Why it’s Breakthrough: It’s a system that notifies people if they’ve forgotten certain everyday tasks. By using sensors distributed in their everyday environment that then trigger mobile devices, reminders are made so things like locking doors or taking medication aren’t forgotten.

The Story: An elderly woman is about to go to bed. She goes into her room, sits down on the bed, takes off her slippers and turns off the light. Suddenly, before getting into bed, a small alarm goes off and a mobile device reminds her that she has not taken her tablets.

This is how the new intelligent system developed by researchers from the Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Granada (UGR) works. María Ros Izquierdo is from the Higher Technical School of Computer Engineering of the UGR and the co-author of a study which has been published in the Expert Systems with Applications magazine. “It is a prototype which, in a non-intrusive manner, facilitates the control of the activity of people with special needs and increases their independence,”she explained.

It’s a system that is as well suited for those with special needs as it is the elderly.

The system recognizes the everyday actions of the users by means of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) labels. These labels are discreetly placed on the objects that the individuals touch most often, in such a way that, when they do so, a signal is sent to a computer or mobile device situated in the house or at an assistance center off the immediate premises.

People’s activities are assessed with Artificial Intelligence techniques (using data mining and formal grammar) in order to compile a list of actions such as remembering to take the keys or the mobile phone before leaving home. “It is not necessary to use cameras or microphones, and the devices which are used do not entail any technological complications for users, nor do they modify their daily routines”, said Ros.

In order to evaluate the system, the scientists have designed a Tagged World, an intelligent space which simulates the rooms of a house, with sensors embedded in the environment made to help to recognize the behavior of its occupants. The researchers monitored each user with the intention of obtaining an individualized database. They later verified it with a test the reliability of the system and the degree of intrusion felt by the participants.

“The system does not modify the life of the users, but does positively modify that of the people who look after them”, indicated Ros, who recalled that elderly people or those with special needs often reject the aid of others and demand more independence.

References:

Miguel Delgado, María Ros, M. Amparo Vila. “Correct behavior identification system in a Tagged World”. Expert Systems with Applications 36 (6): 9899-9906, 2009.