Watchers, carers, and administrators: the smart homes of tomorrow

How smart should a smart home be before it’s worthy of the name? Diane Cook’s research into smart homes goes well beyond presence-detecting light switches; she’s interested in homes that observe their residents and make decisions on their behalf.

If ambient intelligence is next, it’s logical that the home will be among the first places we experience it. But what will this mean? “The idea is that computer software playing the role of an intelligent agent perceives the state of the physical environment and residents using sensors, reasons about this state using artificial intelligence techniques, and then takes actions to achieve specified goals,” writes Cook. Such goals include “maximizing comfort of the residents, minimizing the consumption of resources, and maintaining the health and safety of the home and resources.”

See on arstechnica.com