Researchers Pave the Way for Canada's First Intelligent Home
From: CNW Group - 01/25/2007 

Researchers in Toronto have tested in clinical trials a home-based computer
prompting system and an emergency response system that use artificial
intelligence. The computer prompting system was found to increase
hand-washing by about 25 percent, while the emergency response system was
found to have detected 77 percent of staged falls. Developed by researchers
at the Intelligent Assistive Technology and Systems Lab, a joint venture
between the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and the University of Toronto,
the home-based systems were created with older adults who have cognitive
impairments in mind. The computer prompting system essentially acts as a
"talking" bathroom that provides video and verbal cues from a computer
screen. The emergency response system makes use of ceiling-mounted cameras
throughout a house to feed pictures to its computer system in order to
analyze images, as well as a voice recognition system that asks occupants if
they need help. "Our systems use computer algorithms that act more like a
human in terms of rational thought and decision-making," says Toronto Rehab
researcher Dr. Alex Mihailidis, who adds that they are not meant to replace
assistance from caregivers. "However, the results from our studies are
encouraging and show that the use of artificial intelligence in a home
setting can provide safety and security and enhance the quality of life for
older adults who would like to remain in their homes as they age."  

Read the entire article at:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/January2007/25/c9041.html
http://www.torontorehab.on.ca/DEV/media/release-view.cfm?autoid=53

Links:
Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
http://www.torontorehab.com/

Alex Mihailidis
http://www.ot.utoronto.ca/iatsl/people/amihailidis.htm

Intelligent Homes
http://www.torontorehab.com/magazine/pg2.cfm?aid=16&tid=3

University of Toronto
http://www.utoronto.ca/

Intelligent Assistive Technology and Systems Lab
http://www.ot.utoronto.ca/iatsl/index.htm