IWOBAY

Intelligent home instrumentation

Project duration	01.01.1999-31.03.2002
Contact	Michael Kellner -->
Project E-Mail	iwobay@forwiss.uni-passau.de
Publications	B. Ivanov, H. Ruser, M. Kellner: Presence detection and person identification in Smart Homes

Description

Base of the researchproject is the intention to save energy while creating a healthy atmosphere by means of an intelligent homeinstrumentation; at the same time the energyconsuming emissions will be decreased.

This benefit shall be achieved by realizing a decentral, presencecontrolled, heatingregulation and ventilationcontrol. Beside the devellopment of innovative radiator-thermostat-ventiles, new switches for ventilationflaps in decentral crossplate-heatexchangers shall come into being in this workpackage. These actors will be components of a decentral demandcontrolled heating- and ventillationconcept, with which a considerable costdecreasepotential can be made use of.

Especially under consideration of effortless and cost-effective retrofitability of installations, the wireless signaltransmission will make out the sweeping frame of the project. A Radio-Bus-System (DECT-standard with aim UMTS) will come into being, which can be, thank to its open standard, combined with existing systems in the house (TV,...) and with external systems (Internet) by means of gateways.With the help of a digital assistant formed by a mobile personbound dsplay- and operationapparatus, it shall be possible to supervise ant to steer the condition of the house.

Beside the benefit of energyconservation the project can offer Aid to Seniors by means of innovative retrofittable homeinstrumentation. the Radio-Bus-System develloped for the demandcontrolled heatingcontrol can offer this extra-functionality at the same time. The system forms the base for further applications and has only to be supplemented with further components which take over the sensoric tasks and the hard- and softwarefunctions tu ensure extra userfunctionality.

The deployment of modern hometechnology will be tried out in an explicit testbuilding (prefabricated house by Regnauer). The gathered information can be instantly deployed in the project.As well the develloped instrumentation shall be modularly integrated into parts of the building (windows, doors,...).

To regulate the heating and ventilation system additional knowledge is needed, which can be archieved by multi-sensor installations. Therefore FORWISS concentrates on detection of moving objects by using optical image processing techniques. In particular the knowledge of the number of attendant persons is interesting, but other moving objects are connotative too. The differentiation between adult and child, detection of pets as well as the recognition of the activity of the persons constitute a challenge to the available sensors.

Picture 1: Estimation of the size of the moving objects by using camera calibration techniques	Picture 2: Detection of occluded moving persons

Project staff

Project partners