The Context - Artificial Human Sensors: Science and Applications - page 39

The context aware systems have to make use of a new paradigm. The
approach has to understand the context and relate to an interfaced sensor
system that provides the right information at the right time when additional
information is requested. Since humans usually find their own information, most
suitably based on their own perceptual ability and merge it with their own huge
brain related data base, it is of most importance to provide the corresponding ar-
tificial based information in association with the human mode of complementary
interaction. This is valid when strengthening or weakening basic perceptual data
by additional artificial data or in situations, when new and important data is pre-
sented, that sometimes may be out of range for the human organs.
Sensors systems based on the context aware principle will make the
information available and aware to the human consciousness at a convenient
time, however before a final decision is made, and when not distracting the
human reasoning. Also, the meaning of interaction gives the possibility to pro-
vide directives and additional requested sensing to the context aware sensor sys-
tem by showing abilities through training and teaching methods, Callinon (2007),
or a strategic approach to plan recognition in semi-autonomous applications, e.g.,
wheelchair driving, Demeester (2008).
These qualities may also be used in an unconscious mode when the context
aware-based sensor system recognises new sensing information of importance to
the situational awareness. These situations may, for example, be if a complemen-
tary artificial olfaction system, i.e., an electronic nose system, identifies dangerous
compounds in a close proximity that the human olfaction organ is not able to de-
tect, e.g. carbon monoxide (CO). Since we cannot smell the CO, we are not able to
feel a taste sensation that will make any impact on the context awareness. The arti-
ficial system is directly complementary in interacting with the environment rather
than sensing the same properties as the human perceptions as illustrated in Fig. 2.4.
The symbiosis approach between human perception and artificial sensor sys-
tems provide a complex information interaction and deliberately makes distinction
between the artificial and human capabilities. Further, it directs the sensing abili-
Figure 2.4. The conceptual Context Aware Human Machine Interaction, illustrating the
complementary as well as supportive (dotted arrow) strategic information.