as technological developments in sensor networks and sensor technologies. Late in the 20th century, there was a rise in the quantity and significance of digital goods and services, many of which were complicated and difficult to comprehend or use. This was one factor that contributed to the growing interest in user experience. As a direct result of this need, a new field known as user experience design has evolved with the goal of centering emerging technologies and forms of media on the individual experience of users. User-centered design has an effect on ambient intelligence because it places the user at the center of the design process and asks for feedback from the user in the form of specific user evaluations and tests in order to improve the design or even co-create the design with the designer (participatory design) or with other users. This feedback can be used to improve the design (end-user development).

To function properly, ambient intelligence is dependent on the availability of a few essential technologies. These include hardware that is inconspicuous and easy to use, such as miniaturization, nanotechnology, and smart gadgets, in addition to computer interfaces that are designed with the user in mind (intelligent agents, multimodal interaction, context awareness etc.) Interoperability, wired and wireless network connectivity, and service-oriented design are the defining characteristics of this infrastructure, which enables the aforementioned systems and devices to function in a seamless mobile/fixed communication and computing environment.

To construct dynamic and massively dispersed device networks, which are simple to operate and program in order to achieve ambient intelligence (e.g. service discovery, auto-configuration, end-user programmable devices and systems, etc.) Additionally, it is necessary for these systems and devices to be trustworthy and protected, which may be accomplished with the help of software that is capable of testing and fixing itself as well as technology that ensures privacy.

In the year 1998, the board of directors of Philips gave Eli Zelkha and Brian Epstein of Palo Alto Ventures the assignment of organizing a series of presentations and internal workshops for the company. The high-volume consumer electronics industry of the 1990s, which Zelkha and Simon Birrell described as "fragmented with features," would be transformed into an industry that supported user-friendly devices that provided ubiquitous information, communication, and entertainment by the year 2020, and the term "ambient intelligence" was coined by Zelkha and Simon Birrell in order to investigate different scenarios that would bring about this transformation. geared toward the creation of innovative software and hardware for computers in the 21st century.

At the same time as Philips was working on developing their vision, a number of rival programs were launched to investigate ambient intelligence in more depth. The European Commission used the vision for the launch of their sixth framework (FP6) in Information, Society and Technology (IST), which had a subsidiary budget of 3.7 billion euros. This decision was made in accordance with the recommendations made by the Information Society and Technology Advisory Group (ISTAG). In the process of developing the AmI concept even further, the European Commission was an extremely important player. The AmI vision advanced thanks to the efforts of a number of different projects. Over the course of the recent past, a number of significant endeavors have been launched. The Fraunhofer Society initiated a number of projects and endeavors in a wide range of fields, such as multimedia, the design of microsystems, and augmented spaces. The Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has become home to a new research group focusing on ambient intelligence. New research initiatives were launched in a number of nations, including the United States of America, Canada, Spain, France, and the Netherlands, amongst others. Since 2004, the European Symposium on Ambient Intelligence, often known as EUSAI, along with a great number of additional conferences that focus on specific aspects of AmI have been conducted.

The criticism that ambient intelligence vision receives relates to the fact that the transmission of information about a person's existence is not within their control (e.g. David Wright, Serge Gutwirth, Michael Friedewald et al., Safeguards in a World of Ambient Intelligence, Springer, Dordrecht, 2008). Concerns regarding the loss of personal privacy are raised on a sociological, political, and cultural level whenever an experience is described as being immersive, customized, context-aware, or anticipatory. The scenario that was shown before serves to illustrate both the good and the bad implications that might result from ambient intelligence. It is not necessary for applications of ambient intelligence to compromise users' privacy in order for them to be successful. Several communities and research organizations are looking into the social, political, and cultural implications of ambient intelligence.

According to the recommendations made by the ISTAG advisory committee, the following qualities are necessary for the general public to adopt ambient intelligence. Ambient intelligence should:

facilitate human touch.

be focused on fostering improvements in the local community and culture.

to assist in the development of information and skills relevant to employment, improved job quality, improved citizenship, and expanded consumer choice.

instill faith and self-assurance in others.

maintain coherence with the long-term goals of personal, social, and environmental sustainability, as well as learning throughout one's lifetime.

be made simple to live with and accessible to the general public so that it may be controlled by them.

The ISTAG group recognizes the following entrance points to the American International commercial environment:

Initial premium value niche markets in industrial, commercial, or public applications where better interfaces are required to assist human performance in settings that are either fast moving or sensitive.

prospects for new businesses to start up and spin out as a result of detecting prospective service need and putting together services that satisfy these emerging demands.

In order to generate economies of scale, high access and cheap entry costs based on a loss leadership model are required (mass customization).

The attention economy of an audience or client as the foundation for providing "free" end-user services that are funded by advertising or other supplementary services or commodities.

Self-provision, which is built on the network economics of extremely large user communities that provide information for free or at close to the cost of nothing (e.g. social networking applications).

The integration of many and varied datasets onto a single platform with the purpose of making sense of customer behavior and gaining insight into it (e.g. Near).

Ambient intelligence settings, such as smart homes and public spaces, may be enabled by a wide range of technologies:

Bluetooth Low Energy

RFID

Microchip implant

Thermometers, ambient light sensors (photodetectors), proximity sensors, and motion detectors are the different types of sensors.

Software agents

Affective...