Introduction to the inaugural issue of the Journal of Reliable Intelligent Environments

Abstract

As envisioned by Weiser, computing is in the process of being everywhere and becoming invisible. As Milner noticed, the question now is whether we shall understand this ubiquitous computer we are building. This is especially true as designers are more and more using complex techniques for every component of the system and building systems which are made of increasingly heterogenous parts. With this extended editorial, we embark on an exploration journey into the exciting new area of "reliable intelligent environments" (RIEs). Taking the perspective of an RIE engineer, we present a selection of approaches that have been put forward to design, verify, and operate IEs in a manner so that users can rely on Intelligent Environment systems. We outline crucial challenges: the situatedness which exposes IE to challenges similar to those known from robotics and control systems, the embedding of human users and the safety, privacy, and usability requirements thus entailed, and the amounts of data produced by sensors and actuators, which require advanced reasoning and learning mechanisms to handle them in a reliable way in real-time. We also sketch the opportunities reliable IEs provide to developing new markets and products.

Analysis and verification of ECA rules in intelligent environments

“…In this paper we present a novel theoretical framework for the verification of ECA rules in intelligent environments. Our framwork is based on software verification techniques and is implemented in the vIRONy tool 1 . vIRONy is based on the combination of formal methods and simulation techniques, with the aim of supporting programmers and end-users during the modelling and verification phases of IE systems that are based on ECA-rules.…”

“…IE enhance everyday activities and allow new applications that were not possible before. IE applications and scenarios include smart homes, e-healthcare, e-learning, smart factories and autonomous vehicles [1]. IE are a type of reactive systems [2] which maintain a continuous interaction with the environment by reacting to any stimulus (or event) that occurs in it.…”

A Framework for Responsive Environments

“…In a further development, Intelligent Environments have been defined as having reached a certain level of maturity and being ready to be implemented within real applications. Intelligent Environments are also defined as enriching the environment with technology, and relying on real-time and stored data for adaptation and interaction with the user [25]. Furthermore, intelligent Environments have the potential to proactively support their users in their daily lives [26].…”