A working paper was presented yesterday at the Knowledge Convention 2016 to discuss 'Smart Home' technology which makes use of computing and ICT infrastructure, and the important role of ICT, directly and indirectly, in improving the quality of life for global communities, especially Bruneians.

The working paper titled 'Generating ICT usage towards the improving the community's way of life' was presented by Pengiran Dr Mohammad Iskandar bin Pengiran Haji Petra, Director of Innovation, Director of the UBD IIBM Centre, Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

He said that among the scientific works carried out by Universiti Brunei Darussalam in relation to the Smart Home technology are energy monitoring and control through smartphones; portable automatic medication dispenser; a smart home designed to care for the elderly; an advanced baby monitoring robot named Roomba; and the 'Consumer Grid Friendly Homes' project which makes use of artificial intelligence which monitors power use and presence of occupants in a home.

"ICT technology, computing and technology, computing power and sensor technology are all drivers in implementing a Smart Home. The increasing Internet speed, electronic components which can be easily obtained in small sizes, lower prices and energy efficiency, will allow for research to be much smoother and innovative," he said.

"For example, Universiti Brunei Darussalam has created many prototypes and patented technology. All the prototypes and technology have the potential of providing facilities and ideas in carrying out a Smart Home."

"However, the biggest challenge for researchers on a whole is in terms of how to ensure and maintain a maximum level of privacy in the home for the occupants. Making a house function as a comprehensive Smart Home will mean that there will be a reliance on ICT technology as a driver towards implementation. This means that everything in the home will be indirectly exposed to the worldwide web. Privacy will be a problematic issue when the storage data system becomes a target for hackers."

"Thanks to challenges such as privacy, the impact of the Smart Home on family relations, cost of expenses and maintenance, Smart Home technology continues to receive good response for research. Researchers and the industry are constantly working hard in terms of problem solving.

"Our role as a consumer is to give confidence in any way possible to Smart Home technology, the most important thing here is how the implementation of the Smart Home will increase the quality of community life in the aspects of safety, care, relationship, efficiency, health and entertainment."

Source:
@BRUDIRECT.COM

by BruDirect.com

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