Context-Sharing and Mediated Communication for Smart Environments Smart for Communication Mediated and Context-Sharing Communication for Smart Environments
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2008:66 DOCTORAL T H E SIS Josef Hallberg Josef Context-sharing and Mediated Context-sharing and Mediated Communication for Smart Environments Communication for Smart Environments Josef Hallberg Luleå University of Technology 2008:66 Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Division of Media Technology Universitetstryckeriet, Luleå 2008:66|: 02-544|: - -- 08 ⁄66 -- Context-sharing and Mediated Communication for Smart Environments Josef Hallberg Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Luleå University of Technology SE–971 87 Luleå Sweden December 2008 Supervisors Kåre Synnes, Ph.D., Luleå University of Technology Peter Parnes, Associate Professor, Luleå University of Technology Chris Nugent, Professor, University of Ulster, Northern Ireland ii 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 medi- ated communication services which uses the power of smart environments to improve quality, flexibility and usability. The proposed solutions have all been evaluated through implemen- tation 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 het- erogeneous 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 sup- port for smart environments using XML. HomeML and HomeRuleML, two core components of the openHome Suite, supports sharing of context and rules with other research organiza- tions 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. iii iv Contents Abstract iii Preface xi Publications xiii Acknowledgments xv 1 Thesis Introduction 1 1.1 Introduction . .................................. 3 1.2Motivationofwork............................... 4 1.2.1 Scenario . .............................. 5 1.3 Thesis organization . .............................. 6 2 Thesis Overview 7 2.1 Background . .................................. 9 2.1.1 Ubiquitous and Pervasive Computing . ............... 9 2.1.2 Smart Environments .......................... 10 2.1.3 Mediated human-to-human communication . ........... 10 2.1.4 Telemedicine and Telecare . ................... 11 2.2 Related work .................................. 11 2.2.1 Context-models . .......................... 12 2.2.2 Context-awareness . .......................... 13 2.2.3 Knowledge- and Context-sharing ................... 15 2.2.4 Rich Communication .......................... 16 2.3ResearchQuestions............................... 17 2.3.1 Problems Related to Context-sharing . ............... 17 2.3.2 Problems Related to Mediated Communication . ........... 18 v vi Contents 2.3.3 Problem Related to Healthcare . ................... 18 2.4 Delimitations .................................. 18 2.5 Research methodology . .......................... 19 2.6 Roadmap and Overview of included articles . ............... 20 2.7 Smart Environments for Remote Healthcare . ............... 23 2.7.1 Context-sharing and the openHome Suite ............... 23 2.7.2 Mediated Communication and Dynamic Groups ........... 27 2.7.3 Conclusions . .............................. 32 3 Remote Healthcare Monitoring and Assessment 33 3.1 Introduction to remote healthcare monitoring . ............... 35 3.1.1 Changes in Population Demographics . ............... 35 3.1.2 The impact of Technology from social and economic perspectives . 36 3.1.3 Models of Patient-Healthcare Professional Interaction . .... 37 3.1.4 The impact of the Internet on Healthcare Delivery ........... 38 3.2 Telemedicine .................................. 39 3.2.1 What is Telemedicine? . ................... 39 3.3 Telecare . .................................. 41 3.3.1 What is Telecare? . .......................... 41 3.4AmbientandPervasiveComputing....................... 42 3.4.1 Intelligent Homes . .......................... 42 3.4.2 Wearable Systems and Smart Clothes . ............... 43 3.4.3 Data Processing and Context Awareness . ............... 43 3.5 Case study: Home Based Medication Management . ........... 44 3.5.1 Problem Domain . .......................... 44 3.5.2 Potential deployment of technology . ............... 44 3.5.3 The MEDICATE system . ................... 45 3.5.4 Conclusions . .............................. 47 4 Wearable Systems in Nursing Home Care: Prototyping Experience 49 4.1 Introduction . .................................. 51 4.2 Scoping the Project . .............................. 52 4.3PaperPrototyping................................ 53 4.3.1 Paper, Pen, and Plastic . ................... 53 Contents vii 4.3.2 Paper Prototyping Benefits....................... 54 4.4 Moving to Multimodal Devices . ................... 55 4.4.1 Wearable Prototype . .......................... 55 4.4.2 Communication Application . ................... 55 4.4.3 Wizard of Oz Testing .......................... 56 4.4.4 Feedback From the Nurses . ................... 57 4.5FinalRemarks.................................. 58 4.6Acknowledgments............................... 59 5 Supporting Automatic Media Resource Selection Using Context-Awareness 61 5.1 Introduction . .................................. 63 5.2 Related Work .................................. 64 5.3 Media Resource Management . ................... 65 5.3.1 Communication Model . ................... 65 5.3.2 Media Resource Selection Problems . ............... 66 5.4 Automatic Media Resource Selection . ................... 68 5.4.1 A Media Resource Selection Algorithm . ............... 69 5.4.2 Using MRSA .............................. 70 5.5 Evaluation . .................................. 71 5.5.1 Implementation . .......................... 71 5.5.2 Interaction between components . ................... 72 5.5.3 Scenarios . .............................. 72 5.6Discussion.................................... 73 5.6.1 Future work . .............................. 74 5.6.2 Acknowledgments . .......................... 75 6 homeML - An Open Standard for the Exchange of Data Within Smart Environments 77 6.1 Introduction . .................................. 79 6.2 Background . .................................. 80 6.3 Methods . .................................. 81 6.4 Evaluation of the Model . .......................... 83 6.5 Conclusion . .................................. 84 viii Contents 7 HomeRuleML - A Model for the Exchange of Decision Support Rules Within Smart Environments 87 7.1 Introduction . .................................. 89 7.2 Background . .................................. 90 7.3 Methods . .................................. 92 7.3.1 The Rule Tree .............................. 92 7.3.2 The Operation Tree . .......................... 94 7.4 Evaluation of the model . .......................... 95 7.4.1 Example scenario . .......................... 96 7.5Discussion.................................... 97 7.6Conclusionsandfuturework.......................... 98 7.7 Acknowledgements . .............................. 99 8 HomeCI - A visual editor for healthcare professionals in the design of home based care 101 8.1 Introduction . ..................................103 8.2 Background . ..................................104 8.3 Methods . ..................................104 8.3.1 Establishment of scenarios . ...................105 8.3.2 Development of HomeCI user interface . ...............105 8.3.3 Evaluation approach for HomeCI prototype . ...........107 8.4Results......................................109