Professorship for Computer Engineering

Project description:

The program of emphasis at the department of computer science of the University of Potsdam is Assisted Living. That is, the support of the elderly or people in need of care with electronic systems to provide help with everyday tasks. The chair of computer engineering works in the area of intelligent home networking and extends building automation with several systems, like smart cameras (Potsdamer Intelligent Camera System) and highly dynamical emergency systems, color management or transparent metering systems.

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Therefore, a model house was build up to explore different aspects of intelligent home networking. The model house has a base of approx. 4m^2 and is divided into several rooms. It is equipped with elctronic jalousies and windows and has different LED lights. Several sensors, like light, wind or rain sensors are used to obtain data about the environment. Most lights, jalousies and windows are actuated via the EIB/KNX bussystem and can be controlled via a small server wich is connected to a web-enabled device. Every component of the smart home can be cotrolled via a portable device or can be set to an automatic mode.
To improve quality of life with home automation it is necessary to enhance security and comfort for the residents. Thus, the implementation of algorithms, for instance wind and light dependent controlling of jalousies and windows, constant light at working places or time dependent variation of the color (cold white, warm white, sun set, sun dawn), can help to improve quality of life. Also, the monitoring of the inhabitants to detect potential dangerous situations or the smart metering of power consumption of devices in the home are adressed in this project. However, several other aspects like light pollution, age-based UI or acceptance of the system are considered as well.

The following points have been addressed in our research till the current date (Nov'09):


Currently, the chair of computer engineering is extending the home-server to simply combine home automation with web-services like weather forecast. Also the server is extended to allow easy controling of the home with an age based, web-enabled GUI.



Contact: Dipl.-Ing. Philipp Mahr

Thesis:

Fadi Al Machot, Kamera-basierte Lageerkennung von Objekten, diploma thesis, finished March 2010.

Mirjam Krebs, Aufbau einer Infrastruktur zur Leistungsmessung von Verbrauchern in Smart Homes, diploma thesis, finished March 2010.

Michael Großhans, Ansteuerung von RGB-Lampen über DMX unter Berücksichtigung von Erkenntnissen der Farbpsychologie und-lehre, bachelor thesis, finished September 2009.


Student assitants:

Sebastian Taube
Maik Strewe
Christof Seyfferth

Publications:

[1] Philipp Mahr, Mirjam Krebs, Clovis Zemko and Christophe Bobda, Transparent Energy Metering in Smart Living Environments, 3. Deutscher AAL Kongress, January 26-27, 2010, Berlin, Germany.

Media:

Kommandozentrale statt Küche
CeBIT Future Parc: Wie wir im Jahr 2020 wohnen (heute.de)
Big Brother hilft (Deutschlandfunk)