Leader: Marco Sacco (CNR); Other collaborator(s): Daniele Spoladore, Marta Mondellini, Atieh Mahroo, Chiara Tagliaferri (CNR-STIIMA)
This task focuses on customization and personalization of different solutions that can be deployed in living environments. It leverages the results of the tasks investigating the human-centered approach to gather a set of needs and expectations. This enables the definition of the elderly population formally. The formalization adopts ontology-based solutions to model users (skills, abilities, impairments, needs, expectations), living environments (domestic environments, working places, public places), solutions and their features, and available adaptations. Moreover, the semantic approach allows to leverage clinical and expert knowledge to represent and reason over the user’s clinical status, thus supporting a more efficient personalization of solutions and services, while ensuring a safe use of AI techniques.
Custom and user-based solutions are then tested. Specific case studies will be proposed using virtual reality environments, on the one hand, to offer ecological environments and activities and, on the other, to allow user safety and instant feedback on performance. The use of VR will also allow for a cheaper and faster change of environments and customization of tasks compared to real environments, as well as more agile access to users User experience (i.e. and usability of technological solutions, immersion, engagement) will be evaluated to validate solutions an maximize their take over.
In the period considered, the following intra-WP activities for Task 1.6 were conducted:
- Smart Waiting room prototype: while waiting for the layouts and three-dimensional models of the waiting spaces (Task 1.2), the personas were further defined (participation in Task 1.2 and 1.5) and the architecture of the prototype was consolidated. The method for formalizing data from the Electronic Health Record (EHR) is currently being investigated.
- Bedroom environment configurator: in collaboration with Task 1.3, redefinition of technologies for configuring the bedroom environment, resulting in a more streamlined and efficient architecture. The Buildings and Habitats object Model (BHoM) standard has been selected as the reference framework for the formalization of knowledge in the Building & Environment field. Following a recent mapping approach, BHoM is being formalized in semantic format (knowledge graph in RDF/OWL). We also proceed with the finalization of the knowledge graph prototypes for the identified health conditions (ICF, ICD), list of devices and aids (SAREF, ISO 9999:2022) and with the association between devices and condition(s) which they address.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications. Considering the expected outcomes of the activities under Task 1.6, the practical implications are many. On the one hand, Task 1.6 offers prototypes that leverage a semantic approach to information by formalizing data with "standard de-facto" technologies (such as RDF for knowledge graphs). This implies reflection on the technologies to be adopted at local, regional, and supra-regional levels for personalizing services. On the other hand, some prototypes take advantage of technologies that can offer services to citizens, such as the use of virtual reality and semantics within medical waiting rooms: again, in addition to asking a question about the practical implications of the use and acceptability of such technologies, from the perspective of organizing future Community Homes and continuity of care pathways, it is necessary to think about policies and the organization of services that can integrate and take advantage of such technologies.
Finally, the decision-support system developed in collaboration with Task 1.3 impacts the relationship between AAL device companies, the national health care system, and the citizen: the spillovers in terms of practical implications are in line with the goals of AAL (assisting the elderly at home and increasing their autonomy), while from a policy perspective the prototype helps stimulate discussion on the creation of appropriate policies for the use and management of AAL devices and the data they generate.
Please see the next reporting period.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results. During the quarter of interest, the following intra-WP activities were continued:
- Smart waiting room prototype: In collaboration with UniFI, UniCatt, and IRCCS INRCA (Task 1.2, 2.3, and 1.5), a validation of the virtual environments with target users was initiated. For this purpose, STIIMA identified languages and tools for the development of the virtual environments (planned for the following quarter) and contributed to drafting the clinical validation protocol. Regarding personalization activities, they are "declared" in the validation experiment modalities and programmed in the form of ontology (using RDF, OWL, SWRL, and SPARQL as languages). The smart waiting room architecture will be revised (in the next quarter) to incorporate data exchange between the ontological part (data on user preferences and health conditions) and the virtual test environment.
- Bedroom environment configurator: In collaboration with colleagues from La Sapienza, the development of a semantic layer is progressing to allow designers and architects to customize living environments with the personalized insertion of assistive/AAL devices. Specifically, in the quarter under review, the ontology modeling of ISO 9999:2022 and portions of ICD and ICF relevant to the identified use cases was completed; work is also continuing on building a layer between the Buildings and Habitats Object Model (BHoM) and the Grasshopper environment of Rhinoceros 3D CAD.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications. Following the further specification of the scientific activities, the practical implications of the results from Task 1.6 are twofold: regarding the development of the semantic layer to be adopted in the design solutions for living environments of frail elderly individuals, it allows designers, architects, and planners to use a prototypical tool for personalizing living spaces. This personalization takes into account the specific physical-cognitive needs of the end user (the clinical condition) and enables non-experts (architects, designers, etc.) to make “safe” choices for the frail elderly user concerning the introduction of assistive devices, while also considering the physical space and its limitations. As for the use of VR technologies in the waiting rooms of the Community Health Center, the planned prototype experimentation allows the evaluation of the effectiveness of these tools on target patients: in this way, it is possible to understand which policies need to be integrated to make the use of these technologies a concrete reality in the citizen’s care pathway. In general, both activities impact the production system of AAL devices and the National Health Service, with potential consequences for the redefinition of the care pathway (to include the home environment for the frail elderly).
During the quarter of interest, the following intra-WP / extra-WP activities were carried out:
- Smart Waiting Room Prototype: In collaboration with UniFI, UniCattolica, and IRCCS INRCA (Task 1.2-WP1, 2.3-WP2, and 1.5-WP1), the development of virtual reality environments corresponding to the real environments identified by UniFI began. Unity 3D was selected as the graphics engine for the creation of these environments. Additionally, the definition of metrics to be tested with INRCA at the Ancona site commenced, subject to the final specifications of the virtual environments. Finally, the knowledge elicitation phase started to inform the ontology responsible for managing personalization aspects within the smart waiting room.
- Bedroom Environment Configurator: In collaboration with Task 1.3-WP1 of Sapienza University of Rome, it was decided to adopt the BOT and DogOnt ontologies instead of the Buildings and Habitats Object Model (BHoM) data model. The selected models, in addition to offering more clearly defined semantic functionalities, are already available in formats compatible with both Revit and Semantic Web standards. Furthermore, the application architecture was defined, leveraging XML interchange (native to the ontology and generable in Revit) to enable Revit to acquire information inferred from the semantic model.
In the quarter of interest, the following intra-WP / extra-WP activities were continued:
- Prototype of the smart waiting room: Finalization of the virtual environment of the waiting room proposed by UniFi through a three-dimensional model; resolution of issues related to file import (textures, materials) and prototype development. Elicitation and acquisition of knowledge regarding the impact of the (waiting) environment on the occupant through a study based on the WELL standard. Contacts with IRCCS INRCA for the development of a testing protocol for the waiting room, with particular reference to the effectiveness of (virtual) adaptations and customizations resulting from the accommodation of certain environmental features for the occupants (based on WELL standards).
- Bedroom Environment Configurator: Continue the development of the application to enable communication between the ontological layer and Revit; study of Dynamo BIM within Revit for metadata management – as a possible candidate for data exchange. In March, two STIIMA thesis students were involved in activities related to metadata study and development. The ontology continues to be populated with additional case studies, which serve as tests for the core of the ontology's rule engine.
In the quarter of interest, the following intra-WP / extra-WP activities were continued:
- Prototype of the smart waiting room: definition of the characteristics of the virtual environment and start of its development; identification of the features likely to be customizable (i.e., those characteristics over which a hospital manager has actual control, such as indoor temperature, lighting and light temperature, noise, etc.). Preparation of a test with patients from IRCCS INRCA Ancona: definition of the objectives and the protocol.
- Bedroom Environment Configurator: finalization of the application linking the ontological layer and Revit, using Dynamo. Fine-tuning of the ontology (used for the application’s development). In collaboration with La Sapienza University: calculation of residual volumes in Revit/Dynamo for the placement of devices based on their volume. In parallel, development of a sub-model (domain ontology) for managing indoor comfort for older adults with cognitive health issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, insomnia, etc.), aimed at customizing comfort metrics that may negatively (or positively) affect the cognitive health status of older individuals.
Scientific publications
- Spoladore D.; Romagnoli F.; Ferrante, T.; Sacco, M.; Mondellini, M.; Mahroo, A.; Villani, T. Customizing Seniors’ Living Spaces: A Design Support System for Reconfiguring Bedrooms Integrating Ambient Assisted Living Solutions. In: Miesenberger, K., Peňáz, P., Kobayashi, M. (eds) Computers Helping People with Special Needs. ICCHP 2024. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14751. Springer, Cham.
- Spoladore, D.; Mondellini, M.; Mahroo, A.; Chicchi-Giglioli, I.A.; De Gaspari, S.; Di Lernia, D.; Riva, G.; Bellini, E.; Setola, N.; Sacco, M. Smart Waiting Room: A Systematic Literature Review and a Proposal. Electronics 2024, 13, 388. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13020388
- Spoladore D.; Romagnoli F.; Ferrante, T.; Sacco, M.; Mondellini, M.; Mahroo, A.; Villani, T. Reconfiguring and personalizing living environments for elderlies with Ambient Assisted Living solutions: the bedroom scenario – IEEE METROXRAINE 2024, St. Albans (UK).
- (submitted conference paper) “The Development of VR Prototype for Age-It Smart Waiting Room”, submitted to the international conference Salento XR.
Dissemination Events
- Presentation of research activity (a) at the Agevity conference (September 24-25), Milan, within the session "The Opportunities of PNRR to Govern Demographic Transition: The Role of AGE-IT for the Present and Future", by Marco Sacco.
- Presentation of research activity (b) at the national conference "Futuro Abitabile. Spazi, oggetti e dispositivi intelligenti a supporto dell’invecchiamento" (Rome, Sapienza University, Faculty of Architecture – 18/12/2024).
- Organization of a Special Session at the international conference “26th IFIP/SOCOLNET Working Conference on Virtual Enterprises”, to be held in Porto (Portugal) in October 2025, entitled “People-Centred & AI-Driven Processes and Environments of Tomorrow”, sponsored by the NextGenerationEU - “Age-It – Ageing well in an ageing society” project (PE0000015), National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) - PE8 - Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.3.