The European Union, EU has long used the terminology Ambient Assisted Living or Ambient Intelligence to describe the application of “Smart Home” technology; whilst here in the colonies we apparently prefer “smart-home-based cognitive prosthetic.” Actually the difference between EU thinking and US thinking is quite profound and is discussed in my Blog post:
http://embrace-tech.com/2011/09/09/smart-home-technology-provides-affordable-adl-and-eadl-supports/
For a good summary of EU thinking and technology relative to “Smart Homes” see:
http://www.tiresias.org/cost219ter/inclusive_future/inclusive_future_book.pdf especially Chapter 3 page 110
For a global perspective see the “International Conference on Smart Homes and Health Telematics”
H’mmm, having said all that, the important point is that there are at least two clear examples that the US is beginning to understand the concept of “Ambient Assistive Living” at least as it applies to those dealing with Traumatic Brain Injury or neurological disabilities.
James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program (PTRP)
http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/11/488/jasiewicz488.html
and
Virginia Commonwealth University, VCU
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19893189
In my humble opinion the above examples define opposite ends of the technology spectrum. The PTRP project defines the high-end of what’s technologically doable and the VCU implementation a more basic, less integrated solution. Both are valid designs and help define a broad spectrum of possible solutions.
To be sure, the technology is real and the need is real. The question is “Can we use sound engineering design methodology to transform the “bag of parts” that is Smart Home technology into a practical, repeatable and cost-effective “smart-home-based cognitive prosthetic” a.k.a. Ambient Assisted Living solution?
What’s needed is the “cross pollenization” of Smart Home technology, engineering design discipline and the TBI medical and clinical expertise. This Blog and the startup company Ambient Engineering … Solutions are my offerings to help bridge that gap.
