in the previous example to interact with other people and access information.
3 A virtual dog is set of sensors (e.g., a worn T.V. camera, or some type of ultrasound or laser) able to spot obstacles.
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4.2.5.6 Alarm and support/control services
The entire AmI is a pervasive and very sophisticated alarm and support/control
system. This may be very important for people with cognitive problems. AmI can
continuously control Maria’s behaviour in the various environments according to
her known habits and intervene if necessary, for example reminding her of tasks
and helping her perform them. When necessary, AmI can also contact the family or
a carer for advice and help. If Maria cannot see AmI is able, if necessary, to describe
its layout and functionalities, as well as the functionalities of its devices (e.g., the
remote control of the hotel room). Moreover, since Maria cannot do two acoustic
activities simultaneously, AmI is able to organize sequentially the flow of
information and the performance of the necessary tasks, allocating the necessary
time. In the Dimitrios scenario, D-Me can be part of a control system, in continuous
contact with relatives or helpers. In the Carmen scenario, the P-com can transmit
the news that Carmen is leaving home to a control centre or to a relative. A
continuous connection can then be established, and Carmen can be tracked during
her trip. Moreover, the micro-payment system frees Carmen from financial
transactions. On the way home, the shared car system senses a bike on a dedicated
lane approaching an intersection on their route. The driver is alerted and the
system anyway gives preference to bikes, so a potential accident is avoided. The
same service could be very useful for a person who is on a wheelchair and for a
person who cannot see. This can also be an invaluable help for Carmen when going
around alone. If the system becomes aware of Carmen’s problems, for example
evident confusion in finding her way and problems in coping with the environment,
it can connect with a relative or a control centre. The connection can be granted by
Carmen’s P-com without infringement of her privacy. A complex situation also
arises when Carmen must leave the car to use a public transportation service.
However, the navigation system takes care of that, and a support/control system
can intervene if she has particular problems or has a reduction in cognitive
capacities.
4.2.5.7 Broadband communication facilities
The additional opportunities offered by AmI are related to the availability of
broadband communication facilities. Maria’ scenario offers a presentation of
advanced telecommunication facilities, in the car, in the hotel room and in the
presentation room. When Maria is driving, she is tracked by the navigation system
and people know (if she wants) that she can be contacted. If she is contacted in a
difficult situation and she does not want to answer, a D-Me type agent can deal
with the calls when they are not considered important or advice that she should
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call back as soon as possible. In the hotel room there is an audio/video system, the
video scenes of which are described if she cannot see, and automatically
captioned, if she cannot hear. The audio/video system can be used also for
communication with her daughter, with whom she can not only communicate, but
also go through the news as they watch them at the same time from different
environments. Obviously, if she cannot see, she listens to the news, while if she
cannot hear she can read the news, which is automatically captioned.
Conversation with her daughter takes place through AmI and the P-Com (relay
service).
4.2.5.8 Audio/video interpersonal communication services
The fact that Maria and her daughter are able to converse on an audio/video
system and cooperatively access information, is very important from two different
perspectives. The first is that it introduces a remote socialisation component, which
can be crucial to reduce stress, and through which Maria can be supported. Even
if support by technology can be of invaluable value in some circumstances, support
by other people can be more efficient and acceptable in some situations and
activities. It can introduce a personal dimension, which increases acceptability and
efficiency in the intervention. AmI, with its emphasis on cooperative activities,
whereby people can remotely carry out common activities with audio and visual
contact, can increase the feasibility of the approach. When people are not able to
perform some actions, they can ask a relative, a friend or a support organisation.
Maria, for example, if she cannot see, can show the hotel room to her daughter
and get from her a personalised description that a computer system would had
probably given in a functional form. If Maria knows that she has left an object
somewhere in the room, her daughter can localise it. If Maria has cognitive
problems, her daughter can instruct her when performing difficult tasks. In this
case the advantage is reciprocal, because the daughter can “control” that
everything is all right without being too intrusive.
The same applies to the tasks related to the localisation of the presentation. If
Maria does not trust the suggestion made by the localisation agent and she cannot
see them, she can easily connect with a colleague in the office and ask for advice.
4.2.6 The individual interacting with the environment
After having examined the possible impact of services of general use on people
who have some activity limitation, it is necessary to focus on the individual user
and consider interaction with AmI in order to perform the tasks necessary to be
integrated, at home, in closed spaces (e.g., the airport, the hotel, the cafeteria, and
the learning environment), as well as in open spaces.
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It is clear that the main key to open the doors of the information society is the
personal communicator and the related set of agents, which are able to grant
connection to the environment itself and to all its facilities for accessing
information and interpersonal communication. Its characteristics are not precisely
defined. It does not have a specifically defined interface, but it can in principle
make available all the interaction technologies described in the previous sections
in order to adapt the environment to the type of interaction suitable for the user
and the context of use, for example, audio when eyes are necessary for other tasks
(for driving in the Maria’s scenario), or visual or tactile in noisy environments. It is
very likely that the interface is not part of the communicator itself, but of the
environment. The communicator is a disembodied functionality supported by the
ambient intelligence with different interfaces. Maria wears it as a bracelet. In the
case of Dimitrios, the communicator (D-Me) is embedded in his clothes but can be
also implantable. It is adaptive, and learns from Dimitrios’ interactions with the
environment. It offers communication, processing and decision-making functions.
Its functions may either be based on on-board intelligence or on distributed
intelligence in the infrastructure. Both ways, it offers Dimitrios the necessary
services. It deals with calls. When necessary, it becomes an avatar-like system and
deals with most of his social communication, using his own voice. In the Carmen
scenario, the communicator does not have a specific embodiment. It is a function,
enabling contacts with other persons (for example, her host driver in the shared
vehicle service) or with services (for example, the supermarket information system
or the city payment system). There are some characteristics of the communicator
important for all people: it is personal, lightweight, wearable, and continuously
available.
Finally, it is interesting to observe that the personal communicator must not
necessarily be a highly sophisticated piece of equipment, the performances of
which are limited by size, weight, and power. The intelligence necessary to support
the transduction of information necessary to address the different modalities and
to support the user can be in the environment and in the network. The same is true
for the complex interaction peripherals. In principle, the only limiting factor can be
bandwidth.
Taking into account that all the characters in the scenarios have with them a
personal communicator, it is interesting to discuss how they can interact with AmI
in the information society if they have some activity limitations.
The simplest situation is at home or in other closed environments (e.g., the hotel
room), because personal spaces are easier to personalise to the needs of different
users, even if, as shown in the previous section, the distinction between close and
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open environments in AmI is blurred due to the ubiquitous deployment of
functions. Carmen interacts with her fridge. If she is not able to see, she can receive
audio messages. If she is not able to speak at all, she can use gesture recognition
or text, and if she is not able to speak perfectly the voice recognition system can
be trained to match the characteristics of the produced audio signal. Output can
be given in any modality matching to the capabilities of the user. For example,
when Carmen is connected to the shop, all the information stored in tags is
translated in a properly encoded format for her to receive. Carmen may choose to
see the goods of interest or hear or read (e.g., in Braille) brief descriptions of them,
or to have a full presentation of a particular product or store shelf. Presentations
may contain information about the product characteristics (size, colour, and
weight), the packing, the price, potential offers or alternative selections and other
information that will help her to make her choice. Carmen’s P-workstation enables
her to explore and manipulate 3D models and artefacts by means of tactile
interaction.
The same approach can be used in communication with the car driver, who can
have been made aware of Carmen’s abilities, and thus use the most appropriate
communication channel. Alternatively, the driver’s and Carmen communicators can
cooperate to transduce the information in a suitable modality.
The situation is more complex when a private but not personal space (e.g., the
hotel room) is used. Even if the room is adapted to Maria’s personality as she
enters, i.e., the room temperature, default lighting and a range of video and music
choices are displayed on the video wall according to her preferences, interaction
with the room can pose some problems. Obviously, interaction with the room for
adjusting features to the varying needs of its inhabitant can be solved using the
same methodology used at home for interacting with the fridge, but some
difficulties remain. The first is that Maria may have problems with the room itself,
if she cannot see or has some cognitive problems. In this case, a description of the
room and its facilities may be provided by AmI. If cognitive problems are present,
the number and complexity of facilities to be made available can be chosen
according to Maria’s profile. If necessary, the room can make all choices
automatically. Otherwise, suggestions can be offered by relatives or carers.
Similar problems can be experienced with the remote control of the room, if Maria
cannot see, or she cannot manipulate it or understand its functioning. A first
efficient solution to the problem is for Maria to use her P-Com, which obviously
can be programmed to mimic any remote control. Support by personal equipment
well known by the user is very important, because the same approach can be used
in different environments, without the need of learning new interaction styles and
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patterns of presentation of information each time. However, this is due not only to
the use of adapted equipment, but also to its integration with AmI. Alternatively,
AmI can describe to Maria the layout and the functionalities of the remote control
available in the room, and its functions can be simplified according to her
characteristics and preferences
In the Maria’s scenario, she gives a presentation. If she cannot see, she needs to
know who is in the room, when she can start her presentation, and how to control
the pace of the presentation. The P-Coms communicate and exchange the
information on who is attending the meeting. She gets a multi-modal confirmation
(voice through earphone plus vibrator) that the presentation is ready for display.
There is a tactile display in the room or she can use her personal tactile display. The
tactile display has a copy of the presentation plus additional control functions
(active functions), pointing facilities and control of slide content details. In AmI, the
wide availability of tactile displays is part of the built-in virtual reality interfaces.
Otherwise the presentation can be controlled using a gesture recognition system.
If Maria is not able to hear, but is able to speak, she does not have problems for
the presentation. Otherwise she can use a speech synthesizer (see Dimitrios
scenario). During the discussion, a speech recognition system is used. She can type
answers to be read or synthesised. Alternatively, she can use sign language,
translated into voice in real time.
Dimitrios’ physical environment is not described in any way. It is the only scenario
in which some incongruence is present. Dimitrios has a very advanced D-Me
system, that according to the script is “equipped with voice, pattern and patch
recognition capacity. It has to identify places and people, but also to register
enough data to record the relevant events of Dimitrios’ life to process it in its D-
Me profile and offer it to other D-Me’s”. Then, in AmI there is an abundance of
screens (real and virtual) and audio communication channels. Any surface, in
principle, can become a screen, both because of the smart material of which it is
made and because images are projected on it. But when Dimitrios needs to speak
with his wife, he has to move to a displayphone, a device coming from the
prehistory of telecommunications. However, such a displayphone can use all the
capabilities of AmI. If Dimitrios cannot see, the displayphone is able to describe any
drawing eventually present on the screen. On the other hand, if Dimitrios cannot
hear, it can convert his wife’s voice into text. It is obviously able to convert sign-
language to voice (probably supported by the D-Me, in this case playing an
ancillary role) or can be used as a simple text telephone. Correspondingly, the
output of a speech recogniser can be translated to lip movements and/or sign
languages. If Dimitrios cannot speak and does not know sign language, he can use
a (virtual) keyboard and a prediction system. If Dimitrios has cognitive problems,
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the displayphone can adapt itself to his preferences and mimic the functionalities
and interface of a system he is normally using. The complexity of the displayphone
(functions, tasks to be carried out to use it, etc.) can be matched to Dimitrios’
capabilities. Support is automatically given if necessary.
Interactive simulation and projection facilities are enhanced not only regarding
technical performance (for example 3D presentations), but also regarding their
capability of adaptation to the needs of the users, both guiding them through the
tasks needed for presentation and tailoring performance to the complexity of the
required presentation. Nowadays, interactive simulation systems are inherently
based on interaction paradigms using direct manipulation of objects and on
complex (also three-dimensional) visual presentations. In the AmI environment, the
system will have evolved to be multimedia and multimodal. For example, a possible
solution for a person who cannot see could be the evolution toward a virtual reality
system based on sound and tactile interactions (tactile exploration of virtual
objects both for input and output of data). The new technology developed for the
implementation of the intelligent environment (e.g., tactile display technology,
virtual reality, tactile input technology) can contribute to an easier access to
information by people who cannot see.
When Maria arrives in the airport of a far away country, she is relieved of the fact
that she can travel with hand baggage only, because everything she needs for
interacting with the information and communication environment is the P-Com.
She does not need any computer or terminal. Computing power is available
everywhere, along with suitable peripherals for interacting with it. Even if not all
the people going around need complex systems as the ones necessary to Maria for
giving her business presentation, any simplification in the type and complexity of
necessary devices can be particularly useful for many user groups (for example,
people with spastic cerebral palsy and people moving in a wheelchair).
However, some people may prefer a personalised system. For example, if Maria
cannot see, her P-com can be equipped with a specialised interface (e.g., a foldable
tactile interface). Even if tactile presentations are in principle available for all users,
she prefers to carry her own device so as to avoid potential problems during her
trip. When necessary, the P-com can communicate with sophisticated peripherals
(e.g., a tactile 3-D system) available in the environment. When going through the
airport, she can be guided by the environment to avoid unexpected obstacles (for
example a piece of baggage left unattended). Alternatively she can use a personal
system (e.g., a virtual guide dog). RFID on objects can be used for signalling the
presence of obstacles to the virtual guide dog.
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When navigating in the airport, if Maria cannot see or has fixation problems,
information is conveyed using the speech channel of the P-Com, whereas, if she
cannot hear, information is presented through text or maps (for example, on a
visual display embedded in her spectacles). If Maria has cognitive problems, the
single tasks to be performed can be conveyed though her preferred modality and
explained in details. If necessary, she can be put under control of a relative or a
service centre to follow her way through the airport and help and reassure her if
she has difficulties.
4.2.7 Design for All in the context of AmI
It is commonly accepted, also officially in political European documents [European
Council, 2000; i2010], that the emerging information society will have to be
universally accessible to all citizens. These include people who have functional,
sensorial or cognitive limitations due to disabilities or age. In the same documents,
explicit reference is made to the need of developing the new society (in terms of
technology as well as services and applications) using a Design for All approach.
Within the context of Universal A c c e s s, Design for All has a broad and
multidisciplinary connotation, and refers to the design of interactive products,
services and applications that are suitable for most of their potential users without
the need for any modification [Stephanidis, 1 9 9 8 ] , [ S t e p h a n i d i s, 1 9 9 9 ] ,
[Stephanidis, 2001].
This change of paradigm, as compared with the Assistive Technology approach,
which is based on the adaptation - on behalf of people with disabilities - of
systems and services produced for the general market, is often criticized on the
basis of various arguments. In particular, there is a line of argumentation raising
the concern that “many ideas that are supposed to be good for everybody aren’t
good for anybody” [Lewis& Rieman, 1994 - Section 2.1, Paragraph 3]. However,
Design for All in the context of Information Society Technologies is not to be
conceived as an effort to advance a single solution for everybody, but as a user-
centred approach to providing products that can automatically address the
possible range of human abilities, s k i l l s, requirements and preferences.
Consequently, the outcome of the design process is not intended to be a
“singular” design, but a design space populated with appropriate alternatives,
together with the rationale underlying each alternative, and critical property of
i n t e ractive artifacts becomes their capability for intelligent adaptation and
personalisation. Clearly, in a complex and dynamically evolving technological
environment such as AmI, accessibility and usability by users with different
characteristics and requirements cannot be addressed once the main building
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components of the new environment are in place. Instead, the need arises for more
proactive approaches, such as Design for All, which can optimally exploit the
adaptation and personalisation capabilities built-in in the environment.
In such a context, therefore the concepts of Universal Access and Design for All
acquire critical importance towards streamlining accessibility into the new
technological environment through generic solutions, and the requirement
emerges of redefining the role and scope of assistive technologies in the new
environment emerges [Emiliani & Stephanidis, 2005].
The point made in this chapter is that the two approaches can be considered as
complementary and converging towards the creation of a more accessible
information society through the continuous redefinition of problems in accordance
with the developments of both fields, with the overall objective of producing
barrier-free technologies. Complementarity and convergence are intended both at
a specific and at a general level. At a specific level, individual characteristics of
users are so varied that it will be very difficult, (if not impossible, to actually
integrate the requirements of all individuals within the specifications of new
products and services, and therefore Assistive Technologies are necessary for
specific cases. At a general level the lessons learned in Assistive Technology will be
fundamental in shaping the new environment. The integration of the two
approaches will make the use of Assistive Technology in Design for A l l
environments simpler and more effective.
The emerging situation can thus be addressed through an evolutionary approach.
In the shorter term, the development of ambient intelligence can be supported by
a technology which enhances the possibilities offered by Assistive Technology,
merging in the medium term into systems and services and, in the long term, into
an intelligent environment, which has the potential of being usable by most users
if their needs are taken into account proactively during the design phase. Through
such an evolutionary approach, Design for All emerges not as an abstract
methodology, but as a necessary and efficient approach for maximising the
potential advantages of introducing new technologies, and for minimising inherent
risks of the increasing exclusion and segregation of specific groups of people. The
effectiveness of this approach is essentially due to the fundamental fact that the
core of the Design for All approach combines user-centeredness with automatic
adaptation and pers