Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Currently, robotics will probably be so mature as to be enabled to move in
unstructured/partially structured environments integrated in a WSN. The challenges
that have to be faced are mainly issues involving the localization and navigation of the
robots in an autonomous/semi-autonomous way. The robots will greatly enhance the
effectiveness of WSNs because they will provide a double benefit to the networks: they
will be movable sensors, enabling the network to investigate locations where no
sensors are present and they will also act as movable actuators, being able to intervene
in every location of the workspace. For example, robots could move to help people
whenever WSN realizes they need it.
In parallel to the use of moving actuators, the sensors will provide enhanced self-
configuration capabilities, will present reduced dimensions/weight and will have
extremely low power consumption. These features will enable wider integration in
everyday life applications and in diverse field applications.
WSNs will be in widespread use in the environment in which we live, enhancing
the quality of our lives. The reduced dimensions of the sensors, the ease of their
integration in the WSN and with the Internet will bring technology in every area of
everyday life. WSNs will allow recognition of the user while he or she moves along
roads, providing personalized services. Furthermore, sensors embedded in people's
clothes will monitor the health of the user, sending requests to an ambulance to collect
the patient when some parameters vary from standard values.
The large numbers of sensors immersed in the environment will provide real-time
information on dangerous situations: the fast response that a human or robot could give
based on this information would be essential in preventing disasters. For example, a
fast intervention when a fire starts would solve the problem before it becomes out of
control.
Robots will be commonly present in roads and they will move around
autonomously: a WSN will decide when and where the robots have to move to in order
to provide their services, considering both environmental parameters and information
coming from people.
In addition, people will have own personal robots, which will provide some help in
everyday life.
However, this immersion of human users into wireless networks will raise issues in
terms of security and privacy. These issues have yet to be tackled and solved.
5.3.3.
Integration of sensors and actuators in intelligent devices
Sensory fusion strategy
Looking at the current state of the art, intelligent devices for AAL are mainly
traditional mechatronic systems capable of reacting to predefined and well-known
stimuli with a stereotyped action. The current intelligent devices are not capable of
cognitive skills, so they cannot fully adapt to both unstructured environments and user
needs.
One of the key features needed to enable cognitive skills is the possibility of
implementing a sensory fusion strategy. In many cases, current mechatronic devices,
although equipped with several kinds of sensors, lack a real sensory fusion strategy.
The sensory-fusion strategy is not a simple integration of data recorded from multiple-
sensor system, but a strategy leading to new variables summarizing information
coming from both the external unstructured environment and the user. What is
expected for intelligent mechatronic devices is a sensory fusion process that starts from
