Location-aware services and interfaces in smart homes using multiagent systems

Abstract

Computer systems are fully capable of providing customized interfaces for users. Every time we log on to an ecommerce website we have used before, the interface changes in order to fit our most probable interests. Some sophisticated vehicles adjust the seat position, rearview mirror orientation and other parameters to match the preferences of the drivers when they enter the car -provided that they belong to the set of known drivers-. However, this kind of service customization has not yet reached the home environment. In the same way as computer systems with productivity, the smart home must prevent the user from performing routine and tedious tasks to achieve comfort, security, and effective energy management. In this paper we propose an architecture for building a smart home environment using multiagent systems, and we demonstrate its effectivenes with an application example where multimedia contents follow the user movements throughout the house.