Jere Knuuttila TerveTaas – kotiautomaatiota hyödyntävä kotona ...

Abstract of the Master’s ThesisAuthor: Jere KnuuttilaTitle: TerveTaas – independent living assisted by home automationHelsinki University of TechnologyDepartment: Automation and Systems TechnologyProfessorship: AS-84 Automation TechnologyDate: 29.7.2003Place: Espoo81 pages, 50 illustrations and 4 appendicesSupervisor: Professor Aarne HalmeInstructor: Master of Science Panu HarmoKeywords: home automation, home robotics, assisting, remote control, augmentedreality, domotics, home networkThis thesis describes the goals, implementation and results of the TerveTaasproject. TerveTaas was lead by the Automation Technology Laboratory at HelsinkiUniversity of Technology during 2000-2003. The aim of the project was to study theapplicability of current technology, in particular home automation and homerobotics, into assisting independent living of the elderly and disabled.During the project a demonstration system was built to present some of thepossible applications of home automation and home robotics. The system was builtat Toimiva koti, a showroom kept by the City of Helsinki Social ServicesDepartment, where it has been presented to the participants, the media and othervisitors. The demonstration system utilizes several fairly new fields of technology.In addition to the already mentioned home automation and home robotics, alsocomputer networks, remote control, virtual models, augmented reality and videoconferencing has been utilized.The demonstration system implements some exemplary services. Forexample a system to take care that the stove is being supervised when in use andanother one to help remembering to store the front door key in its place and taking itwith oneself when going out.One essential part of the demonstration system is the home robot, either thespherical Rollo or the wheeled Rolloottori. The robot acts as a mobilecommunication platform and user interface to the system. It can also be controlledremotely through a computer network such as the Internet. This way it can be usedas a watchdog for the apartment.iii