Sensors and Actuator Network Based Architectures and Protocols for Smart Homes 
 

Bluetooth enabled Smart Home 
 

Project Proposal 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mieso Denko 
 

Mark Shaw – 530535

Giorgio Polatino – 531568

Introduction

Home automation deals with the specific automation requirements of homes and in the application of automation techniques for the comfort and security of its residents.  This can include controlling the lights, climate control, control of doors and windows, security and surveillance systems.  There are currently several products on the market that allow home owners to control these devices.  This is normally controlled by a handheld remote that communicates with the devices using a mesh wireless network or a wired network.  These types of devices require a unique and dedicated device to communicate with the automated products.   
 

One of the basic systems on the market is made by iControl [9] and is easy to install and expandable. The system uses the 802.11 wireless protocol to transmit signals from the various devices to a control box which is connected to the internet. Some of the devices the company offers specifically for elderly care include: cameras, window/door sensors, motion sensors, water sensors, freeze sensors, panic pendants/wristwatches, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, lamp modules, and thermostats. All of the devices are connected wirelessly to the control box which then allows the devices to be monitored and controlled using the companies website. This system is perfect for the elderly because it is easy to use and it allows family members to monitor the house to ensure that their relative is safe, it is portable and can easily be installed in an existing home.  The major drawbacks of this system are that it requires the use of several costly technologies to properly operate.  The user must have internet access available as well as a router to install the control box.  The user must also have a mobile device which has web access to check the status of their home.  This can become expensive with the data plans mobile carriers offer today.   
 

Another key project is ongoing at The University of Florida [10].  They have built a 500 square foot smart house that is designed assist and to provide medical care to user. The house implements devices including a microwave that recognizes entrees and automatically determines how long to cook them and devices to track the individuals location within the home. The house also uses devices to detect water on the floor and a camera that allows the person to view who is at the door and let them in using a cell phone. The smart house at the University of Florida relies on a centralized computer network to deliver electronically coordinated assistance.   
 

This research shows the importance of implementing home automation for the elderly or disabled.  The smart homes allow them to stay in their homes where they feel more comfortable and can prolong the time before having to move into costly health care facilities.  Smart homes will give the disabled an opportunity for independence that they may not have had before.  The goal of this project is to design a system that communicates with a mobile device such as a cell phone or PDA via Bluetooth.  The application relies on the use of cell phones and inexpensive sensors and is best suited for the elderly and home-bound people.  The main functions of the project are to collect signals through a wireless sensor network using the protocol Bluetooth and the analysis for data through an adaptive architecture.

Related Work

The introduction of home automation (HA) in the 1970s failed to improve the lifestyles of users for several reasons.  Firstly, determining economic benefits of HA technologies is difficult.  The costs of implementing smart home technology must be justified by the effects brought about by their installation [3].  There is a need for HA technologies to be cost effective, easy to install and flexible with many network infrastructures and appliances.   
 

In 2003, Housing Learning & Improvement network published a smart home definition offered by Interetec which states that a smart home is “a dwelling incorporating a communications network that connects the key electrical appliances and services, and allows them to be remotely controlled, monitored or accessed” [4].  The following section includes a brief summary of previous research into smart homes within the past decade. 
 

In 1995, Welfare Techno-Houses were constructed in Japan. [7]. The purpose of these experiments was to provide health monitoring for elderly and disabled persons at home by using fully automated measurements to support daily health care and improve quality of life.  The University of Texas at Arlington has conducted the MavHome project over the past 7 years [8].  The MavHome (Managing an Adaptive Versatile Home) is a home environment that detects environment states through sensors and intelligently acts upon the environment though controllers.  The sensors in the home form an ad-hoc network with interconnect together to make appropriate decisions.   
 

SAP laboratories in Canada with researches from the University of McGill [6] present a wireless solution for monitoring people in need of medical assistance.  The application relies on the use of cell phones and inexpensive sensors and is best suited for the elderly and home-bound people.  The main functions of the project is to collect signals through a wireless sensor network using protocols like ZigBee and Bluetooth and the analysis for data through an adaptive architecture that produces real-time heath-monitoring system to improve medical support for people in their homes and in assisted living environments. 
 

The research highlights a general architecture framework that consists of three major parts.  Firstly, medical data is collected from sensors and transmitted to mobile devices through a wireless sensor network. Secondly, collected data is processed by a J2ME application running on mobile devices.  Finally, the data collected and combined with data from other sensors to decide on an appropriate action. The advantages of this approach are that it does not require costly equipment, specialized infrastructure or a challenging learning curve.  It can be deployed in a short period of time at a very low cost.  
 

Several groups have done extensive research into the use of smart home devices for the support or elderly and handicap people.  The University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany [5] has described the challenges regarding smart homes, especially for supporting the elderly and handicapped.  The purpose is to compensate for handicaps and support the individual in order to give them a more independent life for as long as possible.   
 

A set of objectives is outlined that are of particular concern to an elderly or handicapped person.  The higher level goal is to compensate any limitations in any part of his life as far as possible and to enable the patient to live a more independent life as long as possible

Several sub-networks were used in the implementation which includes Bluetooth, Wireless LAN, Radio Frequency ID (RFID), Internet (TPC/IP) and the telephone network.  A Bluetooth network is used to interconnect the nodes and to transport sensor data over the network.  The RFID system provides the possibility to transmit data from the RFID tags that are recording occupancy locations.  Their approach sends messages via Bluetooth using the available Bluetooth module on the nodes.  This means no further hardware is required and additionally no further costs arise. 
 

RF and IR systems have become increasingly popular recently with the advancements in radio frequency technology such as Bluetooth and Zigbee.  These products offer a much more reliable short range network then previous Infrared devices which had interference and security issues. This project will also focus on RF systems for the smart home with focus on the Bluetooth technology.  Although many systems have been researched and proposed, very few if any have been implemented.  This project aims to build on the previous research described to implement a wireless sensor network to monitor appliances in the house.  These appliances will be controlled via a mobile device running Bluetooth.  This approach provides an easy to operate and cost effective approach that will benefit the elderly and those with disabilities function as normally as possible.     

Proposed Work

The focus of our research is on helping elderly or handicapped people live a more independent life as long as possible.  The objective of our system is to take care of several domestic systems that may normally be difficult for those who are handicap or elderly to take care of. The proposed idea will allow a user with any Bluetooth enabled device to run a piece of downloadable software on any mobile device such as a cell phone or PDA.  This application will allow the user to control a device that is connected to any home appliance, such as lights, climate controls, electronic curtains and other devices via Bluetooth.  Actuators and sensors will be connected to the home appliances so that they can be controlled.  
 

Suppose an elderly person who has gone to bed and becomes cold in the middle of the night, or hears a noise outside.  The proposed system would enable them to turn up the heat or turn on the outdoor lights without the need to get out of bed.  These objectives require a large amount of technology.  The user-system interface must be as simple and powerful as possible and operate in a self-organized way.  The following lists of objectives must be completed with this in mind: 
 

1. Develop Bluetooth Appliance Controller: A microcontroller will interface with the Bluetooth module to perform the automation. A simple microcontroller will receive signals from the cell phone and will be processed.

2. Develop Software for a Bluetooth Enables Mobile Device: An application will need to be developed using the J2ME java platform for programs running on mobile devices using the Java APIs for Bluetooth Wireless.

3. Integrate the Appliance Controller to a Device: The appliance controller needs to be integrated with the lighting system at a low cost with easy installation.

4. Create a Scatternet with the Appliance Controller Devices: Create ad hoc Bluetooth network that is form by interconnecting devices.  This allows every Bluetooth device to be reach by every other device.  This is necessary due to Bluetooth’s short communication range (10m-100m).  This will enable the user to connect to all devices on the network without having to worry about distance form the device.  

5. Conduct Experiments and Analyse Data: Using the mobile device and the appliance controller, conduct tests on usability and product range within a home environment.

The user will require the following components: 
 

• Bluetooth enabled device
• Custom Software
• Bluetooth appliance controller

An application will need to be developed using the J2ME java platform for programs running on mobile and other embedded devices such as mobile phones, PDA’s and Blackberry devices.  The goal for this application is to make it as robust as possible so that it can be run on many different platforms.  We will be using the Java APIs for Bluetooth Wireless Technology to develop Java technology-enabled applications for Bluetooth-enabled devices.   
 

Bluetooth wireless technology is a short range communications network that was developed to replace cables that connect portable and fixed devices.  Bluetooth is capable of providing low power, low cost and robust communications between devices.  The Bluetooth standard has been globally accepted which allow almost any Bluetooth enabled device to communicate with each other seamlessly.  This makes the Bluetooth standard best suited for this type of installation.   
 

A microcontroller will interface with the Bluetooth module to perform the automation.  Bluetooth modules have been developed that include a full protocol stack that makes interfacing with the host controller simple, without the need for Bluetooth expertise.  A simple microcontroller will receive signals from the cell phone and will be processed. This will require both software and hardware development to receive data from the cell phone via Bluetooth to perform the tasks.  A device that would shut on and off a light would use a simple relay to cut the power off to the bulb.   

Evaluation

Quantitative results will compare our work with previous work and will highlight how our application works better.  Some key factors for the evaluation will include performance, quality of service, ease of use, and how the product makes the lives of people easier and better.  Maintaining and enhancing the quality of life for both older people and people with disabilities involves making independent living as easy as possible.  

Work Plan and Schedule

Conclusions and Future Work

N/A

References

1. Jiang, Li, Da-You Liu, and Bo Yang. "Smart Home Research." Machine Learning and Cybernetics (2004). 15 Oct. 2007 <http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.cerberus.lib.uoguelph.ca/iel5/9459/30108/01382266.pdf?tp=&arnumber=1382266&isnumber=30108>.

2. Shepherd, R. "BIuetooth Wireless Technology in the Home." Electronics & Communication Engineering Journal 13 (2001): 195-203. IEEE/IEE Electronic Library. 15 Oct. 2007.

3. Beyond the Smart Home, Yamazaki, T.; Hybrid Information Technology, 2006. ICHIT'06. Vol 2. International Conference on, Volume 2,  Nov. 2006 Page(s):350 – 355

4. “Smart Home Research” , Li Jiang; Da-You Liu; Bo Yang; Machine Learning and Cybernetics, 2004. Proceedings of 2004 International Conference on, Volume 2,  26-29 Aug. 2004 Page(s):659 - 663 vol.2

5. Sensor/Actuator Networks in Smart Homes for Supporting Elderly and Handicapped People 
   Dengler, Sebastian; Awad, Abdalkarim; Dressler, Falko; Advanced Information Networking and Applications Workshops, 2007, AINAW '07. 21st International Conference on, Volume 2,  21-23 May 2007 Page(s):863 – 868

6. Dagtas, S, Y Natchetoi, and H Wu. "An Integrated Wireless Sensing and Mobile Processing Architecture for Assisted Living and Healthcare Applications." An Integrated Wireless Sensing and Mobile Processing Architecture for Assisted Living and Healthcare Applications (2007): 70-72. ACM.

7. T. Tamura, T. Togawa, M. Ogawa, and M. Yoda, “Fully automated health monitoring system in the home,” Med. Eng. Physics, 20, pp. 573–579, 1998.

8. S. K. Das, D. J. Cook, A. Bhattacharya, E. O. Heierman, III, and T.-Y. Lin, “The Role of Prediction Algorithms on the MavHome Smart Home Architectures,” IEEE Wireless Communications (Special Issue on Smart Homes), Vol. 9, No.  6, pp. 77–84, Dec. 2002.

9. "IControl." IControl Networks Inc. 2007. 27 Nov. 2007 <www.icontrol.com>.

10. Ascribe Newswire. “University of Florida ‘Smart Home’ Demonstrates Concept of Automated Elderly Help and Care”. Ascribe Newswire: Health. 2003 29 November: 1-2.