For your information:
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On February 22 and 23, 1999, an international conference on smart homes &
telematics will take place in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The conference is
organised by the new foundation Smart Homes, in co-operation with the
Province of North Brabant. The European Union (TAP) and COST 219bis (Access
to telecommunications for disabled and older people) support the conference.
Smart home technology or domotics is the integration of technology and services inside the house with the purpose of enhancing the quality of life of the resident through better safety & security, comfort, technical management and communication. The integration of the various sensors and actors into a smart home network can be realised through an extra twisted pair network in the house, via the TV cabling network or via the existing power network, all in combination with or without wireless media.
Wide-scale introduction of smart home technology has up to now be impeded by lack of standardisation, high cost and unawareness of the possibilities at architects, installers, project developers and residents. These barriers are gradually taken away, f.i. by the convergence of the three major European bus systems. Also, costs of technology and installation are substantially decreasing. Various target groups on the market are gradually becoming aware of the existence of smart home technology via the different media. At present time, in the Netherlands like in Belgium, a number of demonstration projects is realised in service flats for senior citizens. Such demonstration projects with hundreds of smart houses give a large experience in the various aspects of real practice implementation at the lowest costs.
At the conference, on the first day, a general review of the state of the art of technology, user-interfaces and social context will be given. On the second day, in three parallel sessions, issues like infrastructure, new applications, market issues, user requirements, tele-services and access to the information society will be discussed in more detail. In the presentations a number of European TAP projects will be highlighted.
Mr. Jacques Santer, chairman of the European Commission, will address the conference and open the exhibition.
For more information and registration: http://www.smart-homes.nl or tel.
+31 497514984 or fax +31 497518542
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