Ecological Approach to Smart Environments
The aim of this project is to identify, model and evaluate the ecology of smart environments from the perspectives of people, technology and environment. We will specify the attributes and characteristics of good smart environments as well as identify and develop methods for the design, implementation and introduction of technologically enhanced smart environments.
Smart environment
The newest innovations of technology, e.g. information and nano technologies, are expected to be utilized in people’s everyday lives in an increased speed. The combination of mobile computing and technologically embedded environments brings new challenges to the design, implementation and introduction of applications New solutions for various fields of work and leisure challenge also the potential users and inhabitants of, or visitors to these smart environments.
Ecological Approach to Smart Environments
Research focus of this project is on the continuous interaction between the human and the technologically augmented environment. User’s actions with the smart applications shape the environment, and the smart environments produce effects on the users and the usage which may even be reflected outside the actual usage environment. We therefore understand the ecological approach to smart environments as a focus on the dynamic interaction between technology in general and humans in relation to this technology.The methodologies commonly used in designing and evaluating technologies are quite goal-oriented. The ecological approach offers a more holistic perspective on the interaction with the smart environment and the complexity of the system.
Project EASE
Participants in the project Ecological Approach to Smart Environments come from different fields in designing intelligent environments. The project pools the knowledge that research partners have accumulated in other projects. Our aim is to cultivate this know-how and to develop and present it in a more general manner for designing future smart environments.
Additional information
Veikko Ikonen
Project Manager, Senior Research Scientist
+358 20 722 3351
veikko.ikonen@vtt.fi