Ambient Intelligence
Ambient Intelligence ( AmI short, German ambient intelligence ) is a technological paradigm that is mainly related to the European Information Society Technologies research program. It is related to the more hardware - oriented approach of the U.S. research, ubiquitous computing (German Rechnerallgegenwart ), as well as with the concept of industry, the pervasive computing. As part of the Innovation Initiative of the German Federal Government, these terms are also summarized by Next Generation Media. A special area of research is the so-called wearable computing that wants to integrate IT support in work clothes. Organic Computing in turn, seeks to make the complexity manageable through mechanisms of self-organization.
The aim of the research effort will be to sensors, wireless modules and computer processors to network massively in order to improve the everyday lives. First application areas are for example the intelligent home, all of whose facilities (heating, kitchen appliances, shutters, etc. ) can be with (mobile) computers (smartphones and PDAs ) from anywhere to operate and adjust adaptively to the needs of the residents, as well as the efficient use of transport infrastructure. Sensor networks can take countless monitoring tasks - on the one hand for the benefit of people ( fire, earthquake early warning, traffic flow control), on the other hand it could also be used for dubious purposes (control, " transparent citizen "). For example. devoted to the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ( BAuA) the research questions that arise from AmI technologies in products or in the work environment, if workflows and processes optimized and thereby affects the performance of the work system, but also the health and well-being of employees can be. In particular, impact assessments on the opportunities and risks of new technologies in the work environment as well as to the impact on working systems of importance for safety and health at work.
The European research focuses on the development of architectures and applications and less on development of the technical building blocks.
The positive vision is that the expansion of almost all objects around communication skills and a certain intelligence, results that our everyday life is noticeably easier and the intelligent environment supports us in a natural way when needed. This means that the use of computer power requires no more attention than performing other daily activities such as walking, eating or reading.