Large Scale Intelligent Environments

A special issue of Computers (ISSN 2073-431X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 December 2012) | Viewed by 19167

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Computer Science Department, Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Safat 13060, Kuwait
Interests: pervasive computing; signal analysis; AI; data mining; evolutionary computation; localized muscle fatigue
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Guest Editor
Intelligent Environments Group, School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (CSEE), University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
Interests: middleware; ubiquitous computing; ambient intelligence; intelligent environments; distributed systems, embedded systems; robotics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As technology permeates into every aspect of our lives and becomes embedded in the environments that we encounter on a daily basis, the dreams for a world of ubiquitous computing are being realised. Augmented by the deployment of artificial intelligence, the technology rich spaces that surround us are given an ambient intelligence where software samples the real world, reasons with available information and pro-actively takes action. Much work has been done in this area as reflected by the literature, but as we delve further, the scale of the environments we envision increases. This special issue is intended to focus specifically on the challenges related to scaling-up intelligent environments research “beyond four walls”.

Within the context of this special issue, we consider an Intelligent Environment (IE) to be a ubiquitous computing deployment, preferably (but not necessarily) with some form of ambient intelligence. And so, a “large-scale” IE (LSIE) goes beyond the size of “normal” experimental labs and can be defined as adhering to one or more of the following characteristics:

  • Monolithic: Large ubiquitous computing environments that exist as a whole and typically contain several physical sub-spaces (e.g. multi-room apartment, entire building, campus, town, city, etc.).
  • Composite: Environments composed of multiple geographically or organisationally separated IEs that are electronically joined to form a larger compound. For example, a building that is not a monolithic IE, but composed of several independent IEs, or a “virtual University” that is composed of several classrooms from different countries and electronically linked to transcend their physical separation.
  • Virtual-reality: Software simulations that are entirely virtual and model an IE on the scale of at least a multi-room/multi-floor building.
  • Mixed-reality: Physical Environments that are extended/reflected by some component of virtual reality to enlarge their scale.

We are interested in papers that present new and novel approaches to the core problem area and are especially interested in real-world deployments (i.e. “living-labs”), experimental results and technology or software that facilitates the transition of users and their digital assets/profiles as they roam between IEs.

Dr. Mohamed Rashid Al-Mulla
Dr. James Peter Dooley
Guest Editors

Keywords

  • pervasive computing
  • ambient intelligence
  • infrastructure and middleware
  • scalability
  • mobile/portable computing
  • mixed reality
  • intelligent interactive systems
  • internet of things

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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901 KiB  
Article
Towards Realising FollowMe User Profiles for Macro-Intelligent Environments
by Luke Whittington, James Dooley, Martin Henson and Abdullah Al-Malaise Al-Ghamdi
Computers 2013, 2(3), 132-151; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers2030132 - 30 Jul 2013
Viewed by 5964
Abstract
In this paper, we introduce the concept of a Large-Scale Intelligent Environment (LSIE) and provide an introduction to the use of bigraphs as a formal method for description and modelling. We then propose our MacroIE model as a solution to the LSIE problem [...] Read more.
In this paper, we introduce the concept of a Large-Scale Intelligent Environment (LSIE) and provide an introduction to the use of bigraphs as a formal method for description and modelling. We then propose our MacroIE model as a solution to the LSIE problem and describe how that model may be implemented to achieve a continuity-of-experience to end users as they travel from place-to-place (a technology we call FollowMe). Our initial experiments with these implementations are presented, providing some valuable insights and promise for future refinement towards real-world deployment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Large Scale Intelligent Environments)

Review

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632 KiB  
Review
A User-Centric View of Intelligent Environments: User Expectations, User Experience and User Role in Building Intelligent Environments
by Eija Kaasinen, Tiina Kymäläinen, Marketta Niemelä, Thomas Olsson, Minni Kanerva and Veikko Ikonen
Computers 2013, 2(1), 1-33; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers2010001 - 27 Dec 2012
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 12615
Abstract
Our everyday environments are gradually becoming intelligent, facilitated both by technological development and user activities. Although large-scale intelligent environments are still rare in actual everyday use, they have been studied for quite a long time, and several user studies have been carried out. [...] Read more.
Our everyday environments are gradually becoming intelligent, facilitated both by technological development and user activities. Although large-scale intelligent environments are still rare in actual everyday use, they have been studied for quite a long time, and several user studies have been carried out. In this paper, we present a user-centric view of intelligent environments based on published research results and our own experiences from user studies with concepts and prototypes. We analyze user acceptance and users’ expectations that affect users’ willingness to start using intelligent environments and to continue using them. We discuss user experience of interacting with intelligent environments where physical and virtual elements are intertwined. Finally, we touch on the role of users in shaping their own intelligent environments instead of just using ready-made environments. People are not merely “using” the intelligent environments but they live in them, and they experience the environments via embedded services and new interaction tools as well as the physical and social environment. Intelligent environments should provide emotional as well as instrumental value to the people who live in them, and the environments should be trustworthy and controllable both by regular users and occasional visitors. Understanding user expectations and user experience in intelligent environments, and providing users with tools to influence the environments can help to shape the vision of intelligent environments into meaningful, acceptable and appealing service entities for all those who live and act in them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Large Scale Intelligent Environments)
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