Context-sharing and mediated communication for smart environments

Abstract: The deployment of pervasive computing technology and services has enabled the creation of smart environments which assist people in their daily activities. However, the deployment of technology and services into these smart environments has been obstructed due to many factors, most notably from the lack of proper models, rules and services. This thesis presents novel solutions for context-sharing intended to make utilisation of smart environments less complex and more cost efficient. It also presents solutions for mediated communication services which uses the power of smart environments to improve quality, flexibility and usability. The proposed solutions have all been evaluated through implementation and testing of proof-of-concept prototypes. Smart environments can provide a range of different services, such as giving warnings or reminders. Nevertheless, creation and personalisation of services can be complex and time consuming tasks, which promotes the creation of a common approach for tackling the heterogeneous nature of services and data. This thesis proposes such a common approach in the form of the openHome Suite which handles data collection, data analysis, and decision support for smart environments using XML. HomeML and HomeRuleML, two core components of the openHome Suite, supports sharing of context and rules with other research organizations and developers. It simplifies deployment through the creation of models which can be reused between smart environments. Tools for mediated communication are common in many smart environments. This thesis proposes how to utilise the smart environment to improve multimedia communication. A smart environment enables a user to transfer media content between devices for better quality, cost, and privacy. This thesis proposes context-aware communication and demonstrates how this can be established automatically by using the developed HomeRuleML approach, an approach which enables the representation and exchange of decision support rules. The study of context-aware communication and automatic establishment of communication has resulted in a new concept for communication called "dynamic groups" which is a simple and powerful group communication service. The concept has been proven through the development and evaluation of a prototype for mobile devices using near field communication. The research solutions presented in this thesis have been evaluated in the area of remote healthcare, for which simpler deployment of services into smart environments and better communication possibilities for patients becomes possible. This has the potential knock-on effect of decreased healthcare costs and improved support for the daily activities to improve a patient's wellbeing. Overall the work is done with an overarching aim for smart environments to help people stay out of hospitals in favour of living a richer life in their own homes.