Modular integration of Home System applications
for the Disabled and Elderly people
Dante Matteucci
Via I. Possenti 40
I-56010 ASCIANO PISANO (PI), Italy
Tel: +39.50.855935
fax: +39.50.856356
E-mail: danterm@tin.it
1. Summary
MOSAIC-HS aims to promote a common standard development, that will provide inter-operability between different equipment, as well as integrated applications covering everyday locations (home, office, hospital, rehabilitation Centre), relevant to elderly and disabled users. It will implement and test a modular approach to residential and communicative bus systems in various work/life situations, using common technology (EHS, EIB, M3S, etc.).
| Top |
2. Introduction
MOSAIC-HS intends to promote a common standard development, that will provide inter-operability between relevant systems, as well as integrated applications, which will cover the whole range of E&D users and application fields (home, hospital, rehabilitation Centre), leading the way to economically viable systems for multi-functional use. MOSAIC-HS is aimed at providing solutions for "products" and "services" which are based both on the "needs" and "wants" of E&D population. To this respect, the main purpose of the project is the implementation and subsequent testing of a new modular approach to residential and communicative bus systems in very different work/life situations, on the basis of a common technology (including different types of hardware and software components in the consumer and professional products areas).
This is being realised, starting from the user needs in home automation particularly in relation to user interfaces in this area, backed by an extensive survey of existing home automation products, user interfaces and standards (EHS, EIB, M3S). For the integrated system modules, the specifications address safety, security, economy, convenience, environmental parameters, entertainment, inter-operability and open architecture, while the user interface are based on market availability and cost-benefit of its components, multi-modality and multi-media I/O.
The project technical development is based on the definition of a common Application Program Interface (API), something needed long ago in the area of Control automation for E&D users. This include modules for alarm, home appliances and communication/services control. MOSAIC-HS prototype integrated system will then be composed and extensively tested both in verification and Demonstration Pilots.
The final outcome of this work will be the definition and design of a prototype integrated multimedia/multimodal and cost effective personal controller that would offer to the vast majority of E&D users direct access to many domestic, hospital and commercial applications, following a common standard API. In other words, MOSAIC-HS do not intend to develop new aids, but wants to prepare the way to pass from prototypes to standardisation, mainly taking in consideration:
- open architectures for connection and API; but also looking at:
- hardware and software solutions for friendly user interfaces and language approach (voice), all seen on the base of a simplified approach for the end user.
The proposed demonstrators will be implemented in nine different sites in four countries: Finland, Germany, France, Greece, Italy. These sites include:
1. nursing homes and rehabilitation centres,
2. specialised schools,
3. a post-surgery rehabilitation unit.
The demonstrators of the first class consist of an integrated building automation system that will allow PSN and caring people to control:
- telephones
- lights, heating
- door and window openers;
- intrusion alarms
- electrically adjustable beds
- white and brown goods.
The demonstrators of the second class, besides the functions of home automation, will allow PSN to access computers for: word-processing, network browsing, computer aid instruction and will make possible the remote control of the house on behalf of nurses and caring people.
The demonstrators in the hospital, besides the functions of building automation, will allow helping post-surgery disabled through the use of a robotic unit. The robot will accomplish service tasks, such as:
- surveillance (through a vision system)
- transport of heavy loads, such as trolleys from the lift to the room
- transport of light loads, such as sheets, medicines, blood samples, etc.
| Top |
3. User requirements study
The collection and involvement of user needs early in the development process of a product or service helps ensure that the special needs of the target group are actually met and the final products or services gain wide-spread acceptance while at the same time the costs for correcting and improving the product are kept low. One method to achieve these objectives is to conduct a series of evaluations with a small sample of representative users. If the target group consists of elderly and disabled people, however, information should be elicited not only from a limited number of E&D people themselves but also from specially trained carers and family members.
There are two main reasons for involving non-members of the target group into the data collection process. First, elderly and disabled people might not in all cases be able to articulate or fully understand their own requirements. Whereas people with strong physical impairments, but with none or minor communication difficulties, can report their concerns directly, people with strong communication difficulties might need to have their utterances interpreted either by specially skilled carers or by family members. And second, elderly and disabled people may have difficulties in visualising the implications that new technology may have for them.
Experience gained in many national and European projects has shown that it would be inadequate to rely completely on the perceptions and ideas of potential end users (1). On the other hand, the authors advise that it would also be inadequate to rely entirely on the views of experts. These may due to their professional training and biases hold pre-established views on what is needed. For this reason, it is recommend the involvement of both potential users and experts as well as a combination of different evaluation methods.
In the definition of the User Requirements for MOSAIC-HS project, a compromise has thus be achieved between the wish to place elderly and disabled persons into the centre of the data collection process and the necessity to involve carers and family members in order to interpret, relativise or even to obtain the desired information (2) One result from the investigations in the pilot sites implied that the major emphasis of the users is on simple devices rather than hi-tech devices. The rating of devices the carers wished their PSN to have controlled is as follows:
- Brown goods, telephone
- Windows and door control
- Light control; word-processing
- On line services; Internet.
The situation in MOSAIC-HS can however not be generalised for all institutions working with disabled people as some institutions that have particular demands are involved: e.g. a post-surgical rehabilitation centre does not need to have access to telework; a day-care centre has no need for an electronically adjustable bed, etc. However, similar trends are recognisable.
| Top |
4. System architecture
According to the final project goals and to the analysis of the various Pilot sites, the integration of two different communication standards (EHS for Power Line and EIB for Twisted Pair) into the MOSAIC-HS system is proposed. The integration can be achieved at different levels, as for example at the level of API, or at the level of buses. The devices preliminarily proposed to be integrated in the MOSAIC-HS system have been selected on the basis of the requirements expressed by demonstration sites and on the knowledge on existing standards and products deriving from the survey. The installation of the different devices will be shared between the two standards, according to technical feasibility. Telephone and telematic facilities are proposed to be integrated into the MOSAIC-HS system only at the level of the user interface.
In addition to the devices suggested by the users, the integration of an IR receiver on the EIB bus and of a RF module on the EHS, is proposed. The IR receiver allows to open a window on the M3S world, that could therefore be integrated into the MOSAIC-HS system. In fact, one of the M3S output devices is a programmable IR remote controller, which could provide access to the MOSAIC-HS system for any M3S user. Furthermore, the M3S system could also allow the integration of mobility aids, as requested by one of the demonstration site (NADF). The RF module is required for the integration of a robotic assistant, as agreed for the ICGS demonstrator. As the robotic unit is controlled by commands sent through a radio link, a RF module as device of the MOSAIC-HS system would allow the robotic unit to become a device, too (3). The whole architecture is depicted in Figure 1.
Fig. 1 General architecture of the system
| Top |
5. Conclusions
The international co-operation established in MOSIC-HS consortium has generated:
- an integrated analysis of users requirements
- a common understanding of strategic and operational issues
- a common approach to a modular solution for the System Architecture.
In the context of MOSIC-HS general objective, the specific applications that are being developed and tested in each participating country have been duly identified and the related activities will proceed as scheduled.
The specific objectives of the demonstrators could be summarised as follows:
*
- To assess the usability of MOSAIC-HS integrated User Interfaces and support the relevant guidelines development.
- To test the different bus systems integration in real life applications.
- To formulate new services for PSN (i.e. self-living support service in Centres for Disabled)
To enhance user awareness and acceptance of home devices, services and tele-operation products and thus establish and enhance the relevant market.
| Top |
6. Bibliography
1. Colette Nicolle, David F. Poulson, Simon J. Richardson: "A Methodology for Defining User Requirements for Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology", in: Placencia Porrero I.; Puig de la Bellacasa R.: The European Context for Assistive Technology, Amsterdam: IOS Press 1995
2. MOSAIC-HS Consortium, D4.1 "Report on Users Requirements", 1997
3. MOSAIC-HS Consortium, D5.1 "Report on Functional Specifications and System Architecture" (draft), 1997
| Top | | TIDE 98 Papers |